'A lot of confidence' for Ash Gardner ahead of T20 Cup

Topic:Cricket

All-rounder Ash Gardner has starred with the bat in a T20 World Cup warm-up win over South Africa. (Getty Images: Cricket Australia/Sarah Reed)

Australia is preparing for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup to be held in the UK.

All-rounder Ash Gardner scored a half-century in three warm-up matches against South Africa.

Australia has warm-up matches against  England and West Indies on June 8 and 10 before the start of the World Cup.

Link copied

Ash Gardner will hit Australia's Twenty20 World Cup warm-up matches full of confidence after a half-century in the last of three informal hit-outs against South Africa.

Gardner's 66 runs from 38 balls at Arundel Castle helped Australia to an 85-run win over the Proteas, who eliminated them from the last edition of the tournament in a semi-final boilover.

Australia, the world's top-ranked side, enter this month's World Cup with great expectations on their shoulders, having also failed to defend their 50-over title in 2025.

Brisbane Heat left-arm pace bowler Lucy Hamilton has been selected in Australia's T20 World Cup squad with the experienced Darcie Brown a surprise omission.

Gardner's fellow all-rounder Georgia Wareham (52 runs off 29 balls) chipped in with a half-century of her own to help Australia to 6-212 on Thursday (Friday AEST), when South Africa finished at 6-127 in reply.

South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt (47) retired just shy of her half-century, with Ellyse Perry (1-8), Annabel Sutherland (1-12) and new captain Sophie Molineux (1-16) helping rattle through her teammates.

Gardner had not made it out of single digits with the bat in either of Australia's first two friendlies against the Proteas, but was relieved to find form.

"I haven't been hitting the ball that well in the nets, so to actually be able to do it more in a game scenario is certainly pleasing and gives you a lot of confidence," she said.

ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines.

"The nets only kind of say one thing, and then when you actually get out in the heat of the battle, that kind of dictates where your game's at a little bit more."

Australia will now travel to Cardiff and will face England and the West Indies on June 8 and 10 for official warm-up matches, before the tournament proper begins against South Africa on June 13.