Sydney Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes says they are backing in Ash Gardner, despite the recent allegations made by her former wife.
Just over a week ago Monica Wright accused Gardner of having an affair with a teammate while on tour for Australia.
Gardner is a superstar of women’s cricket. She is vice-captain of the Australian team and also captain of Sydney Sixers.
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The allegations were widely reported across several outlets and sent shockwaves through the industry. Now the Sixers have responded.
“I’m not going to comment on (Ash’s) personal life, or anything like that,” Haynes said.
“But certainly we’ve exchanged messages.
“I’ve checked in with her. She knows that we’re here to support her.
“She’s a well-respected player within our program, an important player for us, so I think the most important thing is knowing that we’re there for her, we care about her and look forward to continuing with the club ongoing.”
Asked if Gardner would remain as captain, Haynes said “absolutely.
“Each year we make a recommendation to our board around our leaders,” Haynes said.
She certainly did a fantastic job last year, and we’ll be making that recommendation to our board that she continues.”
The cheating allegations come just over a year after the Gardner and Wright married in a secluded Blue Mountains retreat.
It was reportedly a whirlwind romance after they met on a dating app in 2020.
Gardner took over the Sixers’ captaincy role at the end of last year. Prior to that, cricket superstar Ellyse Perry held the position.
The appointment made Gardner the first Indigenous captain of a Big Bash side.
“The maturity that she’s got over the last few years, and her cricket IQ is as high as anyone in the world at the moment,” Sixers coach Matthew Mott said at the time of Gardeners’ appointment
“She’s learned off some of the great leaders in Australian cricket … it’s just cherry ripe now for her to take this (Sixers) team.
“Ash is going to turn into probably one of the better leaders that has ever been produced in Australian cricket.”
– With AAP
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