AN absolute bowling masterclass from Ash Gardner has helped Australia to a crucial win in the Women’s Ashes Test.

After the test started the day as evenly poised, Gardner went to work, snaring the last five wickets to wrap up the test inside the opening session of the day.

Today’s five wicket haul brought her second innings tally up to eight, and match total up to 12, earning her a deserved Player of the Match.

Her figures were also the second best figures ever in a women’s test, only bettered by Pakistan’s Shaiza Khan’s 13 wicket haul in 2004.

Her efforts saw Australia roll the English tail, and the English lost 5/62 on day five to be all bowled out for 178, which was still 89 runs short of their target.

Keeper Alyssa Healy also played a crucial role for the Aussies, taking an excellent catch to dismiss the dangerous Kate Cross, before taking the scalp of fellow wicketkeeper Amy Jones with a quick stumping despite an early fumble.

Danni Wyatt tried to hold strong for England with a solid innings of 54, but not even she could survive Gardner’s onslaught, becoming Gardner’s final victim of the English second innings.

This win sees Australia take a crucial full four points away from the Test match in the race to earn the most points in the multi format series. The fact that the Aussies won the test puts them in an incredibly strong position, only needing to win at least two more of the six remaining matches in the series to retain the Ashes.

The series now moves to the T20 portion of the series, with the first of three T20s set to take place at Edgbaston on Saturday night (Sunday morning Australian time).

DAILY SCORECARD

Australia 10/473 and 10/257 defeated England 10/463 and 10/178

Wyatt 54

Gardner five wickets (eight total for the innings)