In just over a week, Ashleigh Gardner could be playing international cricket for her country at the MCG.
But for now, she's happy to be playing on a much smaller stage. While her soon-to-be Southern Stars teammates are in Brisbane preparing for three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day internationals against New Zealand, Gardner is in Alice Springs. On the verge of becoming the first Indigenous woman to play cricket for Australia in nearly 60 years, Gardner this week is playing for NSW in the annual Imparja Cup Indigenous cricket tournament in the Red Centre.
![Just the second Indigenous female to play for Australia, Ashleigh Gardner poses for a photo in Alice Springs this week.](/web/20170209121836im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/8/s/n/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu9ahs.png/1486622995747.jpg)
Given the choice to head to the camp to bond with her teammates, or play in the NT event, Gardner, 19, said she followed the advice of selectors to play as much cricket as possible before the Australian squad convenes in Melbourne next Monday.
"It was my choice," Gardner said on Thursday. "I pretty much know all the [Australian] girls anyway, so there wasn't anything like that really."
Proud of her Indigenous heritage, Gardner said she relished the chance to get a taste of life in the NT. "It's so different to being at home obviously. The culture's quite evident up here, and I love coming up to Alice Springs for that purpose," she said.
"Being up here and being among it all is pretty special and it's so different to being at home.
"I love to get in touch with my culture as much as possible, so it's always awesome coming up here."
Having made an irresistible case for an international call-up with 414 runs and 10 wickets for the Sydney Sixers in the recent Women's Big Bash League, it should come as no great surprise that Gardner is a class above when she heads to the Indigenous competition.
Playing against Victoria in a Twenty20 clash on Thursday she opened both the bowling and the batting, taking 2-9 from four overs and making 23 from 10 balls as NSW successfully chased Victoria's 6-64 with 13 overs to spare. But while the standard is significantly lower than it will be when the Twenty20 series starts at the MCG next Friday, Gardner said her mindset remained similar wherever she played. "They're obviously two different environments but it's still really good coming up here and spending time with the girls.
"I just take everyone on their merit and play everyone like I would normally, if I was playing for Australia or up here in the Imparja Cup."
She said her mind hadn't yet turned to the internationals, but expected things to change once she was Melbourne-bound. "As soon as I get on that plane I'm sure I'll start to get a bit nervous."
Should NSW make the final of the event Gardner will miss the game as she heads to Victoria, but the teenage sensation said she was confident her team would cope without her if they make it that far.
The three women's T20 internationals will be played as double headers with Australia's men's matches against Sri Lanka.
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