Ashleigh Gardner will further her leadership development after taking the reins from Ellyse Perry as captain of Sydney Sixers , a WBBL franchise hoping to recapture their former standing.

The transition signals a new era after Perry had captained Sixers since the inaugural season in 2015-16, yielding back-to-back titles in the second and third seasons of WBBL. But Sixers' status as an on-field powerhouse has faded away having failed to qualify for the finals in five of the past six seasons.

It is a major reset for Sixers under the fresh leadership of Gardner and new head coach Matthew Mott, the former coach of the Australia women's team and England men's white-ball sides.

Gardner, 28, has been an integral part of the Sixers from the start, holding the club record for games (135) an

See Full Page