Ashleigh Gardner, the vice-captain of the Australian women's team, is at the centre of a huge storm after her estranged wife, Monica Wright, made some serious allegations against her, accusing her of cheating. Recently, Wright also criticised Cricket Australia for not doing enough and not stripping Gardner of the vice-captaincy. The entire matter started earlier this year after Wright claimed that Gardner cheated on her with teammate Georgia Voll during the 2025 Women's World Cup in India.
Wright claimed that the actions of Gardner should have resulted in some consequences, and Cricket Australia should have removed the all-rounder from the vice-captaincy role. Gardner maintained her silence on the matter for months, but on Thursday, she finally addressed the issue.
Taking to Instagram Stories, Gardner shared a statement, asking for privacy, but thanked Cricket Australia for sticking by her and supporting her continued leadership. She also apologised to Monica for all the pain she had caused.
“While my separation from my wife is a personal matter, I understand my current relationship status needed to be addressed by Cricket Australia, given my position as the vice-captain. I am grateful that the CA Board has chosen to support my continued leadership. I look forward to playing a strong role as a leader and providing the best possible support for my teammates in the season to come,” Gardner said in a statement shared on Instagram Stories.
“I am grateful for the time Monica and I shared and sorry for the pain this has caused. I wish her nothing but happiness and success in the future. I won't be making any further comment on this matter at this time and ask that the privacy of those involved be respected,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}“I am grateful for the time Monica and I shared and sorry for the pain this has caused. I wish her nothing but happiness and success in the future. I won't be making any further comment on this matter at this time and ask that the privacy of those involved be respected,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}What exactly happened?
Gardner and Wright married each other in April 2025. However, the relationship was strained during last year's World Cup. A few months after Gardner moved out of their home, Wright claimed that the all-rounder was involved with Voll during the World Cup.
Earlier, Cricket Australia had responded to Wright's latest comments, saying the matter was private and a personal issue.
“Cricket Australia ensures all relationships within our workforce comply with our Respect at Work policy. This includes putting appropriate conflict-of-interest management arrangements in place to support leadership responsibilities and maintain the integrity of team processes,” CA said in its statement.
Earlier, Gardner's Women's Big Bash League franchise, the Sydney Sixers, also backed the Australia all-rounder during the controversy.