Ash Gardner scores $558,000 payday as Aussies cash in at WPL auction

February 14, 2023 by Rohan Pyne

More people play organized chess than cricket – and yet????
Time to go Pro.
Australian Chess needs a 5 year plan to establish One Open and One Junior Team per state.
10 Players per team with 3/4 must be female.
Starting year 2028.
  • Talent is not a problem – we are tripping over talented players in Australia who with the proper infrastructure could be in the World’s top 5.
  • Money is not a problem. Though we do have to stop locking potential sponsors out of tournament halls. ROI sometimes depends on spectators. I know that chess players find this hard to believe but in the real business world they like viewers to see the show so they can buy products.
These parents could easily fund a team out of their spare change. Honestly, they are waiting for someone to come up with a business proposition. And I don’t mean sponsor a weekender in a school room with Statler and Waldorf. – Kerry Corker
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Ashleigh Gardner, the No.1 allrounder in women’s T20Is, has attracted the joint second-highest bid of $558,000 at the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.

The subject of a fierce three-team bidding war, Gardner was bought by the Adani Group-owned Gujarat Giants, the last of the three franchises to express their interest in the 25-year-old during the auction on Monday afternoon.

The new tournament will last 23 days, from March 4-26.

With Rachael Haynes, who was recently recruited as the Giants head coach, present at the auction table at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, the imprint of the former Australia captain on the side picking Gardner was unmistakable.

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