The vice-captain of Australia’s women’s cricket team, Ashleigh Gardner, has split from her wife in what the Daily Mail understands is acrimonious circumstances.
The marriage breakdown is said to be the talk of the close-knit Southern Stars squad, many of whom are overseas after defeating England in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on July 5.
Gardner, 29, who was appointed co-vice captain on January 28 alongside Tahlia McGrath, married her long-term girlfriend Monica Wright in April 2025.
However, just months later, things started to fall apart while the team was in India for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
A team source with knowledge of the situation says there was some awkwardness during that tour when Monica flew over to India to see her wife.
‘It was a little bit weird,‘ the insider said.
The vice-captain of Australia’s women’s cricket team, Ashleigh Gardner, has separated from her wife in what the Daily Mail understands is acrimonious circumstances
‘It was like something was a little bit off with Ash, but we thought it was because of the pressure of the World Cup.’
The insider said it was ‘just horrible’ when Wright arrived in India and Gardner didn’t seem like herself.
The Mail understands that Gardner and Wright had a heart-to-heart after they returned to their Northern Beaches home in Sydney following the World Cup.
‘When they got home, [Gardner] goes, “Hey, look, can we talk?” and she sat her down,’ the source claimed.
Gardner allegedly disclosed to Wright why things had been ‘off’ during her visit to India, leaving Wright ‘shattered’ and ‘distraught’.
The conversation effectively marked the end of the couple’s marriage.
The split was especially devastating for Wright because, according to the source, the couple had been discussing plans to start a family.
‘They were about to go to the fertility clinic. They had a booking that Monica had to cancel,’ said the spy.
Gardner, 29, who was appointed co-vice-captain on January 28, tied the knot with girlfriend Monica Wright (left) in April 2025
Gardner is understood to have moved out of the home the couple shared together in November, with Wright still living in their house.
‘Ash left one day. Monica came home and everything of Ash’s was gone, except for the rings,’ said the source.
‘She left the wedding rings in the cupboard. Just the box of wedding rings, and that was it.’
The Daily Mail understands that Gardner’s marriage breakdown sent shockwaves through the Southern Stars because Monica had been ‘around the team for five years’ and ‘knew them all’, according to the source.
‘Some of them are really good mates, and Monica has a very good relationship with a lot of [players] still. A lot of them are quite upset,’ added the insider.
‘She had messages from nearly all of the girls telling her how upset they were about it.’
The sport’s governing body is apparently aware of the marriage breakdown.
Our source claimed a disclosure was made to Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) when Gardner was appointed captain of the Women’s BBL team Sydney Sixes in November, shortly after her split from Wright.
She was later made co-vice-captain of the national team at the start of the year.
The Daily Mail contacted Cricket Australia, seeking comment and clarification.
Gardner, the Women’s ODI Player of the Year, poses during the 2025 Cricket Australia Awards
Ashleigh Gardner and long-term partner Monica Wright were engaged in 2024
Richard Hinds, the respected former Fairfax sportswriter who now serves as Cricket Australia’s senior communications chief, simply said: ‘Yeah, no comment on that.’
Gardner was also contacted for comment.
While the captaincy meetings were happening, the insider says that Gardner had attempted to smooth things over with Wright.
However, it is understood the relationship could not be salvaged.
Gardner and Wright met on a dating app in 2020, with the couple later proposing to one another in April 2024.
They tied the knot in a rustic ceremony in the Blue Mountains in April 2025.
