The Australian women’s cricket team’s vice captain, Ashleigh Gardner, posted a message on Instagram Stories on August 13 to address the controversy surrounding her breakup with Monica Wright.
In April 2025, Wright and Gardner were married. The dispute came to light when Wright accused Gardner of cheating on social media in July of this year, claiming that Gardner had a romantic involvement with Australian colleague Georgia Voll during the 2025 Women’s World Cup in India.
“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,” Gardner said in her statement, confirming that the Cricket Australia board had taken her position into consideration and decided to keep her in the leadership role.
I am appreciative of the CA Board’s decision to back my ongoing leadership. In an Instagram Stories post, Gardner said, “I look forward to playing a strong role as a leader and giving my teammates the best support possible in the upcoming season.”
In what way did Gardner address Monica Wright’s need for privacy?
In a part of her message directed at Wright, Gardner acknowledged the time they had spent together and apologised for the pain their breakup had caused. She did not elaborate on the specific charges. Gardner had moved out of the marital residence after the breakup, and Wright’s social media comments were made several weeks prior to Gardner’s public response.
I apologise for the suffering this has caused and am thankful for the time Monica and I had together. I hope the future brings her nothing but joy and prosperity. She continued, “I will not be commenting on this issue at this time and ask that the privacy of people affected be respected.
What was Cricket Australia’s response?
Cricket Australia responded by pointing to its current workplace policy, which covers potential conflicts of interest and connections across the nation. The governing organization did not confirm the details of any internal review, but it did indicate that steps had been made to protect the integrity of team leadership and procedures. Gradner is a member of the Women’s Big Bash League Sydney Sixers, who stood by their captain throughout the incident.
“Cricket Australia ensures that all relationships within our workforce comply with our Respect at Work policy.” The board had previously stated, “This includes implementing suitable conflict-of-interest management arrangements to support leadership responsibilities and maintain the integrity of team processes.”
