Alyssa Healy has predicted Ashleigh Gardner's record-breaking Ashes Test haul will help shape Australia's next decade, after the all-rounder spun her side to an 89-run victory over England.
Gardner claimed 8-66 to wrap up the sole Ashes Test for Australia on Monday, with England all out for 178 just before lunch on day five in their pursuit of 268 for victory.
The offspinner's figures were the second-best by a woman in the history of Test cricket, as were her match figures of 12-165.
The Muruwari woman also eclipsed Betty Wilson's 7-7 and 11-16 from 1958 for the best innings and match figures by an Australian woman in history.
"I wouldn't have dreamt of it, but it just shows having five days in a Test to get a result is super important," Gardner said.
"There was a little bit of luck involved in the conditions.
"But I think as a whole bowling unit we bowled well throughout, tried to bowl in partnerships and I was the lucky one to get the wickets."
Gardner has won a Belinda Clark Award as Australia's best player and was the WBBL's MVP last summer - but at age 26, this Test has been her crowning glory.
And with an ageing senior group of players, captain Healy believes it could be a pivotal moment in the allrounder's career.
"There's a big group of us that are over 30 now, 32 or 33," Healy said.
"And then there's a group in that middle period who've just found their feet in the international game.
"Ash is is one of those key personnel who's still got another 10 years in the game and is confident enough in her ability and her skills to be able to go out there and compete time after time.
"She's going to be a real leader in this group for a long period of time. I hope that today gives her that confidence. I'm sure it will."
The result means Australia will need to win only two of the six white-ball matches to retain the Ashes in the multi-format series.
Australia can thank Gardner for that, after she took all five wickets on the final day after England got the required runs down to 127.
She made the breakthrough when she got the edge of nightwatcher Kate Cross on 13, before Amy Jones was stumped by a fumbling Healy on four.
The game was virtually over at that point, before Gardner took the final three wickets to rewrite the record books.
It was a fitting finish, given Gardner had put Australia back in the match in the first innings when England were in control at 2-288 in reply to Australia's 473.
Her 4-99 included the key trio of Tammy Beaumont on 208, Heather Knight on 57 and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
In the second innings, with England cruising at 0-55 in their chase, it was Gardner who struck again.
She took the wickets of Beaumont, Knight and Sciver-Brunt in the space of three overs on the fourth evening, ripping the heart out of the chase.
Gardner's efforts counteracted England spinner Sophie Ecclestone's 10-192 for the match, and ended a run of draws in women's Test with this only the second in history to be given five days.
It also came after Ellyse Perry's 99 on day one laid the platform, before Annabel Sutherland hit an unbeaten 137 at No.8.
Healy's rearguard second-innings 50, with two fractured fingers was also crucial, giving Australia something to bowl at after a mid-innings collapse of 6-49.
