Big-hitting Ashleigh Gardner is itching for a chance to swing the bat for the Sydney Sixers after watching her Australian teammates cash in against Sri Lanka this season.
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Gardner (52) trails Adelaide Thunder's New Zealand star Sophie Devine (59) in sixes hit in the burgeoning league, which begins its fifth instalment next Friday.
It will run separate to the men's BBL for the first time, giving talents like Gardner the perfect platform to enhance their reputations.
And Gardner can't wait, having watched Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning fill their boots against the world No.8 Sri Lankans in a lopsided one-day series in Brisbane that concluded on Wednesday.
"I guess I get a bit more of a go coming in at three for the Sixers (rather than No.6 for Australia)," she said.
"You've got to showcase what you can really do and it's something I've tried to do in the Big Bash, stamp my authority where I want to bat."
Hitting sixes comes so naturally to Gardner she couldn't help depositing a few into the top deck of Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane while having a casual hit at Thursday's season launch.
While it is becoming less rare to see the ball clearing the ropes in women's cricket, Gardner still thinks she holds the edge in that department.
"There's not many females in the world who can hit sixes early in their innings and that's something I do pride myself on," she said.
"If it's in my slot I go for it ... that's why people love watching the boys because they can come out and hit sixes straight away.
"I know Sophie Devine's trying to beat me (in the six-hitting rankings) but I'll give it a red hot crack to be there again."
Having helped Australia to a women's ODI record 18th-straight victory, Gardner and her national teammates will enjoy the competition as they split among the eight WBBL franchises.
"We can have that banter and know it's not serious ... we know each other's games inside out but it's good to see everyone doing well," the off-spinning all-rounder said.
"It's (the increased exposure) shown us as cricketers but also as people.
"We're not robots, we love having a joke, some banter and engaging with fans."
WBBL'S LEADING SIX HITTERS
59 - Sophie Devine (Strikers)
52 - Ashleigh Gardner (Sixers)
37 - Ellyse Perry (Sixers)
31 - Grace Harris (Heat)
29 - Harmanpreet Kaur (Thunder)
Australian Associated Press
