ASHLEIGH GARDNER starred with ball and bat as Australia drew first blood in the women’s Ashes by beating England in a tense series-opening one-day international in Brisbane on Saturday.

The 20-year-old followed up figures of three for 47 with a superb cameo of 27 from 18 balls, while Alex Blackwell underpinned Australia’s chase of 229 with an unbeaten 67 from 86 deliveries.

Blackwell was at the other end when Jess Jonassen creamed the first ball she faced for four, which sealed a nervy two-wicket victory with five balls to spare for the Southern Stars at a sold-out Allan Border Field.