Not many dimensions away across the multiverse, there is a world where Ashleigh Gardner is already Australian captain across formats. When Meg Lanning surprisingly called time on an international career in 2023 when she might still have had years to play, selectors had the chance to shift the team towards the next generation. It felt regressive to instead put hierarchy first by appointing Alyssa Healy, two years older than Lanning, leaving the team in an era where those two plus Ellyse Perry have been dominant in name, fame and personality for well over a decade.

Gardner was 26 at the time, the right sort of age to launch into something new, and operating at her peak. Earlier that year she had bagged half a million US dollars for a T20 stint in India, 12 wickets in a Test at Trent Bridge, and was not out in the chase to win a T20 World Cup final. She had graduated from useful bowler to genuine spinner to accompany her batting power, and regardless of appointment was already a leader by performance.

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The all-rounder filled one of the few gaps in that CV in Hobart on Friday, when the third and final Women’s Ashes ODI produced her first international century. In a way it’s surprising that it hadn’t happened yet, given she has played for Australia since the age of 19, but Gardner’s batting has been about fast innings rather than long ones. Across WBBL history, only Beth Mooney has batted as many times with a higher strike rate. In women’s international T20s, there are four players. And in women’s one-day cricket, not a single player can beat her on that metric.

So it was an innings of leadership to make 102, initially buckling down, later speeding up to finish at a run a ball. From 59-4 when she came in, Australia needed substance. Gardner provided it with consecutive partnerships of 95 and 103 alongside Mooney and Tahlia McGrath. Even during her early dry spell, Gardner was prepared to smack Sydney Sixers teammate Sophie Ecclestone over the rope, and most of her later attacking shots came when facing spin.

There were some elevated shots that had a share of luck within the field of play, but eight fours and one six out of such a big score is a restrained ratio by Gardner’s standards. The innings was more about her 65 trips up and down the pitch to score her ones and twos, plus another 38 dashes for her two partners. Nat Sciver-Brunt dished up a tray of pies to get Gardner from 90 to 99 in three balls, but by then the hard work had earned some reward.

Her team got rewarded too. A platform of 257 with four overs to go gave Georgia Wareham the chance to smash Australia to 308 with a ferocious 38 not out from 12 balls. Suddenly the side was looking so much better balanced for including Wareham’s clean striking and leg breaks. England got nowhere near the chase, bowled out for 222 to fall 86 short. Australia finish 3-0 up in the ODIs, go 6-0 up on points, and can retain the trophy next week by winning a single T20.

The other aspect showing leadership was in Gardner fighting through a difficult career period with the bat. It wasn’t exactly a rut, but between the Women’s Premier League in early 2023 and an ODI series in December 2024, she crossed 50 twice in all franchise and international cricket. Her recent WBBL season was especially bare. Gardner used her bowling to stay in the tournament, but had to find a way back to runs.

Related: Australia beat England by 86 runs: third Women’s Ashes one-day cricket international – as it happened

An even 50 against India last December helped, 74 against New Zealand in Wellington kicked her along, and in the first Women’s Ashes ODI it was Gardner preventing a wobble with 42 not out to seal a chase. Her hundred here is another level of significance, an achievement that should give her the confidence to take on the rest of the series. The relief on her face at reaching the mark was evident. Released, she followed up with the best catch of her career, a one-handed flick on the rope before diving back into play to dismiss Ecclestone while mid-air.

Now Gardner can think about what comes next. At 27, she should be around for future leadership vacancies, and could become Australia’s first Indigenous cricket captain. Domestic experience also has McGrath in the frame, who was important in this match with 55. These days, though, when this Australian team has its creaks and wobbles, Gardner and Mooney feel like the most important players, the ones who most often deliver when problems need to be solved. When the time comes, that reality should be reflected on the teamsheet as well as the scorecard.