Laura Wolvaardt, the captain of South Africa’s women’s cricket team, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for batters. Her recent performances have propelled her back to the number one position.
Wolvaardt initially reached the top ranking during the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. She has consistently remained within the top 10 batters since then.
Her recent scores of 59 not out and 35 in the first two matches of the ICC Women’s Championship series against England at home have solidified her return to the top.
England’s all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who previously held the top spot, has dropped to third place. Sciver-Brunt’s scores of zero and 20 in the first two matches against South Africa contributed to her decline in the rankings.
South African player Chloe Tryon has also seen a significant rise in the rankings. She has jumped eight spots to 17th place in the ODI batter rankings after scoring 45 runs in the second match against England.
Several Australian players have also made notable advancements in the rankings following their strong start in the series against India at home.
Ellyse Perry has climbed two spots to fourth place in the ODI batter rankings after scoring a century in Brisbane.
Her teammates, Phoebe Litchfield and Tahlia McGrath, have also made impressive gains. Litchfield has moved up 13 places to 25th, while McGrath has climbed five spots to 32nd.
Georgia Voll, a young Australian player, has entered the batter rankings at 84th following an impressive start to her international career.
Australian bowlers have also witnessed positive movement in the ODI rankings. Veteran seamer Megan Schutt has moved up two spots to second place overall, trailing behind England’s spinner Sophie Ecclestone. Schutt took six wickets in two matches against India.
Australian teammates Kim Garth and Annabel Sutherland have also improved their rankings. Garth has risen seven spots to 16th, while Sutherland has climbed 23 spots to 24th.
South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp has also moved up three places to sixth in the ODI bowler rankings after securing four wickets in the first two matches against England.
Kapp continues to lead the ODI all-rounder rankings. Australia’s spinner Ash Gardner has moved up one spot to fourth, and England’s off-spinner Charlie Dean has also risen one place to 10th in the all-rounder rankings.
The latest T20I rankings also reveal some changes. Ireland’s young player Orla Prendergast has entered the top 10 all-rounders following her team’s series sweep against Bangladesh.
Prendergast’s impressive performance, which included 54 runs and 10 wickets, earned her the Player of the Series award against Bangladesh. She climbed six spots to reach the ninth position in the all-rounder rankings.
Her teammate Arlene Kelly has also improved her ranking. Kelly moved up six spots to 27th in the T20I bowler rankings after taking five wickets in the three matches against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Sharmin Akhter has re-entered the T20I batter rankings at 68th after scoring 95 runs in the series. Australia’s Beth Mooney retains her top position in the T20I batter rankings.