Rankings re-shuffle sees Wolvaardt claim top batter mantle
South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt has backed up her
tremendous ICC Women's Cricket World Cup to date by claiming the mantle as the
top ranked ODI batter in the world.
Wolvaardt has scored more runs (433) at the World Cup than any other player and her excellent form in New Zealand has been noticed as she moved up two places and overtook two Australians in the process to claim the top ranking on the latest MRF Tyres ODI Player Rankings.
The stylish South African has made five half-centuries from seven innings at the 50-over showcase, with her top score of 90 coming against tournament favourites Australia in Wellington last week.
New world No.1 🌏#ICCRankings | @MRFWorldwide pic.twitter.com/ENzQOR7IdB
— ICC (@ICC) March 29, 2022
It means Alyssa Healy loses her top ranking, with the Australia wicket-keeper dropping four places to now be rated fifth in the Women ODI rankings.
Team-mate Beth Mooney remains in second place on the rankings, with Australia captain Meg Lanning (third) and England veteran Nat Sciver (fourth) rounding out the remainder of the top five batters on the latest rankings.
Mithali Raj's fifty against South Africa helped her make a three-place jump to No.6. However, the match ended in heartbreak for the Indian skipper as her team crashed out of the World Cup in a last-ball thriller.
While there is plenty of movement in the latest batter rankings, the same cannot be said for the bowling or all-rounder rankings.
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone - who is the leading wicket taker at the World Cup with 14 scalps - remains the highest ranked bowler, while Australia's Jess Jonassen is second.
In-form South Africa seamer Shabnim Ismail moves up one spot to take third in the rankings from Australia veteran Megan Schutt, while India pacer Jhulan Goswami rockets up two places to fifth.
It's status quo in the all-rounder ranks, with Australia veteran Ellyse Perry remaining at the top of the rankings and the top eight players all staying in their current spots.
England's Katherine Brunt moves up two places to ninth, while Goswami loses once spot to drop to 10th.
Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar - fresh from 118 runs and 10 wickets at the World Cup - moves up four places to 12th, while Bangladesh veteran Salma Khatun is up seven spots to 19th.
