South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has reclaimed the top spot as the No. 1 ODI batter in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings this week. Wolvaardt showcased her consistency by scoring an unbeaten 59 in her team’s six-wicket victory over England in the series opener in Kimberley. She followed it up with a solid contribution of 35 runs in the second ODI, although England bounced back with a six-wicket win in Durban to level the series.
Wolvaardt’s rise to the No. 1 spot ended Nat Sciver-Brunt’s six-month reign at the top. The England all-rounder has slipped to third place with 732 points, trailing Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, who is in second place with 733 points. Fellow South African Chloe Tryon has advanced eight places to joint 17th with Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, both with 544 points. Meanwhile, Ellyse Perry gained two spots to reach fourth place with 714 points-her highest position in three and a half years-following a century against India in Brisbane.
Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield and Tahlia McGrath have also made progress in the batters’ rankings, moving up 13 and five places to 25th and 32nd, respectively. Georgia Voll entered the rankings in 84th place after an impressive start to her international career. In the bowlers’ rankings, Megan Schutt has climbed two places to second with 715 points, while Sophie Ecclestone retains the top spot with 767 rating points. South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp rose from ninth to sixth place (655 points) and remains at the top of the all-rounders’ rankings. England’s Charlie Dean has moved up one place to ninth with 605 points in the bowlers’ rankings and another spot to 10th among all-rounders.
Australia’s Kim Garth, with her economical bowling in the first two ODIs against India, has entered the top 20 bowlers for the first time, climbing seven places to 16th with 532 points. Her teammate Annabel Sutherland rocketed 23 places to 24th (468 points) in the bowlers’ rankings and rose five places to 12th among all-rounders, just ahead of South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk, who moved up seven slots to 13th.
India’s Renuka Thakur climbed five places to 28th, while South Africa’s Annerie Dercksen made an impressive leap of 99 spots to joint 69th with Ireland’s Jane Maguire.
In the T20I rankings, Ireland’s 3-0 series sweep against Bangladesh brought significant gains for their players. Player of the Series Orla Prendergast entered the top 10 of the all-rounders’ rankings, rising six places to joint ninth with Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce. She also jumped 21 spots to 64th in the bowlers’ rankings.
Her teammate Arlene Kelly climbed six places to joint 27th after taking five wickets in the series, while Amy Hunter moved up one spot to 27th among batters. Laura Delany advanced three places to 55th in the batters’ rankings.
