Laura Wolvaardt moves in top five of ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after match-winning century

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has moved into the top five of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after helping her team to a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second match of their ICC Women’s Championship series in Kimberley.

Wolvaardt, who scored 41 in the first match that ended in a ‘no result’ and 110 not out in the second match, has overtaken Australia’s Ellyse Perry to fifth position. Wolvaardt has been No.1 in the ODI rankings in the past and is presently ranked third in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings.

Tazmin Brits, who scored 116 and added 94 runs for the opening stand with Wolvaardt in the first match, has gained seven slots to 38th position, while for Sri Lanka, Kavisha Dilhari (up seven places to 48th) and Nilakshi de Silva (up four places to 49th) have moved up the rankings.

In the ODI bowling rankings, Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka have moved up a place each to third and seventh positions, respectively. Former Sri Lanka captain Inoka Ranaweera is up one place to 17th while Oshadi Ranasinghe (up 12 places to 34th) and Dilhari (up 10 places to 57th) have moved up after bagging two wickets each in the first match.

Sisters Kathryn Bryce and Sarah Bryce of Scotland have also had major gains in the latest women’s weekly player rankings update that also considers performances in a tri-series in Abu Dhabi featuring Papua New Guinea and the United States of America (USA) apart from Scotland.

Captain Kathryn is up 16 places to 46th position after scoring 73 vs PNG while wicketkeeper-batter Sarah has progressed 80 places to 65th with a score of 84 against the USA. Tanya Ruma of PNG, who scored an unbeaten 80 versus the USA, has galloped 138 places to 85th position.

Off-spinner Sibona Jimmy of PNG has progressed 15 places to 68th position after grabbing three wickets against Scotland and one against the USA. Henao Thomas, Vicky Araa and Isabel Toua, all of PNG, and Abtaha Maqsood of Scotland are others to make notable progress.