BBL drives up rankings spot

FIERCE competition in BBL is behind Australia’s rapid rise up the international T20 ranks and potential capture of the No.1 spot, all-rounder Ashton Agar says.

Australia were ranked seventh among T20 nations earlier this month but will become No.1 by beating New Zealand in Auckland today.

Big-hitting Glenn Maxwell and the BBL’s leading run-scorer D’Arcy Short have been among the players to translate stand-out BBL form into match-winning performances during the recent T20I tri-series, with both notcing more than 200 runs.