Captain Taylor returns to top of batting, all-rounder ODI rankings

LONDON, ENGLAND (CMC) — West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor has reclaimed the top batting and all-rounder spots in the latest International Cricket Council women player rankings announced yesterday by the governing body.

The 30-year-old jumped four spots to displace India stroke-maker Mithali Raj from the summit of the batting charts and rose two places in the all-rounder charts to knock Australian Ellyse Perry off her perch.

Raj, South African Lizelle Lee, Australian Alyssa Healy and England’s Tammy Beaumont round out the top five of batting, while Aussie Megan Schutt, South African Marizanne Kapp, fellow national Shabnim Ismail and India’s Jhulan Goswami complete the top five in bowling.

It is the first time in seven years Taylor has found herself as the top-ranked batsman, while returning to the top all-rounder spot for the first time in four years.

Taylor has also made moves in the bowling rankings, leaping three spots to 16th, with Australian Jess Jonassen holding on to the number one position.

The Jamaican has been in a rich vein of form in the ongoing five-match series against Pakistan Women, in which the hosts have already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead.

She struck an unbeaten 105 in the opening game, powering her side to a five-wicket victory after they easily chased down 206 at Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Taylor also nabbed three wickets in an excellent allround display which earned her Player-of-the-match honours.

She did not bat in the second One-day International (ODI) and was sidelined from the third, with Anisa Mohammed leading the squad in her absence.

There was also movement in the rankings for all-rounder Deandra Dottin who re-entered the batting charts at 28th, after featuring in her first ODI in two years last week.

She has also been installed at 47th in the all-rounder rankings.

Left-handed opener Kyshona Knight has risen seven places to 53rd in the batting rankings while veteran off-spinner Mohammed has jumped two places to 26th, after taking nine wickets in three games.

Fast bowler Shamilia Connell, who has picked up just two wickets in the series, now lies 39th after rising four places in the bowling rankings.

(Photo: CWI Media) West Indies Women’s Captain Stafanie Taylor on the go on her knock of 105 not out in the first One-day International match against Pakistan at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda recently.