Meg Lanning replaces Stafanie Taylor at the top of ODI batting rankings  

Australia skipper Meg Lanning has recaptured No.1 position in the batters list ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after playing a major role in Australia’s 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand in the recently-concluded series. With the series victory, Australia recorded their 21st consecutive win in the format equaling the feat achieved by Ricky Ponting’s 2003 side.



The 28-year-old scored 163 runs in two matches with the best of unbeaten 101 not out in the second game which helped her leap four places and replace West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor at the top. She couldn’t play the final ODI due to a hamstring strain she suffered while batting in the second match.



This is also the fifth time that Lanning has grabbed the top spot, the last occasion being in October 2018. She has been No.1 for a total of 902 days since the first time in November 2014. Meanwhile, Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes also made quick progress.



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The Player of Series with 222 runs from three games gained seven places to reach a career-best 13th position. She scored 44, 82 and 96 in the series.  Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen’s eight wickets in the series, including a haul of 4/36 in the second match, helped consolidate her position at the top of the bowlers’ rankings.



Jonassen started the series at 754 points and her show in the ODI series took her to a career-high 804 rating points. The first time Jonassen topped the ODI bowlers’ list was in July 2017 and she has been No.1 for 599 days spread over six spells, including the ongoing one that commenced in October 2019. Her teammates Georgia Wareham (up from 35th to 24th) and Sophie Molineux (re-entered at 44th) also made respective gains.



For New Zealand, Amy Satterthwaite has re-entered the ODI rankings in the fifth position after scoring 111 runs in the series. Former captain Suzie Bates has lost a place in the top 10. However, Maddy Green has gained 18 places to reach the 47th position.



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Teen all-rounder Amelia Kerr has advanced five places to 13th in the bowlers’ chart after six scalps in the series while fast bowler Lea Tahuhu (re-entered at 22nd) and Rosemary Mair (up 14 places to 49th) are the others from the side to move up the rankings.



Australia and New Zealand remain in first and fifth positions, respectively in the ODI Team Rankings. Australia have gained two points since the annual rankings update last week to move up to 162 points while New Zealand have lost two during the series and are now on 92.