03 Mar Ecclestone new T20 World No.2
Sophie Ecclestone has climbed up to second in the women’s T20 Player Index after topping the wicket-taking charts at the Women’s T20 World Cup.
The spinner took 11 wickets and boasted the best economy (4.15) of any player to bowl more than 30 deliveries as England reached the semi-finals.
Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner, whose 110 runs and 10 wickets helped Australia to a record-extending sixth title, remains in top spot while South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp completes the top three.
Suzie Bates, who has previously been ranked as high as No.2, has climbed back up to No.5 after impressing on both the domestic and international stage.
The allrounder scored 293 runs from five innings as well as taking four wickets and three catches for Otago in the Super Smash, before topping the run-scoring charts (137 runs) for New Zealand at the T20 World Cup.
Ashleigh Gardner is No.1 in the T20 Player Index [Getty Images]
Australia batter Beth Mooney, who was player of the match in the T20 World Cup final, remains at No.4 while England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has climbed one place into sixth after scoring 216 runs in South Africa.
Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Smriti Mandhana (India), Harmanpreet Kaur (India) and Sophie Devine (New Zealand) are the other players inside the top 10.
The tournament’s leading run-scorer Laura Wolvaardt (230 runs) has climbed 12 places to No.12 while South Africa teammate Tazmin Brits (186 runs) has risen over 50 places to a career-high ranking of 56th.
Ireland’s Orla Prendergast has also enjoyed a meteoric rise following a productive T20 World Cup, climbing over 50 places to No.27. The 20-year-old allrounder scored 109 runs and took three wickets in South Africa and is the only Ireland player inside the top 50.
Elsewhere, Canterbury batter Kate Anderson is reaping the benefits of a fruitful Super Smash campaign, climbing 124 places to No.106. She scored 536 runs in 12 appearances, 160 runs clear of second-placed Amy Satterthwaite.
Leading wicket-taker Gabby Sullivan (Canterbury), who took 21 wickets, including 3 for 29 in the final, enters the top 300 for the first time, climbing from No.533 to No.209.