Alana King has returned to the top of the ICC Women's ODI Bowling Rankings. The Australian leg spinner's time away lasted only four days. She took five for 19 as Australia beat West Indies by nine wickets, sealing a 3-0 series win.
King's figures came in the final ODI in St. Kitts. Phoebe Litchfield hit 68 not out from 56 balls. She shared an unbeaten 87-run stand with Ellyse Perry. Perry made 33 not out from 40 balls as Australia completed an unbeaten Caribbean tour.
Batting gains for Litchfield and Perry
Litchfield stayed fifth in the ICC Women's ODI Batting Rankings. She crossed 700 rating points for the first time. Perry climbed two spots to re-enter the top 10. She rose from 12th place last week, underlining her steady role in Australia's order.
In Wellington, New Zealand, the
captain Amelia Kerr hit 179 not out from 139 balls. She led a record chase of 350 for eight against South Africa. The innings levelled the series. Kerr moved six places to joint 14th in the batting list with Pakistan's Sidra Amin.
New Zealand won the series decider by 66 runs. Maddy Green scored 141 not out from 128 balls against South Africa. The White Ferns batter climbed four places to a career-best ninth. South Africa seamer Ayabonga Khaka, the series's leading wicket taker, rose five spots to 12th.
ICC Women's Championship standings
New Zealand bounced back from an opening loss to win the ICC Women's Championship series against South Africa 2-1. They now top the table with 10 points from six matches. South Africa sits third after three wins and three losses from six matches so far.
Australia's win in the final ODI in St. Kitts kept their 100 percent record. They are second in the Championship, with three wins from three matches against the West Indies. The hosts have one win from six games and are currently in sixth place.
Four teams are yet to play in this Championship cycle. West Indies could face pressure in the race for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2029. Only the top seven-ranked sides, along with the hosts, qualify automatically for that tournament.
| Pos | Team | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Australia | Alana King |
| 02 | England | Sophie Ecclestone |
| 03 | Australia | Ashleigh Gardner |
| 04 | West Indies | Hayley Matthews |
| 05 | South Africa | Marizanne Kapp |
| 06 | Australia | Annabel Sutherland |
| 07 | Australia | Megan Schutt |
| 08 | Australia | Kim Garth |
| 09 | India | Deepti Sharma |
| 10 | New Zealand | Amelia Kerr |
