Australia's Ash Gardner secures top spot in ICC's latest women's all-rounder rankings

Dubai [UAE], January 21 (ANI): Following her top performance in the ongoing Women's Ashes, Australia's Ash Gardner secured the top spot in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) latest Women's All-Rounder Rankings.
Gardner's four wickets and 146 runs have helped her claim the top spot on the All-Rounder's mantle as she overtook South Africa veteran Marizanne Kapp, a release from ICC stated.
Gardner was productive with both bat and ball, as the Aussies claimed all three One-Dayers against England down under. Her standout performance in the ODIs was a maiden international century at Hobart's Bellerive Oval in the third ODI.
The Aussie is now up to a career-high 469 rating points in the All-Rounder ODI Rankings, 25 points ahead of the next-best Kapp.
She has also set a new career-best of 648 rating points as a batter, having climbed five spots to break into the top 10 of the list.
Gardner scored her first ODI ton against England, compiling a run-a-ball 102 in Hobart. That performance followed another Player of the Match effort in the first One-Dayer at North Sydney Oval, where she took 19-3 off 6.1 overs before hitting 42* off 44 balls to steer Australia home and help the hosts get off to a strong Ashes start.
West Indies star Hayley Matthews is back in the top five batters in the world, jumping up four spots following her recent ton. Matthews smashed 104* off 93 balls in her first international appearance of the calendar year, as West Indies beat Bangladesh by nine wickets in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt (773 rating points) is at the top of the Women's ODI Rankings, while Smriti Mandhana has closed in at second with 738 points to her name after a stellar series against Ireland at home.
In the Women's Bowling Rankings, some movements are seen with the ongoing Ashes series.
Australian pair Kim Garth (up four spots to 6th) and Alana King (up five spots to 7th) are the other big movers inside the top 10, making it a total of four Aussies in the top 10. (ANI)