Aussie women cricketer Gardner & Lanning surge in ICC T-20 Rankings

Dubai:Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and captain Meg Lanning have advanced in the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings, released on Thursday.

Both, Gardner and Lanning finished as the leading run-scorers in the three-match home series against New Zealand that Australia won 2-1.

Gardner's series-topping 90 runs, which came in only two innings, won her the player of the series award and lifted her seven places to a career best-equalling 18th position among batters. 

Lanning, who has been top-ranked in both ODIs and T20Is in the past, has advanced one spot to take fifth position after aggregating 71 runs, the second highest in the series.

Australia leg-spinner Georgia Wareham has reached a career best-equalling 10th position after her five wickets in the series helped her advance five places, while left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux (up two places to 13th) and seam bowler Delissa Kimmince (up eight places to 22nd) have also progressed in the bowlers' list.

For New Zealand, former captain Suzie Bates and present captain Sophie Devine have retained their second and fourth positions, respectively, while another former captain, left-hander Amy Satterthwaite, has reentered the rankings in 35th position after finishing as the highest scorer from her side with 69 runs. 

Satterthwaite was on maternity leave for 18 months, during which she missed this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.

Amelia Kerr retained fourth position among bowlers while Devine has gained eight slots to reach 26th position, still a long away from her career-best fifth position attained 10 years ago.(UNI)