Sophie Ecclestone, Amy Jones move up ICC T20I Rankings
Spinner Ecclestone returns to top-five in bowling ranks as Jones advances 30 batting places to career-best 17th
ESPNcricinfo staff
21-Dec-2019
Sophie Ecclestone was England's most prolific bowler throughout the 2019 summer • Getty Images
Sophie Ecclestone and Amy Jones have made good ground on the ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings following England's 3-0 series whitewash of Pakistan in Malaysia.
Left-arm spinner Ecclestone claimed six wickets, including a haul of 3 for 21 in the first match, to move up three spots to No. 4 in the bowling rankings and become the first England bowler to tally more than 700 rating points since Anya Shrubsole in 2016. Ecclestone has 727 rating points, topping her previous best of 703 in January this year to sit behind India's Radha Yadav (769 points) and Shabnim Ismail of South Africa (751 points) on the list. Ecclestone's career-best ranking of third was achieved in February.
Jones rocketed to a career-best 17th position in the batting ranks after she amassed 179 runs - more than double the runs of any other batsman - to be named Player of the Series. She moved up 30 places to better her previous highest ranking of 38th, reached in June.
In encouraging news for England's batsmen ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia, Danni Wyatt moved up two places to a career-best 12th, Tammy Beaumont also advanced two places to 21st and Heather Knight moved up one place to 34th. However, the batting ranks continue to be led by New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who remained at the top through the year.
Among England's bowlers, Natalie Sciver gained five places to reach 35th position.
For Pakistan, batsman Umaima Sohail advanced five places to reach 59th position, while seam bowler Diana Baig gained 16 slots to reach a career-best 47th position in the list led by Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt.
England remain in second position in the ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings, with Pakistan seventh.