The first five games of ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 have caused a lot of movement in the latest update of the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings.

Australia skipper Meg Lanning climbed up two spots in the latest women’s rankings for ODI batters. She is now just one and 15 rating points away from the top spot that’s currently occupied by her teammate Alyssa Healy.

Lanning was in sublime form in the first game of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup against England, smashing 86 in 110 balls seven fours and a six, which helped Australia post a massive total of 310. They eventually won the game in the last over by 12 runs.

The Player of the Match from the game, Rachael Haynes, who slammed a brilliant 130 of 131, climbed six spots and broke into the top 10 to occupy the No.7 spot in the rankings. The other centurion from the game – England’s Nat Sciver rose five spots to No.6.

Hayley Matthews of West Indies made considerable gains across the board in the rankings for batters, bowlers as well as all-rounders. She was the Player of the Match in West Indies’ three-run heist against New Zealand – she scored a brilliant 119 to set a target of 260 for the White Ferns and then accounted for the wickets of the in-form Amelia Kerr and Brooke Halliday. Matthews broke into the top 5 in the all-rounders’ list, climbing six spots to No.4 and rose a massive 12 spots to No.20 for batters and three spots No.10 for bowlers.

Among the other players that moved up the rankings were South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka, whose four-for against Bangladesh in the opening game helped her rise a spot to No.6. In addition, the Indian pair of Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar – who added 122 for India’s seventh wicket to lift them from 114-6 against Pakistan both moved up to their career best positions with the bat.

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London:The England and Wales Cricket Board will discuss the possible rescheduling of the domestic season in response to the coronavirus outbreak today.

Initial talks between counties and the ECB will take place today in a telephone conference.

The ECB said last week all options were being looked at including postponements and playing games behind closed doors.

Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said one contingency may be “playing no cricket at all” this season.

The 2020 County Championship is due to begin on 12 April.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised on Monday against mass gatherings in the UK amid the coronavirus outbreak – effectively cancelling all remaining sporting events.

Any proposals from the meeting on Thursday would need to be escalated to the ECB board, so no announcement of any concrete proposals is expected until the end of the week at the earliest.

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LONDON: Golf has emerged as Britain´s dullest sport in a survey confirming the historic phrase wrongly attributed to Mark Twain that it is “a good walk spoiled”.

The YouGov poll — published in Thursday´s edition of The Times — found 70% of the 1,616 adults asked for their opinion adjudged golf to be the dullest — only 11% considered it to be exciting.

Despite attracting sell out crowds at Wembley for NFL games American Football is considered the second dullest (59%) whilst after the 4-0 Ashes drubbing by Australia there is more bad news for English cricket as it is just behind in third with 58%.

English golfer Matthew Southgate — who finished joint sixth in The British Open last year — concurred with the findings and was not surprised athletics topped the poll in terms of being considered the least dull (28%) and 47% found it exciting.

“I probably agree with them,” Southgate told The Times.

“The coverage needs to be better. Running is first to the line — that´s pretty self-explanatory — but in golf there´s a lot of time when no one is hitting a shot. Unless you know the rules and the players, it can be difficult to watch.”

However, golf officials hit back at the survey.

“Golf is unique in that any golfer can play against the best players in the world thanks to the handicap system,” Martin Slumbers, chief executive of the R&A, told The Times.

“I would encourage anyone to take up golf and enjoy a true sport for life.”

The survey, though, represents quite a shot in the arm for athletics, with the thrills and spills at the hugely successful World Championships in London last year showing despite scepticism over doping it is a crowd pleasing show.

“Look at 2012 and last year´s World Championships and you could not help but get caught up in the drama,” Darren Campbell, Britain´s 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 200 metres, told The Times.

“Athletics still creates those exciting moments and is the foundation for all sport

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