"I want to stay at the top": No.1 ranked King keen to keep throne Alana King, the newly crowned No.1 ODI bowler, has expressed her determination to maintain her position at the top of the ICC rankings. The Australia leg-spinner emphasized her commitment to improving her game and contributing to her team’s success. After a strong performance in the one-day leg of the multi-format series against India, where she took seven wickets at an average of 16.71, including a crucial 4-33 in the third match, King secured her first No.1 ranking in the ODI bowling rankings, ending Sophie Ecclestone’s 1,450-day reign. While her focus in Perth was on the pink ball and a potential return to Test cricket, King acknowledged her white-ball success as a reward for her hard work. “It definitely came as a surprise when I saw it on socials earlier today, but it’s a nice little reward,” she said in an interview with cricket.com.au. “But I don’t think you can be satisfied with just getting there. You want to hopefully stay at the top – and I’m just going to keep focusing on doing my role for this team.” King highlighted the importance of her teammates in her journey, stating, “I absolutely love this team, and I think they helped me get to places and create those chances and take those wickets.” She also emphasized the need for continuous improvement, noting, “I speak to a lot of people about my bowling, and just want to keep getting better every chance I can.” The 30-year-old’s ambitions extend beyond rankings. She aims to transform the WACA Ground into a spinners’ paradise during the upcoming Test match against India. Despite the challenges of a predicted Perth scorcher, King remains confident in her ability to exploit the conditions. “I think the best thing for me is I get to bowl for a lot longer,” she said.#india #alana_king #alyssa_healy #waca_ground #icc_rankings
