Lizelle Lee has become the first South African to be named as Wisden Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World.

In 2021, Lee averaged 90.28 with the bat in ODI cricket, including a spectacular series against India in which she scored 288 runs in four innings.

Another Proteas Women’s player, Dane van Niekerk, was named as one of the Wisden Almanack‘s five Cricketers of the Year.

The Proteas captain, who missed the recent Women’s World Cup due to injury, joined Ollie Robinson, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma and Devon Conway.

Joe Root was named Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World, just a week after he stepped down as England’s Test captain.

Root quit last week after five years as England skipper following a dismal run of one win in 17 games. But his impeccable form with the bat in 2021, when he scored 1,708 runs at an average of 61, helped him earn the global award.

Root succeeds his own potential successor with the national side, Ben Stokes, who took the honour in 2019 and 2020.

Root is the third Englishman to receive the accolade since it was launched in 2003, with Andrew Flintoff the first in 2005.

© Agence France-Presse