South Africa’s 5-0 series win in the West Indies sees them climb back into the top four of the LG ICC ODI Championship for the first time since July 2004. The victory in the Caribbean boosted South Africa’s rating by five points to 112.
West Indies went into the series only two points behind South Africa in the LG ICC table but the comprehensive defeat has seen their rating fall to 98 points, the lowest since November 2002, and to seventh position.
It has been a poor series for the West Indies players too, reflected in Brian Lara’s drop of 14 places to 22nd, his lowest one-day rating for four years. Ian Bradshaw was the only West Indies bowler to move up in the top 100 rankings, climbing five places to 17th.
The West Indies have an immediate opportunity to bounce back from this disappointment in the forthcoming series of three ODI matches against Pakistan starting on Wednesday.
If the West Indies win all three matches against Pakistan, they will climb back to 103 points, behind England only when the ratings are recalculated to three decimal places.
Graeme Smith has achieved his best ever position in the LG ICC ODI Rankings, moving up to third place after South Africa’s victory.
Smith replaces Jacques Kallis as the current leading South African one-day batsman. Boeta Dippenaar ended the series at 15th, while Ashwell Prince climbed 12 places to 51st.
In the bowling, Makhaya Ntini returned to the top 10, while Andre Nel has consolidated his status as a leading international bowler, climbing 20 places to 26th. – Sapa