South Africa are edging closer to Australia at the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) one-day international (ODI) rankings and now lie just four points behind the leaders following a 2-1 series victory over New Zealand.
Graeme Smith’s team began the series on 123 rating points, five adrift of Australia but, despite losing the second match in Port Elizabeth, they now boast 124 points, having won the two other ODIs in the series, in Durban and Cape Town. They will have the chance to improve on that further with a five-match series coming up early in 2008 against the West Indies.
New Zealand, however, drop a single point but retain third place on the ladder ahead of India in fourth position, Sri Lanka in fifth and Pakistan in sixth spot.
Meanwhile, despite beating Zimbabwe in the second ODI of their ongoing five-match series on Sunday, the West Indies has dropped below the 100 rating-point mark due to the fact they lost the first game in Harare on Friday. They are now eight points adrift of England, who are in seventh place, but still a long way clear of Bangladesh in ninth.
Wins in the remaining matches of the series will get the West Indies back into triple figures.
But that may be easier said than done. Following their encouraging start to the series, Zimbabwe will feel they can improve their ranking and are now just seven rating points behind Ireland in 10th place. — Sapa