DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Just as he did in the recent one-day series against India, stroke-maker Marlon Samuels has again provided the only bright spark for West Indies in the latest International Cricket Council’s rankings released yesterday.
The elegant right-hander has jumped 20 places to 41st in the One-Day International batting rankings, to be the biggest mover overall while his West Indies counterparts experienced movement in the other direction.
Samuels smashed 254 runs in the controversy-riddled series which was abandoned by West Indies players after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, over a pay and contracts dispute with their union, the West Indies Players Association.
He hit centuries in two of the three matches – 126 in the first ODI in Kochi and an equally superb 112 in the fourth ODI in Dharamsala.
Disappointingly, there is no West Indies batsman in the top 20, with left-hander Darren Bravo the highest-ranked player at 37th.
Meanwhile, Kieron Pollard has slipped five spots to 52nd after managing just 48 runs from his three innings on tour, including two single digit scores.
Captain Dwayne Bravo also slid five places to be 62nd alongside former skipper Darren Sammy who lost three spots.
Bravo scored 27 runs from his three innings.
There was some good news in the bowling for West Indies as fast bowler Jerome Taylor returned to the rankings at 143rd, after picking up five wickets in the series.
Seamer Andre Russell also jumped seven places to 63rd.
South Africa’s AB de Villiers tops the batting rankings while Pakistan’s off-spinner Saeed Ajmal leads the bowling rankings.
