LONDON, CMC – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and seamer Kemar Roach have continued to flourish in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) player rankings, despite West Indies troubles in the recent opening Test against New Zealand.
In the rankings released on Wednesday, Brathwaite jumped two places to 17th in the batting rankings to be the highest ranked Windies player while Roach rose three spots to break into the top 20 at 20th position.
West Indies were crushed by an innings and 67 runs inside four days in the opening Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington last Monday.
However, vice-captain Brathwaite emerged from the contest with his reputation intact, following an accomplished top score of 91 in the second innings of 319.
Roach, meanwhile, was the best Windies bowler with three wickets in the Black Caps massive first innings total of 520 for nine declared. He is now the highest ranked West Indies bowler.
There was also movement for medium pacer Miguel Cummins who jumped four places to 77th in the bowling rankings, after picking up a brace of wickets in the recent test.
All three can make even bigger strides in the rankings when they come up against New Zealand again in the second and final Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton starting Saturday.
Shai Hope (28th), Darren Bravo (39th) and Roston Chase (45th) are the other Windies batsmen in the top 50, though Bravo has not represented West Indies in over a year.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, left out of the first Test, is ranked 21st while Shannon Gabriel (24th) along with seamer and captain Jason Holder (33rd) who will miss the second Test through suspension, are the other West Indies players in the top 50 of the bowling charts.
Australian Steve Smith and England seamer Jimmy Anderson remain on top of the batting and bowling rankings respectively.
