Blackwood, Taylor make big move in ICC rankings

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

West Indies middle-order batsman, Jermaine Blackwood, has emerged as the biggest mover in the latest Reliance International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings on the strength of impressive batting in the just ended series against England in the Caribbean.

Blackwood has soared 31 places to a career-high 37th spot after scores of 85 and 47, which helped the West Indies to win the third Test by five wickets and square the series one game apiece on Sunday.

The Jamaican batsman, who scored his maiden Test century during the series, enjoyed a match-winning 108-run fifth wicket partnership with Darren Bravo, whose second-innings contribution of 82 has put him up three places to 29th.

Meantime, there were major gains for three West Indies bowlers - Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder.

Taylor has moved up 13 places to 36th after claiming match figures of six for 69 and Gabriel's match tally of three for 63 has vaulted him seven places. But the biggest mover is Holder, whose five for 49 in the match has launched him 30 places to a career-high 51st position.

The West Indies remain in eighth position in the team rankings, but have gained three points from their victory over England and as a result have reduced the gap with seventh-placed India to 14 points.