AB de Villiers and Kumar Sangakkara clash for the top position: ICC ODI Ranking

AB de Villiers and Kumar Sangakkara clash for the top position: ICC ODI Ranking: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the various ICC Rankings following the last match of the group stage in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Days before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 knock-out stage matches start here we have the list of rankings for teams, the number one batsmen, bowler and all-rounder’s ranking.

The ICC updated the Team Rankings as per their performances before the quarter finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and also announced the battle for the top position for individual performers following the round robin matches.

Quite a few players with superfine performance in the world cup 2015 have made substantial progress in their ICC Ranks.

The ICC Press Release stated:

Top bowling spot firmly within Steyn’s and Starc’s sights; Shakib aims for Dilshan’s number-one all-rounders’ spot

AB de Villiers of South Africa and Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka have brought their battle for the coveted one-number batting spot in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen to Sydney when the two will go head to head in the first quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

De Villiers started the year leading Sangakkara by 76 ratings points and when the two players will take the field on Thursday, the South African will be leading the Sri Lankan by 38 ratings points. Both these outstanding cricketers are enjoying great form with de Villiers having scored 417 to date and Sangakkara leading the field with 496 runs, including four centuries.

While de Villiers has gained eight ratings points since the start of the tournament to enjoy his career-high rating of 899, Sangakkara has gained three places and 68 ratings points to sit on 861 ratings points, also his career-high rating.

Not too far behind the two batsmen are Hashim Amla of South Africa and India’s Virat Kohli.

Amla is in third position, 14 ratings points behind Sangakkara, while Kohli will go into Friday’s second quarter-final against Bangladesh in Melbourne trailing the South African by four ratings points.

While the four top batsmen have consolidated their positions in the latest batting chart, there are a few other batsmen who have made upward movements following their performances in the second half of the pool stage matches and will aim to continue to head in the right direction when they feature in the knockout stage.

Inside the top 10, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has gained two places and is now in eight spot while Australia’s Glenn Maxwell has jumped eight places to occupy a career-best ninth position, just 17 ratings points behind Dhoni.

Outside the top 10, Suresh Raina of India is in 17^th position (up by three places), Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad 24^th (up by two places), Australia’s David Warner 25^th (up by five places), Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladesh 27^th (up by seven places), Australia’s Steven Smith 31^st (up by six places), New Zealand’s duo of  Martin Guptill 34^th (up by eight places) and Corey Anderson 39^th (up by eight places), Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah 44^th (up by 17 places) and Shahid Afridi of Pakistan 44^th (up by three places).

Zimbabwe’s former captain Brendan Taylor leads the batsmen who have gained places in the batting table but will not feature in the knockout stage.

Taylor, who is the second leading run-getter with 433 runs, has rocketed 13 places to claim 16^th spot, while others include England’s pair of Jos Buttler in 22^nd (up by six places) and Ian Bell 23^rd (up by four places), Afghanistan’s Samiullah Shenwari 48^th (up by four places) and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams 49^th (up by eight places).

In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers, Dale Steyn of South Africa and Australia’s Mitchell Starc have Saeed Ajmal’s number-one ranking firmly within their sights. Steyn has gained one place to rise to second spot to trail the absent Pakistan off-spinner by just five ratings points.

Starc, who started the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in seventh spot, is now on a career-high third position after leading the bowlers’ list with 16 wickets. He is four ratings points behind Steyn and nine ratings points behind Saeed.

England’s James Anderson and Morne Morkel are the other bowlers inside the top 10 to improve their rankings. Anderson has gained one place to occupy sixth position while Morkel is 10^th after rising two places.

New Zealand’s Trent Boult leads the charge of the other bowlers outside the top 10 when he has vaulted nine places to claim a career-best 15^th position, thanks to his 15 wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to date.

Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka has climbed six places to 27^th after his 11 wickets in the series to date, West Indies captain Jason Holder has joined his Sri Lanka counterpart Angelo Mathews in 28^th spot after taking nine wickets to date, India’s Umesh Yadav has climbed eight places to 34^th after his 10 wickets to date and James Faulkner has leaped 12 places to 35^th.

In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI All-rounders, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan will try to reclaim the number-one spot from Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka, who leads by 17 ratings points.

There are notable major changes inside the top 20 in the latest all-rounders’ rankings. Glenn Maxwell of Australia has joined India’s Ravindra Jadeja in seventh position by rising three places, Corey Anderson has broken into the top 10 for the first time by gaining seven places while Mahmudullah of Bangladesh is enjoying his career-best ranking of 14^th after jumping nine places.

Quick Link : Cricket World Cup 2015: Hit XI of Group Stage

ICC ODI TEAM RANKINGS:

There is no change to the ICC ODI Team Rankings as Australia continues to lead defending champion India by five ratings points. South Africa and Sri Lanka are separated by just four ratings points.

The side that tops the ICC ODI Team Rankings as on 31 March 2015, will receive an ODI shield as well as a cash award of USD$175,000, while the side finishing second will collect USD$75,000.

Forthcoming matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015:

Quarter-finals:

Wed 18 March – Sri Lanka v South Africa, Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)

Thu 19 March – Bangladesh v India, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

Fri 20 March – Australia v Pakistan, Adelaide Oval

Sat 21 March – New Zealand v West Indies, Wellington Regional Stadium

Semi-finals:

Tue 24 March – SF1 – Winner QF1 (NZ v WI) v Winner QF3 (SL v SA), Eden Park, Auckland

Thu 26 March – SF2 – Winner QF2 (Aus v Pak) v Winner QF4 (BD v Ind), SCG, Sydney

Final:

Sun 29 March – Melbourne Cricket Ground

To find the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Rankings Table, 

The ICC ODI batsmen’s Ranking 

The ICC ODI bowler’s Ranking 

The ICC ODI all-rounder’s Ranking 

Check the ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 16 March, 2015, after pool stage matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015) 

AB de Villiers scored the second-fastest World Cup century off 52 balls

Reeling from a rather embarrassing batting implosion against India in their previous match, South Africa hit back hard against West Indies. Batting first at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, captain AB de Villiers led the onslaught and helped himself to a 52-ball century - the second quickest ever in cricket World Cups. (Complete World Cup Coverage)

De Villiers' 66-ball 162 saw the Proteas score 408/5 - highest ODI score ever in Australia and the second highest ever in a cricket World Cup match.

Coming in to bat at No. 5, de Villiers had a confident air around him under a bright sunny sky. It had a direct impact on the innings too as the Proteas rushed forward courtesy confident shots to and over the fence.

It was a good display of attack minus the recklessness as AB de Villiers took on the likes of Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor and Andre Russeell. Even spinners Suleiman Benn and Chris Gayle had to share some of the misery as a rather dry pitch made for a good batting track. (Gayle Slams Fastest Double Hundred in ODIs)

Even on conducive tracks though, a batsman needs to pool in his resources together for a respectable knock. De Villiers - the world's best ODI batsman -- did just that. His fourth-wicket partnership with Rilee Rossouw was worth 134 while the sixth-wicket stand with Farhaan Behardien was a rollicking 80 off 20 balls.

Facing a team which has Gayle would have further played on AB de Villiers' mind. Gayle had smashed the fastest double century (215) in the previous match against Zimbabwe. De Villiers' knock though ensured that even if the famed South African bowling line-up was attacked by the towering Jamaican, the side would still perhaps have enough on the board to ensure the much-needed full points.

Letter to de Villiers

South Africa’s captain needs to single out his players for attention and get them firing individually and as a team

Dear AB,

You might have picked up that pre-tournament my head predicted you boys to win this baby, while my heart, naturally, is dressed in black.

Don’t be sad, AB. So far you’ve dropped a few backers, looked pretty ordinary at times, but I’m holding fast. And if I had a quiet moment with you, then this is what I would offer, for what it’s worth.

Firstly, and most important of all, any success of the highest order is down to bold, courageous leadership. You guys should know; you had one of the best of all time – Nelson Mandela. So my first little tip is to acknowledge that bold leadership is your domain. This is your time to march them out, take them home. The skipper in black has already assumed that role and is mounting an assault, just as Edmund Hillary did. On your side, if I were you, AB, I’d reach out and feel the presence of Madiba.

Next, your key role is to find each person’s button and press it firmly. Look them in the eye and implore that they reveal their individual expression to fit perfectly within the team endeavour. Press the button: it’s green (with a yellow stripe).

Let me start with the critical aspect of leadership – tactics. Your bowling attack needs tweaking, so open your mind to a few ideas and see if AD agrees.

One of the roles you have to get right is the fourth seamer. Wayne Parnell is your man. Trouble is, he is a rogue and can go walkabout, but he’s likeable and eager, and if his button is correctly pushed, he will be a massive positive for the rocky road ahead. So open with him, giving him a chance to swing the ball, to feel important. Remove his fear, free him to be the best he can be. Rest Vernon for ten days, freshen him up for the last four games of the Cup. But empower Wayne to be the man he can be, steer him down the path of fulfilment. He can bat at eight with purpose. His button is your main priority.

Get Dale to relax, get rid of the stunned mullet look, get him looser. His wrist-snap is missing, the venom of old lacking. His body looks tight, with the will spilling over, over-stretched, so give him a list of different roles for a few games: open one day, bowl from middle to death on another. Get him challenged on different fronts to keep him fresh, not thinking too much, just lots of doing and being the class act he is.

Same with Morne. Change when and where he bowls from one game to another. These guys are experienced, they need to enjoy the game for a period, get the right juices flowing. Let them have turns opening with Wayne, trying a combo or two to scene-set by attacking with vigour.

Oh, I love Imran. What a big heart. If only you had 11 of him. He has been through so much and still keeps fighting on. He’s your go-to guy, your banker, so be grateful he is in fluent form.

JP has to drop this flat rubbish he’s bowling. Get him back to flighting the ball sweetly, dipping to create bounce, as he can. Tell him to take wickets, to attack, to be flamboyant. Inspire him.

Hey, and when it feels right, bowl an over yourself. Get that smile back on your face. Roll the dice: six balls, one wicket. No one will dare to get out to your slow straight dobblies. Nothing to lose for an over, and if you play Rilee at seven for a game as you rest Vernon, then you become the sixth bowler.

You have the attack, now you need to manipulate it better.

Hashim is your right-hand man, a beautifully strong, resilient player, so don’t be afraid to ask him to carry more of the load. Tell him to take his time, anchor and secure the innings. He must bat through in his well-grooved tempo, not in this frenetic mood he seems to be in at present.

When it feels right, bowl an over yourself. Get that smile back on your face. Roll the dice: six balls, one wicket. No one will dare to get out to your slow straight dobblies

Tell young Quinton to clear the mind a little, not premeditate so much, as it roots the feet to the spot. Tell him to breathe deep and let the feet find fluency, then the hitting and timing will return. He’s a critical cog in the wheel. Breathe and believe.

I’m worried about Faf, your long-time sparring partner. He’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders, plus a small chip that needs removing. You are the one that needs to pull it out, as I sense it’s there because you have left him so far behind over this decade. Encourage him to drop the burden he appears to be carrying, let him know that he can have some of your runs this tournament. That you can bat side by side, brothers in arms. You need him to be free.

Have a shave, AB, you look ragged and rattled. Smarten up. A touch of polish is required. Since that 31-ball ton, you have got a bit sloppy. You need to be all things in all situations. You need to lead like never before. Take a leap of faith. Feel Mandela in your bones.

It’s you and you only who can push the buttons of your comrades. Black buttons are being pushed over the ditch, and you need to match it.

Four matches left in the round robin, so try a few subtle changes and freshen up the senior men and empower some key young talents. Chill, mate. Whistle a tune as you start pressing buttons.

It’s all good. Plenty of time to pick up the pace. But I wouldn’t waste another moment, eh.

Respect,
A big fan