LONDON, England (CMC) — All three Caribbean teams that took part in the World Netball Championship (WNC) earlier this month, clung onto their top-10 spots in the World Rankings.

Jamaica remained at No 4 in the world after losing the consolation final to England, finishing fourth in the championship in Singapore.

Trinidad and Tobago grabbed seventh place with a victory over Northern Ireland, but they remained in eighth place in the World Rankings.

Barbados had to settle for a disappointing 11th place, after they toppled Samoa, but the rankings favoured them, leaving them in ninth place behind their Caribbean rivals.

The World Rankings were updated this month to reflect the current position of teams around the world, following the Championship.

This also coincided with the annual refresh, which takes place every year in July, when the oldest matches drop out of consideratio and are no longer counted in the rankings table.

The rankings have also favoured New Zealand. They hung on to the World No 1 spot, although Trans-Tasman rivals Australia beat them in the final to win the WNC.

But the gap between the two teams is now only three rating points, so their bilateral series in October in Australia should have greater significance to determine once and for all the World No 1 side.

England at No 3 and South Africa round out the top five, with Malawi at No 6, Fiji at No 7 and the Cook Islands completing the top 10.

Two other Caribbean teams appear in the 25-nation list. They are World No15 St. Lucia and No19 St Vincent & the Grenadines.