Speedsters Gabriel, Roach on the rise, Dowrich makes leap
LONDON, England (CMC) — Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has moved into the top 20 of the International Cricket Council World bowling rankings, following his strong performance in the drawn second Test against Zimbabwe which ended Thursday.
The right-armer jumped five spots to a career-best 18th to become the only West Indies player in the top 20 and the highest ranked from the region.
Gabriel bowled with impressive pace to snare four wickets on an unresponsive Queens Sports Club pitch, as West Indies were frustrated by Zimbabwe in their attempts to pull off a clean sweep of the two-Test series.
He finished the series with five wickets after picking up just one in the first Test, which West Indies won by 117 runs at the same venue.
Gabriel, who climbed to 18th earlier this year, has emerged as the spearhead of the Windies attack of late and now has 76 wickets from 30 Tests.
New ball partner, Kemar Roach, also enjoyed movement up the rankings, rising four places to 23rd after claiming five wickets in the match.
He ended with eight wickets in the series and has now taken 19 wickets in five matches since his return to the Test arena last August, following a near two-year absence.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo slipped one place to 22nd after getting four wickets in the second Test.
The top 10 in the bowling rankings, headed by England’s Jimmy Anderson, remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, West Indies wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich jumped 17 places following his 103 earlier this week which represented his maiden Test hundred. The innings helped the 26-year-old Barbadian rise to 83rd in the batting rankings.
Captain Jason Holder, with whom Dowrich shared a West Indies record eighth-wicket stand of 212 in the second Test, rose five places to 57th following his 110 — his second Test hundred.
Opener Kieran Powell, who struck 90 in the game, is now 63rd after climbing five spots, but fellow opener Kraigg Brathwaite, previously the only West Indies batsman in the top 20, fell three places to 21 after scoring just 32 in the Caribbean side’s only innings.
Australian Steve Smith leads an unchanged top 10.
