The BLACKCAPS can regain second place in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship table with victory in the series in Bangladesh starting Thursday.
Daniel Vettori's team, currently fourth, briefly occupied second place on the table in January 2005 after it defeated Sri Lanka at home by a 4-1 margin.
Now, in order to equal that ranking, which was its best since the ODI rankings were launched in 2002, it will have to sweep the current campaign 3-0.
That result would equal South Africa on 118 ratings points but will be ahead of the Proteas when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.
This scenario also means it would be the first time since October 2005 that South Africa would drop out of the top two. However, in that case Graeme Smith’s side would not have to wait long for the chance to reclaim the lost place as it plays Kenya on 31 October and 2 November in Bloemfontein and Kimberley.
Scott Styris is the highest-ranked batsman on show in the series, the limited-overs specialist is poised on the edge of the top 20 at 22nd.
BLACKCAPS team-mates Brendon McCullum (25th) and Ross Taylor (32nd) are the other batsmen in top 40.
Opener Tamim Iqbal in 35th place is Bangladesh’s highest-ranked batsman with captain Mohammad Ashraful currently in 59th position.
Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship table (as of 7 October 2008, ahead of the series between Bangladesh and New Zealand)
1 Australia 131
2 South Africa 118
3 England 116
4 BLACKCAPS 116
5 India 113
6 Pakistan 110
7 Sri Lanka 105
8 West Indies 95
9 Bangladesh 45
10 Ireland 22
11 Zimbabwe 16
12 Kenya 0
For more details on ICC rankings, visit http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/rankings/rankings.html
