Cricket: NZ moves up the order in one-day rankings

12.00pm

New Zealand has drawn level on points with South Africa in the ICC one-day cricket championship table after winning the NatWest series final at Lord's on Sunday.

The win against the West Indies improved New Zealand's rating from 112 to 113, the same as South Africa's.

The Black Caps remain narrowly behind South Africa in third spot when the ratings are recalculated to three decimal places.

This is New Zealand's highest rating and is the closest South Africa have been to losing their grip on second spot since the official table was introduced in October 2002.

New Zealand entered the NatWest series in fourth place with a rating of 109 points.

Hosts England failed to reach the final and their rating has fallen from 105 to 101, while the West Indies rating has slipped from 102 to 101. The sides remain in seventh and eighth place respectively.

The annual update of the ICC test and ODI championships will take place at the end of this month.

Australia have a healthy advantage at the top of both tables but second-placed South Africa will be looking nervously over their shoulder in both forms of the game.

The ICC ODI Championship as of July 12.-

Position Team Rating

1 Australia 136

2 South Africa 113 (112.796)

3 New Zealand 113 (112.604)

4 Sri Lanka 110

5 India 107

6 Pakistan 106

7 England 101 (101.139)

8 West Indies 101 (100.977)

9 Zimbabwe 62

10 Kenya 28

11 Bangladesh 2

- NZPA