Cricket: NZ on the rise in rankings

Trent Boult's form has proved appealing to the rankings calculator. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Sublime summer reflects in the ICC's ratings but Hesson and others are playing it cool.

One of the spinoffs of strong collective test performance is improved global standings for individual performers.

How much notice you take of the International Cricket Council's player ratings tables is a personal matter.

They are essentially a guide. For example, no one would seriously rate Tim Southee, fine bowler, useful late hitter, as the world's 100th-best test batsman. But that's where Southee sits on the list issued after the end of the New Zealand test series against India this week.

But there are significant improvements over the home summer for New Zealand's best performers.

Ross Taylor sits at No5 - behind South Africa's AB de Villiers (1st) and Hashim Amla (4th), Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (2nd) and ageless West Indian Shiv Chanderpaul (3rd).

Brendon McCullum, on the back of double and triple centuries in consecutive tests, has shot up to No12, equal with brash Australian opener David Warner. He's climbed over a pile of highly capable international batsmen - Mahela Jayawardene, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, for example - to his highest-ranking spot.

Kane Williamson, the third wheel in a terrific middle-order batting group, is at No21, with one point either way separating him from England's troubled Jonathan Trott and gritty Australian Chris Rogers.

Trent Boult sits at No8 on the test bowling list, with his new-ball chum Southee at No9, and their third man in the seam bowling group, Neil Wagner, is at No28.

New Zealand sit seventh on the test list, marginally ahead of the West Indies, with Sri Lanka next in their sights, two points ahead in sixth.

After their 4-0 drubbing of India, New Zealand still sit seventh in the ODI list, seven points behind Pakistan; and on the T20 standings, it's seventh again, but just three points off sitting fifth.

That gives an indication of how far New Zealand had dropped off the international pace over the past few seasons.

And that's why coach Mike Hesson and others in the group keep talking about a long way to go, rather than sitting back with a contented air about a job well done this summer.

Hesson is adamant New Zealand are better than their seventh ranking. But that's the system.

"We were a heck of a long way away in eighth a while ago. The amount of points we've gained is a pretty true reflection of the improvements we've made," Hesson said.

He's also acknowledged that windows are needed for players who appear in all three forms of the game to get small breaks.

The likes of McCullum, Taylor, Corey Anderson and Southee are kept busy with a range of New Zealand duties.

"It's a long 12 months to the World Cup [in Australia and New Zealand next February-March] and guys aren't going to be able to play everything and we've got to have contingencies in place," Hesson said.

"But we'll try to play the best side as much as possible."

As for test matches, "I don't think we'll ever rest anyone from a test match".

This is where pragmatism comes in. But the team management and selectors will be keenly aware that New Zealand are on a roll.

If they get it wrong in their rest periods and things go pear-shaped on the scoreboard, the public can be an unforgiving lot. Memories can be seriously short.