New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has reclaimed the top spot on the International Cricket Council's one-day bowling rankings.
The spinner has leapfrogged Australian fast bowler Nathan Bracken on the strength of his performance during the current five-match series against the West Indies.
Vettori has taken six wickets in
three games so far at 12.33 apiece.
His economy rate is also a thrifty 3.03 runs per over.
Named man of the match after taking four for 20 off 10 overs to pave the way for New Zealand's series-levelling seven-wicket win in Wellington on Wednesday, Vettori replaces Bracken, though the Australian will soon be back in action in his team's five-match series against South Africa.
Vettori has an opportunity to solidify his position in tomorrow's ODI against the West Indies here at Eden Park, while the series ends in Napier on Tuesday.
Bracken and Vettori will then go head-to-head when New Zealand cross the Tasman for a five-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series starting February 1.
It is not the first time Vettori has headed the rankings, the 29-year-old spent much of the first half of last year at No 1 before Bracken toppled him in June, while also playing the West Indies.
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills has also improved a place to fourth while 20-year-old quick Tim Southee has jumped 20 places to be ranked 75th.
An injured Jacob Oram has slipped six places to 14th but still hangs on to the No 1 allrounder ranking.
ICC ODI rankings:-
Teams: Australia 131 rating points 1, South Africa 119 2, India 119 3, Pakistan 114 4, New Zealand 112 5, England 108 6, Sri Lanka 107 7, West Indies 92 8, Bangladesh 47 9, Ireland 19 10, Zimbabwe 13 11, Kenya 11 12.
Batsmen: MS Dhoni (India) 779 1, Michael Hussey (Australia) 776 2, Graeme Smith (South Africa) 760 3, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) 749 4, Yuvraj Singh (India) 744 5.
Bowlers: Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) 766 1, Nathan Bracken (Australia) 755 2, Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) 717 3, Kyle Mills (NZ) 713 4, Mitchell Johnson (Aust) 707 5.
Allrounders: Jacob Oram (NZ) 375 1, Andrew Flintoff (England) 366 2, Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) 342 3, Jacques Kallis (SA) 327 4, Chris Gayle (WI) 326 5.
- NZPA
