South Africa's 5-0 series win in the West Indies [Images] sees it climb back into the top four of the ICC [Images] ODI Championship for the first time since July 2004. The victory in the Caribbean boosted South Africa's rating by five points to 112.

West Indies went into the series only two points behind South Africa in the ICC table but the comprehensive defeat has seen its rating fall to 98 points, its lowest since November 2002, and its position fall to seventh.

It has been a poor series for the West Indies players too as reflected in Brian Lara's [Images] drop of 14 places to 22nd, his lowest one-day rating for four years. Ian Bradshaw was the only West Indies bowler to move up in the top 100 rankings, climbing five places to 17th.

West Indies will have to play really well to beat Pakistan, who have recently beaten India in the six-match ODI series, in its forthcoming series of three ODI matches starting on Wednesday, May 18.

Graeme Smith [Images] has achieved his best ever position in the ICC ODI Player Rankings, moving up to third place after South Africa's victory.

Smith replaces Jacques Kallis [Images] as the current leading South African one-day batsman.  Boeta Dippenaar ended the series at 15th, while Ashwell Prince climbed 12 places to 51st.

In the bowling, Makhaya Ntini [Images] returned to the top ten, while Andre Nel [Images] has consolidated his status as a leading international bowler, climbing 20 places to 26th.

The top 10 ODI batsmen and bowlers are listed below.

The ICC ODI Championship table correct on 16 May 2005:

ICC ODI Player Rankings - Batsmen
After West Indies v South Africa series

Rank (Change)	Player	Team	Points	Average	Highest Ranking
1 ( - )	Ricky Ponting [Images]	Aus	759	42.25	796 v Zim at Harare 2004
2 (+1)	Adam Gilchrist [Images]	Aus	724	35.55	829 v SL at Dambulla 2004
3 (+2)	Graeme Smith	SA	722	40.76	752 v WI at Kingston [Images] 2005
4 (-2)	R.R.Sarwan	WI	717	46.28	753 v Pak at The Rose Bowl 2004
5= (+1)	Rahul Dravid [Images]	Ind	711	40.06	733 v Pak at Manchester 1999
(+1)	Andrew Flintoff [Images]	Eng	711	35.18	772 v SL at The Rose Bowl 2004
7 (+1)	K.C.Sangakkara	SL	709	33.37	733 v Pak at Lahore [Images] 2004
8 (-4)	Jacques Kallis	SA	708	45.40	816 v WI at Johannesburg 2004
9 (+1)	Michael Clarke [Images]	Aus	705	45.45	716 v Pak at Perth 2005
10 (+1)	Inzamam-ul-Haq [Images]	Pak	701	39.92	788 v Eng at Karachi 1996

ICC Test Player Rankings - Bowlers
After West Indies v South Africa series

Rank (Change)	Player	Team	Points	Average	Economy	Highest Ranking
1 ( - )	Glenn McGrath	Aus	865	22.05	3.87	925 v SA at Bloemfontein 2002
2 (+1)	Chaminda Vaas [Images]	SL	831	26.21	4.13	899 v SA at Colombo (RPS)
3 (+1)	M.Muralitharan	SL	830	22.12	3.78	934 v NZ at Sharjah 2002
4 (+1)	Brett Lee [Images]	Aus	819	22.17	4.68	836 v Ind at Sydney 2004
5 (-3)	Shaun Pollock [Images]	SA	805	24.14	3.77	926 v WI at Centurion 2004
6 ( - )	Jason Gillespie	Aus	786	23.94	4.11	855 v Pak at Lord's 2004
7 (+4)	Makhaya Ntini	SA	757	22.85	4.34	824 v Can at East London [Images] 2003
8 (-1)	Jacob Oram [Images]	NZ	740	28.57	4.42	803 v Aus at The Oval 2004
9 (-1)	Darren Gough	Eng	732	25.42	4.31	808 v SA at Johannesburg 2000
10 (-1)	Andrew Flintoff	Eng	727	23.97	4.20	797 v Ban at Dhaka 2003