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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
SEAN Williams and Craig Ervine have made significant strides in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings ahead of the One Day International Cricket Series decider against Sri Lanka.
The Chevrons, who levelled the series 1-1 following a hard fought 22-run win on Tuesday, have been rewarded for their latest performances in Sri Lanka.
The International Cricket Council yesterday announced that Chevrons all-rounder Williams, at number 40, is now the top-ranked Zimbabwean batsman, overtaking Brendan Taylor who retired from international cricket late last year.
Williams advanced eight places following his century, the fifth in his career, in the opening match of the three-day ODI series against Sri Lanka.
The all-rounder shone with the bat, scoring exactly 100 runs from 87 balls but Zimbabwe went on to lose the match by five wickets after failing to defend 296/9.
Williams then narrowly missed a half ton in the second match when he was stumped at 48 runs.
He could surpass his career best ODI ranking of 39, achieved in 2015, if he carries his good form to tomorrow’s series decider.
Sikandar Raza, who recovered from a poor start and helped Zimbabwe seal a 22-run victory in the second match with a crucial 56 runs (from 46 deliveries), moved three places up and is the second highest ranked Zimbabwean batter at number 48.
But it was stand-in skipper Ervine who made the biggest strides.
Ervine leapt 11 places up and is now the number 66 best batsman in the world and third for Zimbabwe.
Ervine narrowly missed out on a well-deserved hundred in the second game against Sri Lanka when he was voted Man of the Match for his 91 runs.
“It’s always disappointing not to get a hundred, having gotten so close but the main thing is getting the runs for the team.
“I thought the wicket was a little bit spinner-friendly compared to the first game. That’s why we had to work a bit harder to get those runs.
“But obviously having had such a good start with (Takudzwanashe) Kaitano and Regis (Chakabva), they kind of set the platform and then myself and Sean kicked on from there.
“So I thought all the batters are contributing nicely and hopefully in the last game we get someone scoring a hundred as well,” said Ervine.
The bowlers also made good advances with Blessing Muzarabani moving seven places to 44th while Tendai Chatara gained eight places to 52nd place. Richard Ngarava stormed the top 100 for the first time and is sitting at number 99.
Ervine, who has once again been tasked to lead the team in Sri Lanka, said Zimbabwe are looking to finish the series on a high, probably drawing inspiration from the 3-2 win they registered on their last visit to Sri Lanka in 2017.
Zimbabwe have batted well during the series scoring 296 and 302.
They would need to work more on their bowling and fielding. Ervine said it was important that they won the second match and bounced back into the series.
The win also lifted them from the bottom of the 13-team ICC Cricket World Cup Super League table into 10th place. Another win tomorrow could take them to eighth place.
“It obviously means a hell of a lot.
“You are under pressure, having put a decent score on the board in the first game and not being able to defend, so (it was good) to come out and get another good score on the board, and the bowlers worked really hard.
“I thought everybody came together and put in a huge effort to come out on top.
“Our seamers bowled exceptionally well upfront. They definitely got their lengths right and picking those early wickets which were crucial for us because it obviously takes a lot of pressure off in the middle.
“If you don’t get those wickets upfront, then it makes it a lot more difficult to defend such a big score,” said Ervine.
There is much to play for when Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium tomorrow.
Online Reporter