Ireland players make big gains in ICC ODI rankings

London, Aug 6:  Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling have made gains in the International Cricket Council's ODI batsmen's standings thanks to their centuries in their third ODI against England. Additionally, Curtis Campher, who made his debut in the series and scored back to back half centuries in the first two ODIs, has enter the batsman's list

Captain Balbirnie's innings of 113 in the final match and an aggregate of 131 runs helped him move up four places to 42nd position while his deputy Stirling's score of 142 and a total of 156 runs lifted him one slot to 26th in the list led by India skipper Virat Kohli.

Campher meanwhile enters the list on 191st. Meanwhile, Ireland fast bowler Craig Young's six wickets in the series has lifted him 40 places to a career-best 89th position while Mark Adair (up six places to 138th) and Joshua Little (up 38 places to 146th) are the others to move up after the series, which ended 2-1 in England's favour.

Ireland lost the three-match series 2-1 but they remarkably chased down a target of 329 with seven wickets in hand in the final ODI on Tuesday to claim their first points in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League. England are on 20 points in the league while Ireland are on 10. The league sees 13 teams vie for direct qualifying places in the next ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India in 2023.

England captain Eoin Morgan, another centurion from Tuesday's match, has gained one place and is 22nd while Jonny Bairstow has moved up a slot to 13th position, thanks to his knock of 82 in the second match. Sam Billings has re-entered the rankings at 146nd position after aggregating 132 runs.

Among the bowlers, leg-spinner Adil Rashid has advanced from 29th to 25th with five wickets in the series, while left-arm fast bowler David Willey's eight wickets, including a haul of five for 30 in the opening match, not only won him the player of the series award but has also lifted him six places to 51st position.