Jason Holder remains confident that the West Indies can overcome South Africa's 239-run lead from the second day of the second Test in Guyana. 

Holder, who hit an unbeaten 54 from 88 deliveries, watched on as the Proteas built a commanding advantage and were left 223-5 in their second innings. 

Opener Aiden Markram (51) and Kyle Verreynne (50) starred for South Africa, with no repeat of the opening day carnage that saw 17 wickets fall for either side. 

The Proteas were bowled out for 160 in their first innings, with Holder's half-century steadying the ship after the Windies had wobbled to just 97-7 in the 28th over. 

With a 16-run advantage heading into the second innings, Markram and Tony de Zorzi put together a 79-run opening partnership before the latter was caught for 39. 

The dismissal of Markram saw the visitors lose three wickets for 19 runs, but Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder (34 not out) were able to put together an 84-run sixth-wicket stand.

South Africa will resume with Verreynne and Mulder on day three, but Holder remains positive that his side can produce a comeback. 

“I was just trying to eke out as many runs as we could,” said Holder at the end of the day. “First session tomorrow is obviously crucial for us.

"The most important thing is not to let the runs get too far away, let them sweat a little bit more for their runs, and I believe, with the amount of time left in the game, that we can chase anything they give us.”

Shamar Joseph said clinching a five-for on his home debut for West Indies was "the best feeling" after 17 wickets fell in a dramatic start to their second Test against South Africa.

Joseph posted brilliant figures of 5-33 on day one in Guyana as South Africa were skittled for just 160 on Thursday.

However, the Proteas ended the day with the upper hand as Wiaan Mulder responded with figures of 4-18 to help reduce the Windies to 97-7 by stumps.

Joseph, though, is convinced the hosts will recover to win the Test and the two-match series, which remains perfectly poised following a draw in Trinidad and Tobago last week.

"It's a great feeling to have done this at home," Joseph said of his five-wicket haul.

"I haven't really played much here at Providence but I always go in with a clear plan to do what the team needed, and I am glad I was able to deliver today.

"There's no place like home and playing in front of your home crowd is just the best feeling that could ever happen to anyone playing international cricket.

"Coming back home, the support was great and I'm glad I was able to go out and do my best. We want to win this Test match so badly and I know we will win it."

South Africa bowler Mulder, meanwhile, said he had watched Joseph's outing closely and looked to replicate it when stepping up to remove Kraigg Brathwaite, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva through his six overs with the ball.

"I didn't bowl at my best but I had a lot going for me today," Mulder said. "I just tried to replicate what Shamar did earlier in the day by bowling a length which made it difficult for the batters to score. 

"He's obviously quicker than I am but the pitch also helped my style of bowling so I was able to capitalise."

Shamar Joseph’s dream start to Test cricket continued but Wiaan Mulder and Nandre Burger led a spirited fightback for the touring South Africans on day one of the second Test at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday.

South Africa, after winning the toss and batting first, were bowled out for 160 in 54 overs while the West Indies were 97-7 after 28.2 overs in reply, trailing by 63 runs at stumps on day one.

South Africa were made to rue their decision to bat first very quickly as Tony de Zorzi (1), Aiden Markram (14), Temba Bavuma (0) and Tristan Stubbs (26) all fell before the 25^th over to leave them reeling at 57-4.

That quickly became 97-9 when Kyle Verreynne, their last recognized batsman, became Shamar Joseph’s fifth victim of the innings with just 36.1 overs on the board.

With the West indies seemingly on the brink of restricting South Africa to less than 100, Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger showed grit, fighting off some quality West Indian bowling on the way to a final wicket partnership of 63 before Burger finally fell off the bowling of Gudakesh Motie for 23 in the 54^th over.

David Bedingham was South Africa’s top scorer in the first innings with 28.

Joseph finished with figures of 5-33 off 14 overs and was supported well by Jayden Seales who took 3-45, also from 14 overs.

The West Indian reply got off to a disappointing start when Mikyle Louis was bowled by Burger for a duck in the second over.

The hosts then continued to lose wickets at regular intervals as Kraigg Brathwaite (3), Alick Athanaze (1), Kavem Hodge (4), Keacy Carty (26), and Joshua Da Silva (4) all fell within the first 20 overs.

Jason Holder has so far provided the only meaningful resistance to the South African bowling with 33* while Gudakesh Motie’s wicket for 11 in the 29^th over signaled the end of the day’s play.

Wiaan Mulder has dominated the West Indian batting so far with a career best 4-18 off six overs while Burger has taken 2-32 from his seven overs.

Full Scores:

South Africa 160 off 54 overs (David Bedingham 28, Tristan Stubbs 26, Shamar Joseph 5-33, Jayden Seales 3-45)

West Indies 97-7 off 28.2 overs (Jason Holder 33*, Keacy Carty 26, Wiaan Mulder 4-18, Nandre Burger 2-32)

Though pleased with aspects of their performance in the first Test against South Africa, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite stressed the need for his team to step up their performance in the second Test as the two-match series hangs in the balance.

After securing a hard-fought draw in the first encounter in Trinidad and Tobago, Brathwaite is confident that his side can deliver a stronger showing in the decisive contest to clinch a 1-0 series win in Guyana and, more importantly, get points on the board to move up the ICC Test Championships standings. They are currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with a solitary win.

“I think it's important to get a good first-inning total; that is one thing we discussed as a batting group, and bowling, we just have to be disciplined. I think we were decent in the first game, and we just have to aim to be better,” Brathwaite said in a pre-game press conference.

Reflecting on the series opener, which was severely affected by rain, Brathwaite expressed a mixture of relief and determination, as his team was possibly staring down defeat before Alick Athanaze’s well-played knock of 92 and bad light intervened on the final day.

Alick Athanaze produced a tidy second-inning knock in the first Test. (AFP)

A number of West Indies batsmen had starts across both innings but failed to push on. The scores in that game were South Africa 357 and 173-3 declared, while the Caribbean side mustered 233 and 201-5.

"Obviously, we can’t control the weather. I think batting-wise, the first thing is the total. I think we could have put more runs on the board. So, as I said, I think that was a big focus of ours in terms of a good first innings total. And, you know, bowling wise, obviously pitch didn't offer much, especially for the fast boys. They didn't get much spin in the first innings as well,” Brathwaite shared.

“But I think we were quite disciplined. I was happy the guys scored out pretty much two runs on over for the innings, so I was happy with that. But I just think it's important, you know, to get a good all-round game. Batting wise, obviously we got to come to the party; first innings will be very crucial on this pitch, and then bowling wise, I think dot balls are very important,” he added.

The Barbadian also stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on South Africa, especially with the Providence pitch expected to be low and slow, similar to the one they encountered at Queens Park Oval last week. Should that be the case, Brathwaite believes a more resilient and focused effort will be crucial on this occasion.

In fact, the addition of Guyanese Shamar Joseph is an indication of West Indies’ aim to exploit the conditions as best as they can.

“It’s a similar type of surface to Trinidad, to be honest, in terms of slowness. Obviously, some of the Guyanese players on the team would know it better than most of the other players. So I think the communication between the guys has been good. We all know that it's the slowest pitch, so it's just to work out how, as individual players, we want to go about scoring runs and, obviously, bowling some good spells,” Brathwaite reasoned.

He continued: “From England, we have been discussing those matches that didn’t go as planned. We have one more test match until we get a little break before the next Test series, so it's important that we finish strong and we believe it.

“Obviously, in Trinidad, I was proud of the guys and how we went about the second inning; the guys were positive, and that was good to see. They had it in that, and so we are really pushing and aiming for victory in this last match.” 

Finally, Brathwaite had a few words of encouragement for Athanaze, as he believes this decisive game presents an opportunity for West Indies bastmen to demonstrate their growth and capability on the international stage.

“I would encourage him just to be himself. I think in the last game, you can see him sweeping a lot, and I know he's a very good sweeper of the ball, so it's a bit of the same. It's not for him to stop the shot, but just for him to execute better. He has the full support of all the guys, and it is just encouragement because we know he could get the job done,” the skipper ended.

Temba Bavuma lamented a lack of time after South Africa were held to a draw by West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series.

A match heavily impacted by rain concluded on Sunday, with South Africa declaring early on 173-5, but subsequently failing to bowl West Indies out in a little over two sessions.

The Windies reached 201-5 at stumps, chasing a target of 298, with Alick Athanaze (98) superbly marshalling the innings.

It left a Proteas bowling group that were already one player short - South Africa having gone with an extra batter for the first Test - frustrated.

"From our side, we tried our best to get a result in our favour," said Bavuma.

"But the wicket didn't break up as much as we expected. In the end, it was a good, competitive game of cricket.

"We went in with an extra batter as a cushion. As batters, we would like to be a bit more ruthless and convert those fifties into hundreds.

"We lost time because of the weather. With the bowling resources we had, we tried our best.

"A little bit more time and things could have been different."

Keshav Maharaj took 4-88 for South Africa, with Kagiso Rabada (1-38) the only other Proteas bowler to do any damage to the Windies during their second innings.

"I pride myself on playing Test cricket," said Maharaj. "I always relish a chance to bowl and the conditions suited me.

"I tried to keep repeating the process and keep things simple."

Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, meanwhile, was delighted with the grit his team displayed with the bat.

"Happy with our batting group," he said.

"The guys were quite positive, so [I'm] proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs.

"It wasn't going to be easy. We need to keep going from strength to strength."

The second and final Test starts on Thursday.

Alick Athanaze played a vital innings of 92 to help the West Indies secure a hard-fought draw against South Africa in the rain-affected first Test at Queen's Park Oval on Sunday. Chasing an imposing target of 298 runs for victory, the West Indies were in early trouble but managed to salvage the match thanks to Athanaze's resilience and key contributions from his teammates.

South Africa, resuming their second innings at 30 without loss, quickly raced to 173 for 3 in just 29 overs before declaring, setting the West Indies a challenging target. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram gave the visitors a solid start, scoring 45 and 38, respectively, before Tristan Stubbs injected urgency into the innings with a blistering 68 off 50 balls. His dismissal by Kemar Roach in the 29th over prompted South African captain Temba Bavuma to declare, leaving himself unbeaten on 15.

The West Indies' chase got off to a disastrous start, losing captain Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck in the first over. Mikyle Louis followed for nine, leaving the hosts reeling at 18 for 2. However, Alick Athanaze and Kaecy Carty began the process of rebuilding, putting together a valuable 46-run partnership before Carty was dismissed for 31 by Maharaj.

Athanaze continued to anchor the innings, forging another crucial stand of 63 runs with Kavem Hodge, who was also dismissed by Maharaj for 29. Athanaze's innings was a masterclass in patience and shot selection, as he found another steady partner in Jason Holder. The duo added 65 runs for the fourth wicket, with Athanaze inching closer to a well-deserved century.

Hodge made 29

Unfortunately, he fell just eight runs short of his maiden Test century, sweeping Maharaj to fine leg where he was caught. His innings, however, ensured that the West Indies could stave off defeat, with Jason Holder remaining unbeaten on 31 and Joshua da Silva not out on two when Bavuma decided to end proceedings, declaring the match a draw.

Maharaj was the pick of the South African bowlers once again, adding another four-wicket haul to his match tally, finishing with figures of 4 for 88 in the West Indies' second innings. His performance followed an equally impressive first-innings effort of 4 for 76.

Speaking after the match, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite expressed satisfaction with his team's batting display in the second innings. "I'm happy with our batting group. The guys were quite positive, and I'm so proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs, and although it wasn't going to be easy, the fight and resilience shown were commendable," Brathwaite said.

He continued, "The pitch here in the Caribbean can be a bit slower, so it's about adjusting when to go slow and when to accelerate. Alick showed us that today with his approach. His plan was to sweep, and even though he got out to a sweep, he stuck to it and nearly got his century. Hodge was also good in England, and it's about continuing to build on these performances."

The first Test ended in a draw, but it was a match that saw both teams show their strengths. The West Indies will take confidence from their batting performance as they prepare for the second Test, knowing that they have the ability to challenge South Africa in the upcoming encounters.

The second Test gets underway at Providence in Guyana on August 15.

Temba Bavuma is ready to "throw caution to the wind" after an inspired South Africa performance on day four kept their hopes alive against West Indies.

On another day of limited play due to heavy rain, West Indies struggled through the rest of their innings.

Jason Holder (36) and Kavem Hodge (25) were both taken before Keshav Maharaj (4-76) got his fourth wicket of the innings when Joshua Da Silva (one) was caught.

Kagiso Rabada's 3-56 put West Indies on the back foot, and even Jomel Warrican's 35 could not do much to up their score as they failed to mount a late push.

Jayden Seales was then bowled for four, seeing West Indies finish on 233, trailing the Proteas' score by 124 runs.

South Africa set themselves up nicely for the final day of the Test, with Tony de Zorzi (14) and Aiden Markram (nine) putting the tourists into a 154-run lead at the end of day four.

"Hopefully we can get a full day because that will obviously give us a realistic chance of getting a result," said Bavuma.

"To use the old cliche, we will have to take care of the first hour to set it up and if it's going our way, then we can throw caution to the wind to see what happens.

"But it's imperative that we set it up in that first hour."

De Zorzi and Markram will be looking to keep the pressure on when they resume play at 30-0 on Sunday at Port of Spain.

Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada starred on a rainy fourth day of the first Test between the West Indies and South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.

The West Indies, after starting the day 145-4, were eventually dismissed for 233 in 91.5 overs, trailing South Africa by 124, after the day’s first two sessions were rained out.

Jason Holder and Kavem Hodge, the not our batsmen overnight heading into the day, made 36 and 25, respectively while Jomel Warrican made a significant contribution with 35* batting at number 10.

Maharaj was causing consistent problems for the West Indies batsmen, eventually taking 4-76 off an impressive 40 overs while Rabada took 3-56 off 18 overs.

At stumps, South Africa reached 30-0 off five overs in their second innings, leading the West Indies by 154 runs. Tony de Zorzi was 14* and Aiden Markram 9*.

Full Scores:

South Africa 357 off 117.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 86, Tony de Zorzi 78, Wiaan Mulder 41*, Kyle Verreynne 39, Jomel Warrican 4-69, Jayden Seales 3-67, Kemar Roach 2-53) & 30-0 off 5 overs

West Indies 233 off 91.5 overs (Keacy Carty 42, Jason Holder 36, Kraigg Brathwaite 35, Mikyle Louis 35, Jomel Warrican 35*, Keshav Maharaj 4-76, Kagiso Rabada 3-56)

Keshav Maharaj remains hopeful South Africa's patience will "pay dividends" after a hard-fought third day of their Test match against the West Indies.

The Windies toiled in the field for 117.4 overs, eventually ending South Africa's first innings just 20 minutes into the opening session as Kagiso Rabada fell on 21 before Lungi Ngidi's four-ball duck.

That same pair of Rabada and Ngidi asked questions of Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Braithwaite with the new ball, yet the Windies openers reached an unbeaten half-century stand with little trouble.

The visiting Proteas turned to Maharaj's spin as early as the 13th over, reaping the rewards as the left-arm spinner ripped through Louis' defence to remove the opener on 35 with the last ball before lunch.

Rain caused a lengthy delay to follow but that stoppage proved fruitful as Wiaan Mulder ran out Braithwaite, on 35, before Maharaj removed Keacy Carty for 42 and Alick Athanaze on just three.

Maharaj bowled 28 straight overs throughout a battling day and hopes South Africa can capitalise with the West Indies on 145-5, some 212 runs behind the visitors' first-innings total of 357.

"When the ball goes in the outfield, it becomes a bit soft and doesn't react much," Maharaj said at stumps. "We have been trying to keep it as dry as possible.

"There is not much off the wicket. I have been trying to use different paces, and various trajectories but only the odd ball is reacting.

"But when you bowl in the right channel for a long time in Test cricket, it does pay dividends."

Kavem Hodge and Jason Holder will hope to provide further resistance when play begins on Saturday in Port of Spain.

Captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi were the picks for South Africa as the hosts patiently ground out 344-8 after day two of their Test against West Indies.

After a heavily interrupted first day that saw just 15 overs played, both sides took a slower approach at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.

De Zorzi, who started the day on 32, was up to 78 by lunch as the Proteas steadily added to their figures before he was dismissed by Jomel Warrican (3-66).

Tristan Stubbs (20) and Ryan Rickelton (19) were both left frustrated by Kemar Roach (2-53), though Bavuma managed to add some gloss, hitting 86 off 182 balls, including seven fours, before Jaylen Seales took him (2-57).

Despite a slow start, West Indies conceded only 20 runs in 12 overs against Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder before the former was taken by Jomel Warrican, who also got Keshav Maharaj for a duck.

South Africa managed to avoid a shaky end to the day, with Mulder's 37 not out helping them edge towards the 350 mark ahead of the third day.

Data Debrief: Proteas show patience

De Zorzi scored just his second half-century for Proteas, getting it against the same opponents as his first when he scored his career-best 85 at Centurion in January.

West Indies struggled with the ball for large parts, something they will want to improve on day three, though Roach's two wickets took him to 272 in Test cricket.

After starting positively on the opening day, which was lost to rain, West Indies bowlers were made to toil on Thursday’s second day as half-centuries from captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi propelled South Africa into a commanding position at 342-8 in the first Test at Queen’s Park Oval.

De Zorzi, the Proteas’ opening batter, was dismissed for 78 before lunch, while Bavuma was dismissed late in the day for 80, allowing West Indies to gradually claw their way back into the contest. Wiaan Mulder, not out on 37, and Kagiso Rabada, on 12, will resume batting for South Africa on Friday’s third day.

Jomel Warrican has been the pick of the Caribbean bowlers so far, with Kemar Roach (2-53) and Jayden Seales (2-57) also picking up key wickets.

Scores: South Africa 342 for 8 (Bavuma 86, de Zorzi 78, Warrican 3-66) vs West Indies

Resuming at 45-1 on a slow pitch that requires patience instead of flair, South Africa were initially kept quiet by West Indies' senior seamers Kemar Roach and Jason Holder, who started on good lengths but were punished as soon as they strayed.

While de Zorzi, who resumed on 32, got to his 50 off 78 balls, Tristan Stubbs (20) didn’t have the same luck as he edged a delivery from Roach to Holder in the slip cordon, adding only 18 to his overnight score of two.

Bavuma, in his first Test innings since March 2023, and de Zorzi kept West Indies at bay with a 51-run third wicket stand, which was eventually broken when the latter gloved to Kavem Hodge off Warrican shortly before the lunch interval.

After the break, Bavuma again dropped anchor and allowed his partner, David Bedingham, to take the fight to West Indies in a partnership worth 50 runs. Bedingham (29) later holed out to debutant Keacy Carty off Seales.

Ryan Rickelton (19) came and went shortly after watching Bavuma raise his 21st Test fifty. However, the captain was later trapped in front, and as the day draws to a close, Warrican struck twice, removing Kyle Vereynne (39) and Keshav Maharaj (zero) to keep West Indies in contention.

Rain put a damper on West Indies progress as only 15 overs were possible on the opening day of their first Test against South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday.

A fairly tidy display from the Caribbean bowlers restricted South Africa to 45-1 in the just over an hour’s play that was possible, as the visitors won the toss and opted to take first strike.

Jason Holder got that breakthrough when he bowled Aiden Markram (9) shortly before the showers came.

Tony de Zorzi, unbeaten on 32, and Tristan Stubbs, on two, will resume batting for South Africa on Thursday’s second day, weather permitting.

Play is scheduled to begin half-hour earlier at 9:30 am.

Making your debut on the biggest stage in International cricket at home is a dream that every aspiring cricketer has.

On Wednesday, that dream could become reality for Trinidadian off-spinner Bryan Charles.

The 29-year-old is a part of the West Indies squad to face South Africa in three Test matches, with the first beginning on Wednesday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

“It would be an extremely proud moment for me, especially if I am lucky enough to receive my cap at home,” Charles said in an interview with CWI’s John Phillips at the end of a training session on Monday.

Charles’ first call-up to the West Indies test squad comes after 44 First-Class games since his debut against Guyana at Providence in 2015.

In those 44 games, Charles has taken 150 wickets at an average of 26.56 including seven five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.

This past West Indies Championship season, Charles led the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force with 31 wickets in seven matches at an average of 17.

“I was obviously pretty elated to hear the news. It was a very proud moment for me. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” he said of receiving the call-up before thanking his father for introducing him to the game at a young age.

“Obviously, I’d like to thank my dad. He introduced me to most sports but I stuck with cricket from my younger days and made a career out of it from playing for the national team from Under-13 straight up to the senior team,” he added.

This won’t be Charles’ first time representing the West Indies on the international stage, however, as he represented the West Indies Under-19s at the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

As far as inspirations in international cricket go, Charles singled out Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, specifically mentioning his fondness of his action.

If given a chance to play on Wednesday, there’s no doubt Charles would love to emulate what Lyon did on test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010 when he dismissed the great Kumar Sangakkara wit the first ball of his career.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa, set to take place from August 7 to 19, 2024. The series will feature two Test matches, with the first being held at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago and the second at the National Stadium in Guyana.

Key changes in the squad include the dropping of out of form batsman Kirk McKenzie and the resting of vice-captain Alzarri Joseph. Kemar Roach, who was injured during the recent series against England, returns to bolster the bowling attack. Additionally, Keacy Carty and Tevin Imlach has been called up to strengthen the batting lineup.

The squad, captained by Kraigg Brathwaite with Joshua Da Silva as vice-captain, includes Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Bryan Charles, Justin Greaves, Jason Holder, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Jomel Warrican. This combination reflects a balanced mix of experienced players and promising young talents, strategically selected to maximize performance in Trinidad and Guyana.

CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, expressed confidence in the squad's ability to deliver strong performances against South Africa. "The selection process for this squad was led by our Head Coach, Andre Coley, pending the implementation of our new selection process, which will be rolled out in the coming days and articulated publicly shortly. This squad reflects a thorough evaluation of players' recent performances and suitability for the conditions we anticipate. We are confident that this team is well-balanced and capable of competing at the highest level," Bascombe said.

Head Coach Coley emphasized the strategic selection of a balanced mix of experience and youth to maximize performance in Trinidad and Guyana. He explained the decision to rest Alzarri Joseph, citing his recent heavy workload and the need for recuperation to ensure peak performance. "Kevin Sinclair is presently recovering from an injury," Coley added.

The full schedule for the series is as follows:

Test Series:

1st Test: August 7-11, 2024, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

2nd Test: August 15-18, 2024, National Stadium, Guyana

T20I Series:

1st T20I: August 23, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

2nd T20I: August 25, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

3rd T20I: August 27, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

West Indies seamer Jayden Seales and batsman Kavem Hodge have been rewarded for their standout performances in the recently-concluded Test series against England, as both achieved career-best moves up the latest ICC Men’s Test bowling and batting rankings on Wednesday.

Though West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash in that ICC World Test Championship series, Seales emerged as a standout performer, as he earned the player of the series award for his 13 wickets snared across all three games.

That performance saw the 22-year-old Trinidadian move seven places up to a career-best 26th position, joining teammate Jason Holder, who held firm in that position.

Veteran seamer Kemar Roach remains the top-ranked West Indies bowler at 17th, with Alzarri following Seales and Holder as the next best-ranked player at 31st. Kyle Mayers (37th), Shannon Gabriel (43rd), Gudakesh Motie (52^nd), Roston Chase (59^th), Shamar Joseph (64^th), Jomel Warrican (66^th), and Rahkeem Cornwall (82^nd) are the other Caribbean bowlers in the top 100.

On the batting chart, Hodge inched up three places to 72nd, following a credible display in the three-match series. The 31-year-old Dominican tallied 216 runs, including a maiden Test century.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite remains the highest-ranked West Indies batsman at 41st, with out-of-favor Jermaine Blackwood slipping to 52^nd. Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua da Silva (62^nd), Holder (70^th), Mayer (76^th), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (86^th), and Roston Chase (92^nd) are also in the top 100.

Meanwhile, England batter Joe Root reclaimed the number one Test batting position after scoring 87 in the first innings of the third and final match against West Indies in Birmingham, which his side won by 10 wickets.

This is Root’s ninth stint as number one. His first tenure at the top of the rankings commenced in August 2015, and he was last at the top in June last year after a fine performance in the opening match of the Ashes series, also in Birmingham.

While Root overtook Kane Williamson to take the top spot, Babar Azam, Daryl Mitchell, Steve Smith, and Rohit Sharma have all gained a spot each as Harry Brook slipped to seventh position after attaining a career-best third position last week.

In the weekly update to the rankings that also takes into consideration performances in the Ireland versus Zimbabwe Test in Belfast, England captain Ben Stokes, who struck 54 in the first innings in Birmingham and a quickfire 57 not out off 28 balls in the second, has moved up four positions to 30^th in the batting rankings.

Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has re-entered the rankings in 33^rd position after scores of 35 and 40, while England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s knock of 95 has lifted him 31 places to 64^th position.

England fast bowler Mark Wood’s Player of the Match performance of two for 52 and five for 40 has lifted him into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time in his career.

Gus Atkinson of England (up four places to 46^th), Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe (re-entered in 50th position), and Mark Adair of Ireland (up three places to 63^rd) are other notable gainers in the bowling rankings.