ICC Test Rankings: Kane Williamson back at top, Virat Kohli remains fourth
Dubai, Jun 30: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has reclaimed the number one position in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen after leading his side to the World Test Championship title in Southampton last week.
The 30-year-old's knocks of 49 and 52 not out in the low-scoring final against India helped him move above the 900-point mark and he now enjoys a 10-point lead over Steve Smith (891 rating points).
India skipper Virat Kohli remains in fourth position while Rohit Sharma has moved up to the sixth spot. India wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant is seventh.
Williamson, who conceded the top spot to Smith two weeks ago, is back in the position he had first grabbed in November 2015 during a series against Australia.
Ross Taylor, who scored an unbeaten 47 and partnered in an unbroken 96-run stand with Williamson, has advanced three places to 14th position while left-hander Devon Conway has gained 18 slots to reach 42nd place after top-scoring with 52 in the first innings.
New Zealand's fast bowlers too have gained after thriving in the seaming conditions with player of the match Kyle Jamieson continuing the stupendous start to his Test career.
His figures of five for 31 and two for 30 have pushed him up to a career-best 13th position, not surprising since no bowler has taken more Test wickets at a better average than him since 1900.
Left-armer Trent Boult's figures of two for 48 and three for 39 have lifted him two places to 11th position while for India, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane's progress of three places to 13th position after scores of 49 and 15, was the only notable gain.
Ravindra Jadeja has slipped behind West Indian Jason Holder to second position after a week at the top of the rankings for all-rounders.
In the T20 Rankings, West Indies' left-handed opener Evin Lewis has moved from 13th to 10th position after a player of the match effort of 71 off 35 balls in the first of the two matches of their ongoing five-match series that counted for this week's rankings.
Left-arm spinner Fabian Allen has progressed 23 places to 20th position.
South Africa's Quinton de Kock (up one place to 22nd), Reeza Hendricks (up three places to 24th) and Temba Bavuma (up 24 places to 64th) are among the others to move up.
England's 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka, which should come as a morale booster for the 50-over World champions ahead of this year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup, sees several of their players move up too.
Chris Jordan (up five places to 11th), Mark Wood (up 11 places to 14th), Sam Curran (up 62 places to 39th) and David Willey (up 23 places to 51st) have progressed in the bowlers' list while for Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga has moved up five places to fifth and Dushmantha Chameera 41 places to 43rd.
?? @BLACKCAPS captain Kane Williamson is back to the No.1 spot in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for batting.
— ICC (@ICC) June 30, 2021
Full list: https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/1DWGBonmF2
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
