Jerome Taylor ... has broken into the top-10 ODI bowler rankings.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

(CMC):

WEST INDIES fast bowler Jerome Taylor has leapt an incredible 13 places up the ICC Rankings for one-day international bowlers and into the top-10 for the time in his career.

This follows a Man-of-the-Series winning performance in Zimbabwe, where he captured 11 wickets in four ODIs at an average of 13.72.

"This was a great series for me and I believe I am bowling very well at the moment," Taylor said. "My confidence is high and the team is on a high as we move on to the series in South Africa. I'm happy to play a leading role and perform at my best for the West Indies. I enjoy representing the people of the West Indies and will be striving to go from strength to strength."

'Successful' series

Taylor was the most successful bowler for West Indies and in the five-match series which the visitors won 3-1 (the fifth and final ODI was washed out).

In the opening match of the series, Taylor took two for 68 in a shock defeat, and in the second match, he struck back with one for 17 from eight overs.

He captured three for 18 from 9.5 overs in the third match at the Harare Sports Club, and last Friday in the fourth match at the Queen's Sport Club, he took a career-best five for 48. In the process, he rose to 10th position in the rankings, narrowly ahead of Sri Lanka's Farveez Maharoof and just behind Brett Lee of Australia and South Africa's Makhaya Ntini.

With more ODIs coming up in the New Year against the South Africans, the 23-year-old Taylor, also known as 'Bobby', has a great opportunity to make further progress and stamp a lasting mark on the rankings.

Taylor's teammate Daren Powell also had a good series, taking six wickets at 26.50, and he has moved up one place in the bowling rankings to 14th.

But the news is not so good for new West Indies captain Chris Gayle. He slipped three places in the rankings for ODI batsmen to 15th position. Gayle suffered an injury to his right hamstring and only played in two ODIs during the Zimbabwe leg of the ongoing tour of southern Africa just when it appeared he might explode.

Drop in rankings

He had started the tour quite well, making 58 in the second ODI at Harare before having to retire hurt. To make matters worse, Gayle has also dropped one place to fourth spot in the rankings for ODI all-rounders.

Although he has been knocked off top spot in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, Australia captain Ricky Ponting is still out in front of the ODI rankings, ahead of teammates Andrew Symonds in second place and Matthew Hayden third.

In the ODI bowling rankings, the addition of Taylor at the expense of Maharoof is the only change in the top 10 with Shaun Pollock of South Africa still way out in front at the top with Shane Bond of New Zealand in second spot and Australia's Nathan Bracken in third place.

Pollock also leads in the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders from Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya in second place and England's Andrew Flintoff third.