Stirling aims to move up in ICC rankings

By CricketCountry Staff

 

Ireland opener Paul Stirling is aiming to improve his position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings in One-Day Internationals when his side takes on England in the upcoming ODI series.

By CricketCountry Staff

 

Dublin: Aug 24, 2011

 

Ireland opener Paul Stirling is aiming to improve his position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings in One-Day Internationals when his side takes on England in the upcoming ODI series.

 

Stirling claimed 16^th spot in the ICC rankings after his fine knock of 113 in the high-scoring ODI against Scotland in July, when Ireland successfully chased down the target of 321 with nine balls to spare.

 

This was Stirling’s third overall century in ODIs, helped him overtake Ryan ten Doeschate of the Netherlands as the highest ranked batsman from any Associate nation.

 

Stirling has also been nominated for the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards 2011.

 

The right-handed Irish batsman is trailing by just 19 points to Australia’s Ricky Ponting, and 10^th ranked Sachin Tendulkar by 32 points. Stirling has scored 1, 317 runs in 32 ODIs at an healthy average of 42.48.

 

27-year-old Kevin O’Brien, who slammed England in the 2011 World Cup league match with a brilliant innings of 113 off 63 balls, studded with six sixes and 13 boundaries, is placed at 49th position, and he can break into the top 30 with just one good innings, the ICC said on its website.

 

The other Ireland players to feature in the list are skipper William Porterfield (67th), Niall O’Brien (79th) and Gary Wilson (81st).

 

Former Ireland player and now England captain, Eoin Morgan, is placed at 25th position.

 

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, former Ireland captain Trent Johnston is the highest-ranked player from Associate Members , at the 23rd position.

 

George Dockrell is at 38^th and tall fast bowler Boyd Rankin is at 56th position.

• 
• 
•