England fast bowler Stuart Broad’s summer just got even better as he grabbed the 3rd spot in the latest ICC Test rankings for bowlers after his stupendous performance in the third and final Test of the Wisden series against West Indies.
Broad took 10 wickets for 67 runs in the match including a six-wicket haul and entered the 500 wickets club as well on Day 5. Broad on Tuesday became the 2nd English bowler after James Anderson and 7th in history to take 500 Test wickets in a Player-of-the-Match performance in Manchester.
As a result of his exploits, Broad gained 7 places in the ICC Test Rankings issued after England’s 269-run victory. The hosts also clinched the three-match series 2-1 to reclaim the Wisden Trophy from the West Indies.
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins continues to lead the rankings with 904 rating points followed by New Zealand left-arm pacer Neil Wagner (843rp) and Stuart Broad (823rp).
Broad took 6 wickets in the 2nd Test before adding another 10 in the third to top the wickets tally in the series despite missing being controversially left out of the first match in Southampton. He was subsequently named Player of the Series for his 16 wickets and 73 runs, which also included his 33-ball fifty in the third Test.
“When you get a milestone and put in performances, you want them to lead to wins so to get to 500 on a day that we managed to win a test match and a series feels very great, very special,” Broad said after the match on Tuesday.
West Indies captain Jason Holder had earlier been at the No.3 position after his 7-wicket show in their Southampton Test win, but he dropped 2 places to be 5th after getting just 3 wickets in the next two Tests at Old Trafford. Holder though, is the top-ranked all-rounder in Test cricket.
