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Sri Lanka completed their first series victory over the West Indies in fine style with a 10 wicket victory in the third Test. This also gave Sri Lanka their first ever series whitewash in a three Test series.
Over the last two years Sri Lanka has raised their rating by 73 points. Only the Australians have bettered this rise over the same period.
Sri Lanka earned 26 ratings points during this series and they have now recorded their highest rating in history. Before the series began they had held seventh place for the last two years.
As a result of their efforts against West Indies, Sri Lanka has leap frogged New Zealand, India and West Indies to claim fifth place in the ratings.
The victory margin in each Test was significant. Sri Lanka never seemed to be in trouble and won by 10 wickets twice and by 131 runs in the second Test. Sri Lanka had never before beaten the West Indies in the three times they had met before this series.
Not even the batting heroics by Brian Lara could save the West Indians. In the third Test Lara scored a double century in the first innings and another century in the second innings. He became the fifth man in history to achieve this feat.
However, regular collapses of the middle and lower order were their weakness. In the second Test the West Indies recorded ten ducks, with three tail enders making a pair. Overall, only Lara, Samuels and Sarwan could come away with any credit.
Despite winning their last series in Zimbabwe, the West Indians have reverted to their long term touring form in Sri Lanka. The West Indians last successful series on tour before Zimbabwe was six years ago in New Zealand.
The West Indians have now recorded their lowest rating since February 1948. In addition, they have slipped to sixth place for the first time in history. They are now in real danger of slipping below the 1000 point barrier.
More alarming, they are now just 29 points higher than their worst rating in history - 990 points in August 1333. West Indies started playing Test cricket in 1928.
West Indies has a one point lead over seventh placed India. India would only need to draw their series against India to overtake West Indies. In addition, if New Zealand defeats Australia in Perth then they will cast further misery on West Indies by alos overtaking the West Indies.
For those who remember the great teams led by Sir Vivian Richards during the 1980s, these are dark days. Since that time there has been a fragmentation of the political unity that marked their golden era.
Cricket also has to compete in the Caribbean with basketball and soccer beamed in by satellite. There is a very real risk that cricket in the West Indies may disappear if urgent action is not taken to support the game. The International Cricket Council should take careful note of this.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1205); 2. South Africa (1156); 3. Pakistan (1061); 4. England (1059); 5. Sri Lanka (1023) 6. West Indies (1019); 7. India (1018); 8. New Zealand (1001); 9. Zimbabwe (937); 10. Bangladesh (837 provisional).
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