DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

Success over England and in the Irish quadrangular series has helped West Indies to swap places with England on the ICC's one-day international team rankings.

West Indies edged up to seventh and England dropped down to eighth in the latest rankings which were released yesterday by the sport's world governing body.

This follows the annual update of the rankings which is carried out to ensure the ODI championship table continues to reflect recent form with older results being discarded.

The table now reflects all ODIs played since August 2005, and the fact that most changes in the list are minor reflects that the teams have not demonstrated dramatic recent changes in form.

The annual update of the rankings has seen world champions Australia retain a comfortable lead over its nearest challengers.

They are seven rating points ahead of South Africa, with New Zealand a further eight points further back in third spot.

Sri Lanka and India both ease up one place to fourth and fifth positions respectively, while Pakistan drops two places after losing three rating points following the update.

The most recent addition to the table, Associate side Ireland, lies 10th, ahead of both Zimbabwe and Kenya.

RANKINGS

1. Australia

2. South Africa

3. New Zealand

4. Sri Lanka

5. India

6. Pakistan

7. West Indies

8. England

9. Bangladesh

10. Ireland

11. Zimbabwe

12. Kenya