England look to maintain top position in ODI rankings

England take on Scotland at Edinburgh on Sunday before playing at home against their arch-rivals from 13 to 24 June.

Published - 08 Jun 2018, 12:58 IST | Updated - 08 Jun 2018, 12:58 IST

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 hosts the English cricket team would be looking to maintain their position at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings in upcoming matches that include a high-profile five-ODI series against World champions Australia.

Eoin Morgan’s men take on Scotland at Edinburgh on Sunday before playing at home against their arch-rivals from 13 to 24 June, a series that will help the teams’ preparations for the mega event that runs from 30 May to 14 July next year at 11 venues across the country.

Though Lord’s, where the two sides are slated to meet in their World Cup league match on 25 June next year, is not a venue, the series will provide both sides an opportunity to gauge the conditions as the countdown begins to the 10-team event.

The Brits, who overtook India to grab the top ODI spot after the annual update on 2 May, are comfortably ahead of Australia and will remain at the top even if they lose the Australia series by a 2-3 margin provided they win the one-off match against Scotland. However, in such a scenario, they will be tied with India on 122 points and ahead only on decimal points.

On the other hand, if the English kick off with a loss to Scotland, they will have to win the series against fifth-ranked Australia or else lose the top position to India, who are presently three points behind The Britons at 122 points. A 2-3 loss to Australia in such a scenario will see them slide to 120 points. If England lose to Scotland, they will start the Australia series with 123 points while Scotland, who last week made it to the expanded 16-team points table, will gain five points and move up to 33 points.

Australia will not be able to overtake the opposition even if Morgan’s men lose all their six upcoming matches but Australia could go up to third position if they complete a 5-0 whitewash over their hosts.