Archives

Muttiah Muralitharan has been ranked as the world's best bowler after edging out Australia's Glenn McGrath to claim top spot in the latest Test ratings.

The Sri Lankan spinner moved up two places in the PricewaterhouseCooper standings after his 13-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the second Test in Kandy.

Muralitharan nearly became only the third player in history to take 10 wickets in a single Test innings during that match and his career-best 9-51 is the fifth best bowling anaylsis of all time.

He has taken 21 wickets at 9.66 in the two matches so far played against Zimbabwe in the series.

He now stands in seventh place in the list of all-time Test wicket takers with 395, after overhauling England legend Ian Botham's tally of 383.

McGrath and Shaun Pollock both move down a place to occupy second and third places respectively, and Shane Warne moves up to sixth after the series between Australia and South Africa.

Australia, who won the series 3-0, now have four batsmen in the top 10 of the ratings.

Man-of-the-series Matthew Hayden is now the highest ranked Australian batsman after moving up four places to fourth, leapfrogging captain Steve Waugh in the process.

Hayden was the most prolific Test batsman in 2001 with 1,391 runs and finished the three-match series against South Africa with 430 runs at an average of 107.5.

Fellow opener Justin Langer moves into the top 10 after sharing in a world record equalling four double-century opening stands with Hayden.

South Africa's Jacques Kallis swaps place with Hayden, moving from fourth to eighth, despite acquitting himself well in the series.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager