SA is ranked the number two test side after annual update in ICC test ranking table

[Chandan]

South Africa are the main beneficiary of the annual update of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship table. LINK Dubai - South Africa are the main beneficiary of the annual update of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship table released on Tuesday. They have moved above India and England into second place, although they are still 23 rating points behind runaway leaders Australia. But if they sweep the four-match series with England that starts at Lord's in London on Thursday 10 July then they will gain six rating points to move within 17 of Ricky Ponting's men. The annual update is carried out to ensure the ICC Test Championship table continues to reflect recent and current form with older results being discarded. The new table no longer reflects series concluded before 1 August 2005 and that benefits South Africa because it means losing series against Sri Lanka (0-1), India (0-1) and England (1-2) no longer feature in the calculations. For India, a narrow series loss at home to Australia (1-2), the series win over South Africa and a drawn series with Pakistan (1-1) no longer count. The update means the table reflects recent form while also taking into account results over the past three years. India will be watching the England - South Africa series closely because, dependent on the result, Anil Kumble's side could move back into second place in double-quick time. The permutations are these: * To retain second place, South Africa need to avoid defeat in the series against England. * If England win, the series 1-0 or 2-1, then India and South Africa will swap places. * A win for England by 2-0, 3-1 or 3-0 will leave India second, but see England go third, with South Africa slipping back to fourth. * A 4-0 clean sweep for England would lift their rating to 114 and into second place, with India third (at its current mark of 113 points) and South Africa further adrift on 106 points. The comforting fact for South Africa and India is that England have not enjoyed a series sweep since 2004 whenthey won all seven home Tests against New Zealand (3-0) and the West Indies (4-0). They did beat Bangladesh in 2005, but that was a two-match series. * If the series is tied, South Africa and India would be level on 113 points but the Proteas would retain second place when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. * If England wins 1-0 or 2-1, they would be locked with South Africa on 110 points but, again, South Africa would be the side placed higher in the table, again when the rating is calculated past the decimal point. This scenario would see India in second place. South Africa, India and England are the only sides to alter their rankings thanks to the update, although the West Indies are now just two rating points behind seventh-placed New Zealand thanks to series losses against England (0-4), South Africa (0-2) and Sri Lanka (0-2) dropping out of the equation. In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test cricket, England and South Africa are very closely matched, something that mirrors all the series between the sides since the Proteas' return to international cricket in the early 1990s. Both line-ups have two batsmen inside the top 20 with Jacques Kallis (sixth) and Graeme Smith (12th) balanced out by Kevin Pietersen (10th) and Andrew Strauss (16th). And just outside the top 20 the balance is still maintained with three South Africans, AB de Villiers (25th) the in-form Hashim Amla (26th) and Neil McKenzie (32nd) facing off against Alastair Cook (21st), Paul Collingwood (24th) and England captain Michael Vaughan (30th). England have more players - four - inside the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, but South Africa have the two highest ranked players from the two line-ups. Fast man Dale Steyn is within a whisker of replacing Muttiah Muralidaran in top slot as he starts the series just five rating points behind the Sri Lanka spin wizard. And in fifth spot is Makhaya Ntini, with 344 Test wickets, 16th in the list of all-time Test wicket-takers and with Dennis Lillee's 355 wickets his next target to chase down. Steyn, incidentally, made his Test debut against England in 2004-05, taking eight wickets in three matches, but since returning to the South Africa side in April 2006 he has taken 108 wickets in 20 matches and is one of world cricket's in-form men. England's quartet inside the top 20 are Ryan Sidebottom, just behind Ntini in sixth slot, spinner Monty Panesar in 11th place, then Matthew Hoggard - still searching for a return to the starting line-up - in 16th and Andrew Flintoff, on his way back from ankle and side injuries, in 19th position. England's leading wicket-taker in its recent series with New Zealand, James Anderson (19 wickets in three matches) is 26th in the bowling list, with his best-ever rating. Kallis is the top all-rounder in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings with Flintoff in third place. Sandwiched between the two is New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori. Earlier ICC Test Championship Table CURRENT ICC Test Championship So India needs to work hard now get back to second position. Here is the like to rank predictor Just fill in any results for the coming matches and see howit'll affect the rakings of the teams after the series, for example what'll be the rankings if SA wins 2-1 and India draws 1--1 or such things! PS: As we can see, India gained points in the rating but SA gained the most and hence overtook India. England and Australia have lost points but since Australia could maintain its position with no fuss, it is still number one while England sli to 4th place.

[DomainK]

Hopefully India will be at no1 next year.:)

[Desi Cartman]

why is it that this article says what impact SAF - Eng series is going to have on India's rank but fails to mention what will happen if India beats SL or its drawn etc ?

[flamy]

The real deficit is 25.

[Holysmoke]

Need #2 spot NOW.