Aiden Markram takes ninth spot in the ICC Test Batsman list
Dubai, Apr 4 (IBNS): South Africa opener Aiden Markram has sustained his surge towards the top during an amazing first year in Test cricket, making his way to ninth position among batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings, an official release stated.
The 23-year-old’s knocks of 152 and 37 not only contributed in South Africa’s massive 492 runs victory over Australia in Johannesburg for a 3-1 series win but have also helped him move up six places to ninth position in the latest rankings update, which also takes into account performances in the drawn second Test between New Zealand and England in Christchurch.
Markram, who led South Africa to victory in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2014, has broken into the top 10 for the first time and is now among a select group of 10 cricketers led by Don Bradman who have scored 1,000 runs or more in their first 10 Tests.
Markram’s opening partner Dean Elgar too has advanced after scoring 100 runs in the Test including a knock of 81 in the second innings while captain Faf du Plessis (up five places to 17th) and Temba Bavuma (up 12 places to 39th) are the other South Africa batsmen to make significant gains.
For Australia, captain Tim Paine has moved up eight places to 53rd position while for England, captain Joe Root (up one place to third), wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (up three places to 13th) and Mark Stoneman (up 14 places to 64th) are the ones to progress.
Not surprisingly, South Africa fast bowlers ruling the roost in Johannesburg sees several of them making the latest rankings update a joyful one.
Pace bowler Vernon Philander’s player of the match effort of nine for 51 has lifted him six places to third rank, player of the series Kagiso Rabada remains at the top adding three points to take his tally to 902 while Morne Morkel has finished off on a high.
Morne Morkel touches 800-point mark in last Test
Morkel, who bowled despite a side strain in the second innings of his last Test, touched 800 rating points for the first time in his career. He is now ranked joint-sixth along with Australia’s Pat Cummins, who has risen up from 18th to sixth place with nine wickets in Johannesburg.
The 33-year-old Morkel, who debuted in the 2006 Boxing Day Test against India in Durban, first broke into the top 10 in January 2010. His consistent performances ensured that he was never ranked lower than 15th from that time till retirement, while enjoying a career-high position of third in November 2010.
In other movements, New Zealand’s player of the match Tim Southee has moved up three places to take the 13th slot while Stuart Broad has gained five slots to reach 12th place.
Meanwhile, New Zealand have leapfrogged Australia to third place in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings. The swapping of places has resulted in a clear gain of $ 100,000 for New Zealand as they will now receive $ 200,000 from the International Cricket Council for taking third spot at the cut-off date of 3 April. Australia will get half that amount after finishing fourth.
India were presented with the ICC Test Championship Mace in February itself after they were assured of the top position at the cut-off date and a $ 1 million prize money while South Africa will receive a purse of $ 500,000 for finishing second.
The annual updates to the ICC rankings will be carried out on 1 May to ensure that the tables continue to reflect the recent form of sides with older results being discarded. The updated tables will reflect all matches from 1 May 2015, with matches played from 1 May 2017 carrying 100 per cent weightage.
MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 4 April, after the Christchurch and Johannesburg Tests)
Rank Team Points
1. India 121
2. South Africa 117 (+2)
3. New Zealand 102 (+2)
4. Australia 102 (-2)
5. England 97 (-2)
6. Sri Lanka 95
7. Pakistan 88
8. Windies 72
9. Bangladesh 71
10. Zimbabwe 1
(Developed by David Kendix)
*The cut-off for the annual rankings is generally 1 April but was extended this year owing to these two series ending on 3 April.
MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings (as of 4 April, after the Christchurch and Johannesburg Tests):
Batsmen (top 10)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts
Avge Highest Rating
1 ( - ) Steve Smith Aus 929
61.37 947 v SA at Durban 2018
2 ( - ) Virat Kohli Ind 912!
53.40 912 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
3 (+1) Joe Root Eng 867
52.63 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015
4 (-1) Kane Williamson NZ 847
50.35 893 v Aus at Perth 2015
5 ( - ) David Warner Aus 820
48.20 880 v NZ at Perth 2015
6 ( - ) AB de Villiers SA 813
50.66 935 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2014
7 ( - ) C. Pujara Ind 810
50.51 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017
8 ( - ) Dean Elgar SA 784!
42.58 784 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
9 (+6) Aiden Markram SA 759*!
55.55 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
10 (-1) Azhar Ali Pak 755
46.62 787 v Aus at Melbourne 2016
Other selected rankings
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts
Avge Highest Rating
13 (+3) Jonny Bairstow Eng 702
39.20 772 v SA at Old Trafford 2017
17 (+5) Faf du Plessis SA 673
43.20 734 v Ind at Centurion 2018
23 (+1) Usman Khawaja Aus 633 42.00
747 v Pak at Sydney 2017
35 (+6) B J Watling NZ 596
38.33 644 v Eng at Headingley 2015
39 (+12) Temba Bavuma SA 580 34.87
589 v Ban at Potchefstroom 2017
53 (+8) Tim Paine Aus 495*!
40.82 495 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
56 (+13) C.de Grandhomme NZ 483*! 38.35
483 v Eng at Christchurch 2018
64 (+14) Mark Stoneman Eng 452*! 30.17
452 v NZ at Christchurch 2018
Bowlers (top 10)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts
Avge Highest Rating
1 ( - ) Kagiso Rabada SA 897
21.59 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018
2 ( - ) James Anderson Eng 891
27.36 896 v Win at Lord's 2017
3 (+6) Vernon Philander SA 845
21.46 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013
4 (-1) Ravindra Jadeja Ind 844
23.73 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
5 (-1) R. Ashwin Ind 803
25.56 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016
6= ( - ) Morne Morkel SA 800!
27.66 800 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
(+12) Pat Cummins Aus 800*!
23.81 800 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
8 (-1) Trent Boult NZ 795
27.84 825 v Eng at Lord's 2015
9 ( - ) Rangana Herath SL 777
28.18 867 v Zim at Harare 2016
10 (-2) Neil Wagner NZ 765
28.26 785 v Win at Wellington 2017
Other selected rankings
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts
Avge Highest Rating
12 (+5) Stuart Broad Eng 732
29.04 880 v SA at Johannesburg 2016
13= (+3) Tim Southee NZ 720
30.82 799 v Win at Jamaica 2014
46 (+1) C.de Grandhomme NZ 349* 29.16
370 v Win at Hamilton 2017
All-rounders (top five)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts
Highest Rating
1 ( - ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 421
489 v Aus at Mirpur 2017
2 ( - ) Ravindra Jadeja Ind 391
438 v SL at Colombo (SSC) 2017
3 (+2) V. Philander SA 372
376 v Aus at Cape Town 2014
4 (-1) R. Ashwin Ind 368
493 v Eng at Mohali 2016
5 (-1) Ben Stokes Eng 329/*
396 v Win at Lord's 2017
*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.
! indicates career-highest rating
Image: twitter.com/OfficialCSA
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