Chanderpaul climbs to 2nd spot in ICC players rankings

Dubai, Jun 17 (UNI) With just five points separating the second ranked India and fifth placed Sri Lanka in the Reliance Mobile ICC rankings for Test teams, both the teams will look to improve their points tally when they take on each other in the three-Test series that starts next month.

India (111) and England are locked at the same number of points in the Reliance Mobile ICC Test teams, but Anil Kumble's side just sneaks past Michael Vaughan's team, when the points are calculated beyond decimals.

Meanwhile, Australia, who are leading the rankings, were given a good competition by the West Indies, even though, Ricky Ponting's side managed to win the series 2-0.

Player of the series Shivnarine Chanderpaul with some very good performances gained three more places in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen.

He is now at the second position, the highest ranking of his career to date. In six innings, Chanderpaul scored 442 runs at an average of 147.33, including two centuries and three fifties.

Chanderpaul moved ahead of Ponting and Mike Hussey of Australia in the rankings and now sits just three points behind top-ranked batsman Kumar Sangakkara (938 pts), who moves top due to Hussey's indifferent form of late.

Sangakkara too will have another opportunity to impress, as Sri Lanka plays host to India during July and August.

Still making his way in Test cricket, 22-year-old Xavier Marshall is the biggest mover of the week, progressing 54 places to 82nd position, following his fine knock of 85 in West Indies' second innings.

Another positive to come out of the latest rankings for the West Indies is Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards, who moved up one and two places to 12th and 38th respectively in the rankings for Test bowlers.

The bowling rankings are still headed by spinner Muttiah Muralitharan making it a batting and bowling double for Sri Lanka, with South Africa's Dale Steyn in second and Australia's Stuart Clark closing the gap at the third position.

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