Lara steady at world No 1

LONDON: West Indies captain Brian Lara remains steady as the world’s number one batsman after marginal change in the latest Pricewaterhouse/Coopers ratings. With his closest rivals inactive since the last ratings adjustment, Trinidadian Lara —- with 887 points —- maintains a clear advantage at the top of the rankings, over India’s Sachin Tendulkar (843), with Australian Matthew Hayden (821) third. Marcus Trescothick’s double-century for England against South Africa at The Oval has propelled him nine places into ninth spot, and Inzamam-ul-Haq’s match-winning hundred for Pakistan against Bangladesh took him up three places to number five.

With a current career batting average of 51.56, Lara, the world batting record holder for the highest individual scores in Test (375) and First-Class (501 not out) cricket, is one of seven West Indies batsman in the world’s top 50. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the next highest at 20th, followed by his Guyana teammates Ramnaresh Sarwan (26th), and Carl Hooper (35th), then Chris Gayle (37th), Wavell Hinds (39th), and Ridley Jacobs (49th). The West Indies have only two bowlers rated in the top 25 in the world —- Mervyn Dillon at 16th and Jermaine Lawson (24th) as the top three slots remained unchanged, South African Shaun Pollock, leading Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and Australian Glenn McGrath. Other Caribbean bowlers in the top 50 are Corey Collymore at 31st, Cameron Cuffy (36th), and Pedro Collins (49th).