Lara still world’s top Test batsman

WEST Indies captain Brian Lara remains the top ranked batsman in world cricket according to the latest ratings issued by accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The left-handed Trinidadian retained his position after an outstanding series against England in the Caribbean recently. Although West Indies were trounced 3-0 in the four-Test series, Lara emerged as the premier batsman in the world with an historic knock of 400 not out in the final Test in Antigua. Last year Lara lost the world Test record to Australia’s Matthew Hayden who hit 386 against Zimbabwe but his hold on the claim lasted just six months.

Lara had established the standard in 1994 when he made 380 against England to erase Barbadian Sir Gary Sobers’ mark of 375 not out set in 1958. The WI captain has recovered from a finger injury and is back to lead the Caribbean cricketers against minnows Bangladesh in the first of a two-Test series starting on Friday in St Lucia. In the ranking released yesterday English fast bowler Steve Harmison has moved up to second place in the Test bowling rankings after taking eight wickets in England’s win over New Zealand at Lord’s. He has climbed above Shaun Pollock and Shoaib Akhtar into the highest placing for an England bowler since Ian Botham. Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, who recently broke Courtney Walsh’s Test wickets record, heads the list. In the batting New Zealand’s Mark Richardson moves up three places to 10th in the list following scores of 93 and 101 at Lord’s. Graham Thorpe is England’s highest rated batsman in 17th place, with openers Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan joint 18th.

Top 10 bowlers: 1 M Muralitharan (Sri) 904 pts; 2 S Harmison (Eng) 849; 3 S Pollock (SA) 837; 4 S Akhtar (Pak) 826; 5 S Warne (Aus 777; 6 G McGrath (Aus) 775; 7 A Kumble (Ind) 751; 8 J Gillespie (Aus) 746; 9 M Ntini (SA) 722; 10 C Martin (NZ) 658.
Top 10 batsmen: 1 B Lara (WI) 897 pts; 2 R Dravid (Ind) 892; 3 M Hayden (Aus) 881; 4 R Ponting (Aus) 864; 5 J Kallis (SA) 833; 6 H Gibbs (SA) 815; 7 Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) 785; 8 S Tendulkar (Ind) 784; 9 V Sehwag (Ind) 782; 10 M Richardson (NZ) 761.