Lara still king of batsmen

Lara lashed a compelling 153, with 20 fours and two sixes — in the West Indies loss at Sabina Park — and retained top spot in the LG International Cricket Council (ICC) Batting Rankings this week ahead of South Africa Jacques Kallis.

His captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul sustained his top-ten ranking but slipped one place down to number nine as Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq climbed to number eight after propelling his side to their 136-run victory at Sabina Park with an unbeaten second-innings century.

India kept two batsmen in the top five, Rahul Dravid at three and Virender Sehwag (fifth), sandwiching the Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who is fourth.

Chris Gayle, at 24th, and Ramnaresh Sarwan (26th) are the only other West Indies batsmen in the top 30.

In the Bowling Ratings, where Australian pacer Glen McGrath remained number one ahead of Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralthiran, the West Indies medium pacer Corey Collymore was the biggest mover on the world list.

The 27-year-old, who captured 11 wickets in the second Test, leapt 14 places up the rankings to number 27 and he is one of only two West Indians in the top-30 for bowling, joining his Barbados team-mate Pedro Collins, at 20th.

LG ICC rankings:

BATTING — 1. Brian Lara (WI); 2. Jacques Kallis (SA); 3. Rahul Dravid (IND); 4. Ricky Ponting (AUS); 5. Virender Sehwag (IND); 6. Damien Martyn (AUS); 7. Adam Gilchrist (AUS); 8. Inzamam-ul-Haq (PAK); 9. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 9. Marcus Trescothick (ENG); 24. Chris Gayle (WI)

26. Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI).

BOWLING — 1. Glenn McGrath (AUS); 2. Muttiah Muralitharan (SL); 3. Shaun Pollock (SA); 4. Makhaya Ntini (SA); 5. Shane Warne (AUS); 6. Shoaib Akhtar (PAK); 7. Anil Kumble (IND); 8. Andre Nel (SA); 9. Matthew Hoggard (ENG); 10. Jason Gillespie (AUS); 20. Pedro Collins (WI); 27. Corey Collymore (WI).