Lara, Ntini move up ICC rankings

LONDON: Brian Lara’s near double-century  knock and Makhaya Ntini’s tremendous bowling performance earned them elevation in the latest LG International Cricket Council (ICC) world ratings released yesterday. Lara moved three places up the batting rankings to third — behind South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and India’s Rahul Dravid respectively. Ntini surged four places up the bowling rankings — into the top five — after guiding South Africa to an eight wicket win over West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

The only other West Indians in the batting top 30 are Shivnarine Chanderpaul at 17th, Ramnaresh Sarwan five places lower and Chris Gayle at 26th. Ntini rises to fourth place in the bowling after producing the best ever bowling figures in Tests for a South African. His 13 for 132 haul, the best ever in the Caribbean, lifted him to within just 13 points of team-mate Shaun Pollock on the ICC bowling list. There is no change in the top three bowlers with Australian Glenn McGrath ahead of Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and Pollock. Pedro Collins, at 18th, is the highest ranked West Indies bowler  and Merv Dillon is the only other West Indies bowler in the top 30.