The new ICC World Test Champions, South Africa, are basking in their glory, as multiple members of their team rise in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.
Leading the charge is Player of the Match from the final at Lord’s, Aiden Markram. The batting hero has risen seven places to just outside the top-10 in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, with only two points separating him from New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell (725) in 10th.
Markram scored a crucial and match-winning 136 runs off 207 balls in a masterful display of Test batting to help take South Africa across the line in the WTC Final.
His equally vital wickets for South Africa have also been rewarded in the Test All-Rounders Rankings, seeing him ascend a whopping 44 places.
David Bedingham, who closed the famous win for South Africa, also made a move of note in the Batting Rankings, climbing 17 places to joint 40 alongside Cameron Green.
Meanwhile, South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who produced an inspirational spell with the ball during Australia’s second innings, has also advanced seven slots in the Bowling Rankings. He shares 37th place with Pakistan’s Naseem Shah and Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara.
Kagiso Rabada, who was the pick of South Africa’s bowlers, maintained his second place among the bowlers, next to India’s Jasprit Bumrah. His 868 ratings points are 21 clear of Pat Cummins who also remains in third place.
For runners up, Australia, seasoned speedster Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Beau Webster benefited from valiant displays.
Starc, who took five wickets through the Test and scored a fighting half-century in the second innings, climbed to 10th spot in the bowlers’ and all-rounders lists.
Webster meanwhile, who was Australia’s top scorer in the first innings, climbed 13 places in the Batting Rankings.
In the ODI Player Rankings, key performers from the Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 action have boasted impressive climbs.
Netherlands’ top-order batter Michael Levitt, who was also handy with the ball, has soared 22 places in the Batting Rankings to go with a climb of 21 among the bowlers and another 27 in the all-rounders charts.
Levitt also leapt 11 places in the T20I batting charts to the 30th spot in the tri-series after League 2 play, just below Pakistan’s Mohammad Haris.
His teammate Noah Croes also jumped 20 places in the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings after making a vital fifty from the four-wicket win against Scotland. Nepal’s Aarif Sheikh, who top-scored with the bat in the 16-run win over the Dutch, climbs 13 places in the batting charts.
Twinkle Cutlass
Sport Trivia: Who beat South Africa twice in the 1992 Cricket World Cup? Answer: England. South Africa played against England in the group stage on 12 March 1992 in Melbourne, and England won by 3 wickets. They then faced each other again in the semi-finals on the 22 March in Sydney, and England won by 19 runs.
Redfisher
On the morning of 11/11/11 South Africa needed 111 runs to win at 11:11 – South Africa vs Australia. This coincidence occurred during the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Cape Town. At 11:11, on 11/11/11, South Africa were 125 for 1 needing a further 111 runs for a win.