South African fast bowler Morné Morkel claimed a top 10 berth on the official International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings for Test Bowlers which were released on Sunday.
The 33-year-old Morkel claimed 5/21 in Zimbabwe’s first innings in the one-off Test in Port Elizabeth recently. This feat allowed him to move up from 13th to 10th place, which was previously occupied by Dale Steyn. This is the first time in two years that Morkel finds himself in the top 10 for Test bowlers.
Steyn has moved out to 11th position.
The Zimbabwe Test has also been good for spinner Keshav Maharaj who has a career-high 16th position after taking 5/59 five for 59 in Zimbabwe’s second innings. He was previously listed in 18th position.
The biggest mover on the rankings for Test batsmen was England opener 33-year-old Alistair Cook who has moved up nine places to finish the year in 8th position. He scored a magnificent unbeaten double-century in the first innings of Melbourne Ashes Test and deservedly claimed the Man of the Match award there.
The 7th-ranked Hashim Amla is SA’s highest-ranked Test batsman and is 17 points ahead of Cook, the former England captain.
Batsmen (top 10)
1 Steve Smith (Aus)
2 Virat Kohli (Ind)
3 C Pujara (Ind)
4 Kane Williamson (NZ)
Joe Root (Eng)
6 David Warner (Aus)
7 Hashim Amla (SA)
8 Alastair Cook (Eng)
9 Azhar Ali (Pak)
10 D Chandimal (SL)
Other SA batsmen:
13 Dean Elgar
14 Faf du Plessis
15 Quinton de Kock
18 AB de Villiers (SA)
Bowlers (top 10)
1 James Anderson (Eng)
2 Kagiso Rabada (SA)
3 Ravindra Jadeja (Ind)
4 R Ashwin (Ind)
5 Josh Hazlewood (Aus)
6 Rangana Herath (SL)
7 Neil Wagner (NZ)
8 Mitchell Starc (Aus)
9 Nathan Lyon (Aus)
10 Morne Morkel (SA)
Other SA bowlers:
11 Dale Steyn (SA)
12 Vernon Philander (SA)
16 Keshav Maharaj (SA) – African News Agency (ANA
