Sipamla, Mulder move up rankings, Elgar edges closer to top 10

Proteas Test rookies Lutho Sipamla and Wiaan Mulder have climbed in the latest ICC Test rankings after helping their nation clinch a 2-0 series whitewash over Sri Lanka.

Sipamla tore through the Sri Lanka tail to set up a comfortable run-chase of 67 which saw the Proteas win by 10 wickets on Day 3 at the Wanderers. After taking 1/27 and 3/40 at the Bullring, the 22-year-old fast bowler moved up 23 places on the Test rankings to 47th spot.

Mulder, who 3/25 and 1/52 in his third Test, moved up 22 places to 45th.

The Proteas bowling attack was spearheaded by fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi  after the absence of Kagiso Rabada, who has recently recovered from an injury. The in-form Nortje moved up 10 places to 38th in the Test bowling rankings after taking 6/56 and 2/64.

Ngidi also moved up seven places to 49th after picking up four wickets in the second Test against Pakistan.

Proteas opening batsman Dean Elgar was named player of the match for his 127 and unbeaten 31, which saw him move seven places to 13th.

The Proteas now prepare for their tour against Pakistan, which sees the teams contest in two Tests and three T20s in Pakistan from 26 January to 14 February.

Meanwhile, Australia batsman Steve Smith leapfrogged India skipper Virat Kohli to second position on the Test rankings after scores of 131 and 81 in Sydney.

Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson’s epic 238 in the second Test against Pakistan in Christchurch saw him reach the best ever-rating points by a New Zealand player on the ICC Test rankings. Williamson led his side to a 2-0 victory in the two-Test series, reaching 919 rating points and bettering his own mark of 915 in December 2018.

ICC Test rankings

Batsmen: 1. Kane Williamson (NZ) – 919 2. Steve Smith (AUS) – 900 3. Virat Kohli (IND) – 870 4. Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) – 866 5. Babar Azam (PAK) – 781 6. Ben Stokes (ENG) – 750 7. Ajinkya Rahane (IND) – 756 8. Cheteshwar Pujara (IND) – 753 9. Henry Nicholls (NZ) – 747 10. David Warner (AUS) – 745

Others 13. Dean Elgar – (RSA) – 684

Bowlers: 1. Pat Cummins (AUS) – 908 2. Stuart Broad (ENG) – 845 3. Neil Wagner (NZ) – 825 4. Tim Southee (NZ) – 811 5. Josh Hazlewood (AUS) – 805 6. Kagiso Rabada (SA) – 786 7. James Anderson (ENG) – 781 8. Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 774 9. Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) – 768 10. Jasprit Bumrah (IND) – 765

Others 38. Anrich Nortje (RSA) – 429 45. Wiaan Mulder (RSA) – 360 47. Lutho Sipamla (RSA) – 339 49. Lungi Ngidi (RSA) – 324

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