Evergreen James Anderson moves back into top five of Test bowler rankings
England seamer James Anderson has proven he is still among the best bowlers in the world despite his team sinking 3-0 down in the Ashes.
Anderson improved his Ashes average in Australia to such a degree that it is now better than his average against Australia in England.
His figures of 4/33 in 23 overs gained him three places to fifth.
The 39-year-old has been one of the few bright spots for and England side that has been thoroughly outclassed in Australia.
Australians will never, ever tire of thrashing England
Australian test debutant Scott Boland makes his debut in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings for bowlers for his outstanding performance in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
He is now ranked 74th with 271 points.
Boland etched his name in the record books with an astonishing six-wicket haul that wrapped up the Ashes on day three of the third test in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old Victoria pacer finished with outstanding innings figures of 6/7 in four overs.
Along the way, he matched the 19-ball record for the fastest five-wicket haul in tests shared by England’s Stuart Broad at the 2015 Ashes and Australia’s Ernie Toshack in 1947.
Finishing with a seven-wicket match haul in a thumping innings and 14 run victory for Australia.
Pat Cummins is still above 900 points thanks to his three early wickets in England’s first innings.
Injured Josh Hazlewood has dropped to sixth in the rankings but remains the second of three Australia fast bowlers in the top ten.
World Test champions New Zealand also feature heavily with three fast bowlers in the top ten in Tim Southee (fourth), Neil Wagner (Eighth), and Kyle Jamieson (tenth).
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the only India bowler in the top ten with Jasprit Bumrah in 12th the next highest-ranked.
In the batter’s category, Marnus Labuschagne continues to hold the top spot whilst, Steve Smith has dropped a place to fourth, his lowest position since December 2015.
The rest of the top ten has remained unchanged since the last update.
Smith ceded third spot to New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson.
In the all-rounders list, Mitchell Starc nudged ahead of Ben Stokes into fifth place.
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