The latest International Cricket Council World Batting Ratings list has West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the top, which quite ironic given the current status (7th out of 9 test playing teams) of the once great West Indian cricket team. However, Chanderpaul has been a standout batsman for the Windies for quite some time and is most certainly one of cricket’s most reliable batsmen.
Sliding just out of the top ten at 11 is ‘Mr Cricket’ or Michael Hussey (753). The once reliable Hussey has been in something of a form slump just lately and this has also seen his batting average (61.56) come down to earth and be more representative of Hussey’s true batting potential. Matthew Hayden’s (678) fall has continued and he now rests at number 18 in the ratings. Sachin Tendulkar (683) is at 16 with V. V. S. Laxman.
The top 10 are:
1. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) 900
2. Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) 880
2. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 880
4. Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka) 854
5. Kevin Pietersen (England) 832
6. Ricky Ponting (Australia) 827
7. Graeme Smith (South Africa) 810
8. Younus Khan (Pakistan) 799
9. Michael Clarke (Australia) 772
10. Gautum Gambhir (India) 771
BELOW: Footage of Shivnarine Chanderpaul reaching 100 in the 3rd test against England at Old Trafford on the 11th June 2007.
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