Rankings blunder sours Aussie win

Australian celebrations over their Tri-Series Twenty20 win over the Black Caps have been soured by confirmation the effort wasn’t good enough to claim the world No 1 ranking.

Australia beat New Zealand in the tournament final at Eden Park on Wednesday night, believing they had finally broken their long drought in terms of being the top-ranked team in cricket’s shortest format.

But Cricket Australia confirmed on Thursday that they had been given the wrong calculation by the International Cricket Council which had indicated that if they could win the final and go through the tournament unbeaten they would finally earn the No 1 position.

‘‘But the ICC clarified that this initial calculation was a clerical

error and it is in fact Pakistan who have retained top spot on decimal points,’’ Cricket Australia said.

When the points were rounded off, Australia were left on 125.65 points, an agonising 0.19 behind Pakistan on 125.84.

Therefore Pakistan remain No 1 and Australia remain one of three current test-playing nations, along with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to have not held the No1 ranking in T20 cricket.

That’s an embarrassment given their undeniable talent in all departments and the way their players continue to shine in various T20 leagues around the world.

Still, Australia have used the mini-tournament that also involved England to march up the rankings ladder from seventh place.

New Zealand, having been the world No 1 in late 2017, has slipped to fourth.

● Meanwhile Australian masterblaster Chris Lynn faces a race against time to save his $2m IPL contract after dislocating his right shoulder against the Black Caps.

Lynn was helped from the field after injuring his problem shoulder while diving in the field during Australia’s Tri-Series win at Eden Park.

Australian physiotherapist Alex Kontouris said the shoulder was put back in place at the ground and confirmed x-rays revealed no bone damage. Lynn will undergo further tests in Brisbane this week to resolve his future. Lynn has already had three operations on his left shoulder.

With the backing of his various coaches he had instigated a "no dive" policy in the field but his competitiveness got the better of him in the trans-Tasman clash.

The injury will force him to withdraw from the looming Pakistan Super League and he will be desperate to get it fixed in time to fulfil his massive deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.