Harris moves to third in Test bowlers rankings

Star of Australia’s 281- run win over England in the fifth and final Ashes Test at Sydney, Ryan Harris has moved up two places to a career- best third in the latest International Cricket Council ( ICC) Test bowlers rankings released yesterday.

Harris’ match haul of 8/ 61 not only helped him claim the Player of the Match award but also led his side to a 5- 0 series whitewash. Over the course of the Ashes, Harris moved up three places and gained 80 points from his match- winning performance in Sydney to end with a career- best 866.

The 34- year- old at third is now the highest- ranked Australian bowler with South Africa’s Vernon Philander topping the table and Dale Steyn in second. The other Australia bowler to star in the Ashes triumph, Mitchell Johnson has also continued his upward movement. Winner of the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year Award, the leftarm pacer has jumped three places to eighth to make a return to the top- 10.

Johnson, named Player of the Series for picking 37 wickets, made an impressive return to Test cricket, jumping as many as 14 places during the course of the series. Overall, Australia now has three bowlers in the top- 10 with Peter Siddle retaining sixth.

For England, Stuart Broad continues to be the only bowler in top- 10 at 10th.

Rogers in 12th spot

Meanwhile, Australia opening batsman Chris Rogers has jumped 10 places to a best- ever 12th in the ICC Test batsmen rankings. Rogers, who scored 119 in the second innings of the Sydney Test, moved up as many as 32 places during the Ashes.

The other centurion in the Sydney Test Steven Smith, who stroked 115 in the first innings, has jumped 20 places to a bestever 21st. Brad Haddin, on the other hand, moved up eight places to 23rd as he ended as the second highest run- getter in the series with 493 runs.

Australia captain Michael Clarke in sixth position is the highest ranked batsman from his side.

South Africa’s AB de Villiers continues to top the batting charts followed by Shivnarine Chanderpaul in second place and Ross Taylor in third.