Glenn McGrath can finish career on a real high

Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath can finish his international career in real style on Saturday. At the front of his mind will, of course, be helping his team win its third consecutive ICC Cricket World Cup but another classy performance will also move him up to second in the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers.

The big New South Welshman is up two places in the latest rankings to third and he is now just six ratings points behind team-mate Nathan Bracken, who has also been having a fine tournament.

Number-one ranked bowler Shaun Pollock of South Africa is still out of sight at the top but McGrath can sign off from the international scene on a big high.

Apart from McGrath and Bracken, Australia's other bowlers are also making their presence felt on the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers. Shaun Tait is up 16 places to 34th position, the highest ranking of his career to date, and in-form wrist spinner Brad Hogg is up two places to 12th, another personal best for the man from Western Australia.

But the Sri Lanka bowlers are circling behind McGrath and company, ready to pounce should the Australians falter in Saturday's final. Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralidaran are well placed in fifth and sixth position respectively after another good performance in the semi-final against New Zealand at Sabina Park.

And Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka's superstar of the tournament, is climbing up the rankings too. After a brief lay-off with injury he came back brilliantly in the semi-final and as a result is up five places to 16th spot, the highest ranking of his career to date.

No fewer than six bowlers in the top 20 are likely to be in action in Saturday's final at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

The Australians still dominate the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen with five names in the top 11. Michael Clarke moves into the top ten, up four places to ninth, while Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey also move up inside the top five.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting can put pressure on Kevin Pietersen at the top of the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen with another stellar display in Saturday's final. The Tasmanian is 26 ratings points behind Pietersen going into that match.

Following his brilliant century in the semi-final Ponting's Sri Lanka counterpart Mahela Jayawardene is also clearly in fine form and has moved back into the top 20, up four places to 18th.

In the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders Pollock is still in top spot, ahead of South Africa team-mate Jacques Kallis in second and Sri Lanka veteran Sanath Jayasuriya in third position.

In the LG ICC ODI Championship Australia has stretched its lead at the top following its seven-wicket win over South Africa in the semi-final on Wednesday. The Proteas remain second with New Zealand third and Sri Lanka fourth.

Victory for Jayawardene's team on Saturday will move it level with the Black Caps although it will stay fourth when the points are re-calculated past the decimal point.