Hayden closes the gap

Matthew Hayden's two centuries in the second Test at Cairns meant he closed the gap behind Brian Lara and Rahul Dravid to just seven points in the PwC batting ratings, although he remains in third place.

Hayden scored 117 in Australia's first innings, and followed that up with 132 in the second. His efforts have also moved him into third position, behind only Don Bradman and George Headley, on the list of the most prolific century-makers in Test cricket.

Hayden has now made 20 centuries in 95 innings, while Headley managed a slightly better rate of 15 in 60 innings, and Bradman scored 29 in 80 innings. However, Hayden has surpassed Bradman in becoming only the eighth player, and the third Australian behind Allan Border and Greg Chappell, to score a century in both innings of a Test more than once. Hayden previously scored 197 and 103 against England in the first Ashes Test of the 2002-03 series at the Gabba.

During his second-innings hundred against Sri Lanka, Hayden also passed 5000 Test runs, and has now increased his average to 58.15, which is the highest of any current Test player.

Australia have five other batsmen - Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Darren Lehman and Justin Langer - in the top 21, and Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne occupy fifth and sixth place in the bowling.

Rank

Bowler

Points

Average

1

Muralitharan

886

22.77

2

Harmison

880

23.78

3

Pollock

837

21.46

4

Shoaib

826

24.47

5

McGrath

805

21.61

6

Warne

762

25.47

7

Kumble

751

28.23

8

Gillespie

740

25.72

9

Ntini

722

29.67

10

Harbhajan

635

28.47

Rank

Batsman

Points

Average

1

Lara

895

53.72

2

Dravid

892

58.09

3

Hayden

885

58.15

4

Kallis

833

54.07

5

Ponting

832

54.34

6

Gibbs

815

49.40

7

Inzamam

785

49.63

8

Tendulkar

784

57.39

9

Sehwag

782

52.72

10

Richardson

761

47.95

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