Series victory essential to keep Sri Lanka in touch

Sri Lanka needs to win the two-Test home series against New Zealand starting in Colombo on 25th April to remain in contention for third place in the ICC Test Championship table.

New Zealand is currently third in the table with an average of 1.18 behind Australia and South Africa with Sri Lanka fourth on 1.13. New Zealand lost in Sri Lanka the last time the team toured there in 1998 so a series draw or victory will open up a sizable gap to their nearest rival.

Victory would boost New Zealand's average to 1.29 and even a draw will increase it to 1.24.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, faces the prospect of dropping to level on points with England (1.00) if they lose the series. A draw will see Sri Lanka maintain an outright hold on fourth place but the gap to New Zealand will increase from 0.05 to 0.18.

Sri Lanka's position will remain unchanged if it wins the series.

ICC Test Championship table (correct on 23rd April 2003)

Team         Played Won Lost Drawn Points Average
South Africa       17   13    3    1     27     1.59
Australia          13    9    2    2     20     1.54
New Zealand        17    8    5    4     20     1.18
Sri Lanka          16    8    6    2     18     1.13
England            16    6    6    4     16     1.00
India              15    5    6    4     14     0.93
West Indies        17    7    9    1     15     0.88
Pakistan           16    4    8    4     12     0.75
Zimbabwe           16    3   11    2      8     0.50
Bangladesh          7    -    7    -      0      -

Gundappa Viswanath from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees will officiate in the matches which take place in Colombo and Kandy. Australian Simon Taufel - the youngest member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires - will undertake his first Test assignment since being appointed to the Panel. Taufel will stand with fellow Australian Daryl Harper.

Media note:

At a meeting in Johannesburg 22nd March, the ICC Board agreed a new format for the ICC Test Championship which recognises the rewards and result of each Test match played.

The new system will be introduced from the beginning of June and further details will be announced prior to this official launch date.

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