South Africa victory secures second spot in Test table

South Africa's victory in the final Test of the three-match series in New Zealand today not only tied the series but also assures that it maintains a firm hold on second place in the ICC Test Championship table.

South Africa has never been outside the top two of the official Test table since it was first launched in May 2001 but a defeat or draw in the final match in New Zealand would have made this record vulnerable.

A 2-0 series victory for New Zealand would have closed the gap between second and third to only two ratings points. South Africa's win in Wellington has ensured that it retains a 10 point cushion over Pakistan in third.

The 1-1 series outcome means that South Africa's rating has dropped one point from 113 to 112 while New Zealand has improved its rating by one point from 100 to 101. The improvement is enough to lift New Zealand from sixth to fourth in the official table but with England in sight of a series win in the West Indies it could fall back to fifth over the coming weeks.

Had New Zealand won or drawn the last match of the series it would have gone third in the ICC Test Championship. Defeat in Wellington caused it to miss out on the bonus points that accompany a series win.

Australia's 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka boosted its lead at the top of the table to 15 points as its rating increased from 125 to 127. Sri Lanka's rating fell from 96 to 94 and it remains in seventh position.

The ICC Test Championship table correct on 30 March 2004

Developed by David Kendix

The official Test table is updated at the end of each series once the final outcome of the series is known. The winning team from a Test series receives bonus points equivalent to one additional match victory.

The impact future results will have on the ratings is available on the official ICC website. For a full explanation of how the ratings are calculated, visit www.icc.cricket.org.

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