Tendulkar v Vaas, as Tournament's top batsman and bowler go head to head on Monday

The top batsman in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 will face the top bowler when India play Sri Lanka at Wanderers on Monday.

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar has a two-point lead at the top of the Man of the Tournament rankings ahead of Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas.

Tendulkar is the only player in the tournament to have picked up three Man of the Match awards in the Group stage.

The India opener has already overtaken Javed Miandad to hold the highest aggregate of ICC CWC runs and has become one of two players along with Mark Waugh to have accumulated four ICC CWC centuries.

At this tournament Tendulkar has picked up his three Man of the Match awards for top-scoring with 81 against Zimbabwe, 152 against Namibia and 98 against Pakistan. He picked up a further point for his half century against Holland.

Vaas, the early leader in the Man of the Tournament standings, has been Man of the Match twice for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh, taking a hat-trick with his first three balls of the innings, and West Indies. He also picked up two points for his role in the record-breaking destruction of Canada.

Behind Vaas there are three players tied on six points - Pakistan's Wasim Akram, England's James Anderson and John Davison of Canada. All three will play no further part in the tournament.

The Man of the Tournament is based on the cumulative Man of the Match results awarded by the ICC Match Referee.

After every game the ICC Match Referee selects the top three players. As well as being presented with a gold watch worth R12000, the Man of the Match also receives three points towards the Man of the Tournament award.

The second best player on the day receives two points and the third best gets one point.

The ICC will provide further updates on the Man of the Tournament standings as the ICC CWC 2003 progresses.

Man of the Tournament standings:

Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) 10

Chaminda Vaas (SL) 8

Wasim Akram (Pak) 6
James Anderson (Eng) 6
John Davison (Can) 6

Marvan Atapattu (SL) 5
Andy Blignaut (Zim) 5
Vasbert Drakes (WI) 5
Herschelle Gibbs (SA) 5
Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) 5
Lance Klusener (SA) 5

Tim de Leede (Hol) 4
Sourav Ganguly (Ind) 4
Jason Gillespie (Aus) 4
Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI) 4
Heath Streak (Zim) 4
Scott Styris (NZ) 4

Media contacts:

Mark Harrison: 083 417 5494
Jon Long: 083 417 5518