The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Panesar breaks into top-10

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Thursday, Jun 21, 2007
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Panesar breaks into top-10

Dubai: Continuing his rise in international cricket, Monty Panesar became the highest rated England spinner in 30 years by breaking into the top-10 of LG ICC Test rankings on Wednesday.

With a tally of 23 wickets in the Test series against West Indies, Panesar rose six places in the latest charts to join teammate Matthew Hoggard at the sixth position on 721 points.

The 25-year-old left-armer is in the top-10 for the first time in his career and is now the highest-rated England spinner since Derek Underwood in 1977.

However, the slow left-armer still has some way to go to being the top-rated England spinner of all time. That honour remains with Surrey legend Tony Lock, who reached 912 ratings points during a home series against New Zealand in 1958.

With three Tests coming up against India, Panesar is just one rating point behind Shane Bond, who is fifth, and nine behind South African Shaun Pollock and Anil Kumble at joint third.

Murali, Ponting on top

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is still the highest-ranked Test bowler with South African pacer Makhaya Ntini at second place.

In the batting list, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting still tops the list with Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan at second place. Indian skipper Rahul Dravid occupies the eighth spot while Sachin Tendulkar is at joint 16th position. — PTI

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