Abu Dhabi, September 18: Following its 111-run victory over England in the sixth match, Australia regained the top position in the latest ICC ODI rankings issued here.
Having taken a 6-0 lead in the seven-match series, Ricky Ponting’s side yesterday moved ahead of South Africa by a fraction of ratings point. The world champions now have to win the final game to stay atop and head to the Champions Trophy, starting next Tuesday in South Africa, as the number one team in the world, an ICC statement said.
However, if England prevent a series sweep in the final match on Sunday, Australia will slip back to the third in the rankings behind South Africa and India.
India stays at the third position while England is at seventh position, three ratings points behind New Zealand in sixth. The ICC Champions Trophy 2009 gets underway in South Africa on September 22, and with just a single ratings point separating Australia in first position from India in third place, it looks like a rankings battle is on the cards over the next couple of weeks.
—–Agencies