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Clarke loses top batsman ranking

13th April, 2012
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Australia captain Michael Clarke has lost his status as the world’s top-ranked Test batsman despite his team’s first Test win over the West Indies this week.

Clarke, who achieved the No.1 ranking when the International Cricket Council updated their world Test player lists at the end of March, has fallen two spots to third behind South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis in the wake of the three-wicket win in Barbados.

The Australia captain managed 73 and six in his two innings at Kensington Oval but the scores weren’t enough to hold on to top spot.

The news was better for man of the match Ryan Harris and impressive fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus who have both achieved career-high rankings on the bowling list after their first Test efforts.

Harris made an unbeaten 68 in the first innings to turn the match around as well as five wickets while Hilfenhaus’s devastating spell before tea on day four, where he claimed three top order wickets in six balls, proved pivotal in putting Australia on top.

The Tasmanian finished with 4-27 in the second innings and also scored the winning run in the match with Harris at the other end.

Hilfenhaus’s efforts lifted him three spots to eighth on the list of world Test bowlers while 32-year-old Harris is up five to 16th.

Windies veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul has moved up to fifth on the batting list after his unbeaten 103 in the first innings in Barbados.

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The 37-year-old was removed for just 12 in the second innings by Harris but Australia coach Mickey Arthur fully expects Chanderpaul to provide more headaches for his team in the second Test in Trinidad starting on Sunday (0000 Monday AEST).

“You’ve never got a handle on a player like Chanderpaul,” Arthur said.

“The last series we had them when I was coach of South Africa I think he got a hundred every Test, and he’s kicked off here with a hundred.

“So I’ve seen enough of Chanderpaul to know he’s world class.”

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