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Sangakkara reclaims number one position in Test batting | Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has reclaimed the number-one position in the ICC Player Rankings
for Test batsmen for the fourth time in his career after brilliant knocks in the
second Test against New Zealand. The Sri Lanka captain followed up his half-century
in the first innings with an exquisite 109 - his 20th Test century - to reclaim
the top position from India's Gautam Gambhir. Sangakkara first achieved the number-one
ranking in December 2007 before he returned to the top spot in March 2008 and
then in July 2009. He is not the only one on the move after a successful campaign
against New Zealand. Sangakkara's predecessor Mahela Jayawardena and middle-order
batsmen Thilan Samaraweera, who was player of the series, have both achieved career-best
rankings. While Jayawardena has jumped four places to third position after knocks
of 92 and 96 which made him the first Asian and fourth overall to be out in the
90s twice in a Test, Samaraweera's 11th century in what was his 54th Test has
put him just outside the top 10 in 12th position after he had started the Test
in 16th position. Tillakaratne Dilshan, however, has failed to defend his 19th
position and has dropped out of the top 20 after falling two places following
knocks of 29 and 33. New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor and captain Daniel Vettori
have also made movements in the right direction. Taylor, who contributed 81 and
27 in the lost cause, has jumped four places to share 23rd spot with West Indies'
Chris Gayle while Vettori's fourth Test century has helped him improve his ranking
by one position. He now sits in 28th spot. The only change in the top 20 of the
Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers is New Zealand fast bowler
Chris Martin who has slipped two places to 18th position. Sri Lanka's left-arm
spinner Rangana Herath is the biggest mover in the bowlers' rankings as the 31-year-old
from Kurunegala has rocketed 12 places to 28th spot after match figures of 8-209,
including 5-139 in the second innings. New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel is
the other bowler to rise in the latest bowling table. The off-spinner has climbed
three places to 46th after match figures of 6-200, including 4-78 in the first
innings. South Africa's Dale Steyn leads the bowlers' ranking from Muttiah Muralidaran
of Sri Lanka and Mitchell Johnson of Australia. There is also no change in the
top five of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders as Jacques
Kallis continues to lead the field by a distance. However, Vettori has achieved
his career-best rating that has helped him open up the gap with third-placed Johnson.
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