24 Feb 2016 | Cricket
Australia has regained the prestigious ICC Test Mace and has also won a cash award of $1million after winning the Christchurch Test by seven wickets, which has given it a 2-0 series win against New Zealand.
The result means Australia has finished two points ahead of India on 112 points in the final series before the 1 April cut-off date. Steve Smith will receive the Mace and the cash award on behalf of his team in a ceremony to be held at a later date.
This is the eighth time Australia has finished as the number-one ranked Test side at the annual cut-off date since the inception of the current rankings system in 2003. It had earlier topped the table each year from 2003 to 2009, before India claimed number-one spots in 2010 and 2011. England ended as the number-one ranked side in 2012 before South Africa completed a hat-trick by retaining the top spot from 2013 to 2015.
India, by virtue of finishing second, will collect $500K, while South Africa will pocket $200K and Pakistan $100K after claiming third and fourth positions, respectively.
It is a double delight for Smith's men who had earlier topped the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings at the annual cut-off date. It had finished comfortably ahead of second-placed New Zealand, followed by India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England.
On the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings, India leads the field with South Africa occupying second position following its 2-0 win over England. The two are followed by the West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England and Australia.
A shuffling of the pack is on the cards as a lot of cricket in the shortest format of the game is still to be played before the 1 April cut-off date. While the main round of the Asia Cup T20 will be played from 24 February to 6 March in Mirpur, the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 will be staged from 8 March to 3 April.
MRF Tyres ICC Test Rankings (as of 24 February, after the conclusion of New Zealand-Australia series)
RANK TEAM POINTS
1 Australia 112
2 India 110
3 South Africa 109
4 Pakistan 106
5 England 102
6 New Zealand 96
7 Sri Lanka 89
8 West Indies 76
9 Bangladesh 47
10 Zimbabwe 05
MRF Tyres ICC ODI Rankings (as of 24 February)
RANK TEAM POINTS
1 Australia 126
2 New Zealand 114
3 India 113
4 South Africa 112
5 Sri Lanka 104
6 England 101
7 Bangladesh 97
8 Pakistan 87
9 West Indies 86
10 Afghanistan 47
11 Ireland 46
12 Zimbabwe 45
MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings (as of 24 February, after the Asia Cup qualifying matches)
RANK TEAM POINTS
1 India 122
2 South Africa 119
3 West Indies 118
4 New Zealand 116
5 Sri Lanka 116
6 Pakistan 113
7 England 112
8 Australia 110
9 Afghanistan 77
10 Scotland 69
11 Bangladesh 64
12 Netherlands 59
13 Zimbabwe 54
14 Hong Kong 49
15 Ireland 48
16 UAE 42
17 Oman 32
(Developed by David Kendix)