ICC Rankings for Test bowlers: Nathan Lyon breaks into top 20 after Adelaide heroics

Nathan Lyon (L)

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has returned to the top 20 after producing a man-of-the-match performance against India in the just-concluded Test at Adelaide. (find the top 10 list at the bottom)

The 27-year-old returned match figures of 12 for 286, including seven for 152 in the second innings, to gain four places in the latest rankings that has put him in 19th position. Lyon had slipped out of the top 20 following the series in the United Arab Emirates, but he now has 17th ranked Junaid Khan of Pakistan firmly within his sights who is just 19 rating points ahead.

Australia’s Ryan Harris has slipped from second position to fourth, which has moved Rangana Herath and Mitchell Johnson up by one place each. Johnson now leads his new ball partner by three rating points but trails the Sri Lanka off-spinner by 16 rating points.

The bowling table is headed by South Africa’s Dale Steyn.

Meanwhile, Harris has swapped places with team-mate Shane Watson in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test All-rounders category and is now in sixth spot. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan is the number-one-ranked all-rounder.

No	Bowlers	Country	Rating Points
1	Dale Steyn	South Africa	907
2	Rangana Herath	Sri Lanka	851
3	Mitchell Johnson	Australia	835
4	Ryan Harris	Australia	832
5	James Anderson	England	806
6	Vernon Philander	South Africa	785
7	Stuart Broad	England	774
8	Kemar Roach	West Indies	768
9	Trent Boult	New Zealand	762
10	Tim Southee	New Zealand	744