Rabada takes over from Steyn as SA's best bowler on ICC rankings for Test players

Kagiso Rabada’s growing reputation as one the best fast bowlers in the world has been further enhanced after he moved to fifth position on the ICC rankings for Test players on Tuesday to become South Africa’s top ranked bowler .

He is now South Africa’s highest-ranked bowler‚ one place ahead of Dale Steyn by two points‚ and he trails Sri Lanka’s fourth-ranked and experienced spinner Rangana Herath by six points.

All-rounder Vernon Philander is the third South African in the top ten bracket on ninth position and his cause was helped by the 17 wickets he took in the 3-0 series whitewash of Sri Lanka that was concluded in Johannesburg on Saturday.

On the other hand‚ Rabada was the pick of the bowlers against Sri Lanka as he returned with an impressive haul of 19 wickets in the three matches at an economy rate of 3.74.

• 'I could go tomorrow‚ nothing is certain' - Russell DomingoSouth Africa have won 12 of their last 14 matches and lost only one - reason‚ surely‚ for Russell Domingo to not feel as if he has to look over his shoulder quite so often. 

The other South African players to improve their rankings are batsmen Hashim Amla‚ who jumped four places to sixth position‚ and JP Duminy‚ who climbed nine places to secure a career-high 33rd position.

Amla scored 134 to become the eighth batsman in the history of Test cricket to score a century in their 100th Test in the third match against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg last week.

Duminy scored 155 in their 292 partnership for the third wicket with Amla in the third Test.

• Consistency was the key to South Africa’s 3-0 thumping of hapless Sri LankaAll-round consistency was the key to South Africa’s 3-0 thumping of hapless Sri Lanka during their Test series which ended at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday. 

Proteas Test captain Faf du Plessis and opener Dean Elgar‚ who won the player of the series against Sri Lanka‚ finished in joint 21st position.

The South Africans have another opportunity of improving their positions on the rankings in March when the Proteas return to Test action in the three-match series away to New Zealand.

Proteas will be looking for their third successive Test series win following a hard earned 2-1 victory over Australia away from home late last year and against Sri Lanka.

- TMG Digital