Starc gets rankings boost, Smith's lead cut

Australia spearhead Mitchell Starc has catapulted into the top 10 of the ICC Test bowling rankings after his career-best 11-94 in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Starc has jumped into seventh place following his first 10-wicket haul in Tests, which was a standout performance for the tourists in a 229-run defeat.

England's James Anderson, who took two wickets in each innings against Pakistan in the third Test in Edgbaston, did enough to regain his place at the top of the bowling rankings ahead of in-form India spinner Ravi Ashwin.

Anderson sits atop the tree on 881 rankings points, narrowly followed by Ashwin (869), who drops one place ahead of India's third Test against West Indies, beginning tomorrow in St Lucia.

England's Stuart Broad, South Africa's Dale Steyn, Pakistan's Yasir Shah and India's Ravi Jadeja make up the top six, with Starc (767 points) one point ahead of Sri Lankan veteran Rangana Herath, who rises one spot to eighth following his brilliant performance in Galle, which included a hat-trick.

Kiwi Trent Boult and Australia's Josh Hazlewood round out the top 10, with Hazlewood dropping three places.

Among the batsmen, returns of 5 and 30 by Australia captain Steve Smith have been just enough to retain his stranglehold on top spot, with 904 rankings points, 16 ahead of Englishman Joe Root, who made 3 and 62 in his side's dramatic win over Pakistan in Birmingham.

In third position is Kane Williamson (866 points), whose first century as New Zealand Test captain yesterday against the Zimbabweans won't be factored into the calculations until that match is complete.

Rounding out the top five are South African Hashim Amla and Australia's Adam Voges, closely followed by another South African, AB de Villiers, while in-form England skipper Alastair Cook climbs one spot to seventh. 

Cook's opposing skipper in the current Test series, Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq, drops to eighth, while dashing Australia opener David Warner has moved up a place to ninth despite a lean series in Sri Lanka.

Warner's move up the rankings is due to a string of low scores from Pakistan veteran Younis Khan, who drops three places to 12th, while India's Virat Kohli drops from equal 10th to 13th after scoring 44 in India's only innings against the Windies last week.

Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews rounds out the top 10, jumping two places from 12th to 10th position after scores of 54 and 47 in low-scoring affair in Galle.

ICC Test Batting Rankings

ICC Test Bowling Rankings