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Starc reclaims No.1 ODI ranking

Fast bowler again the No.1 one-day bowler in the world after South Africa's Imran Tahir dropped down the ranks

Mitchell Starc has become the beneficiary of leg-spinner Imran Tahir's below-par return in South Africa's one-day series against India, reclaiming the title of the world’s No.1-ranked ODI bowler.

Tahir's return of seven wickets at 36.85 in the Proteas' 3-2 series win saw him drop four places from first to fifth in the International Cricket Council's individual ODI rankings, leaving Starc in the top position.

Starc first rose to the world No.1 spot after the World Cup semi-final against India and was named man of the series for the global 50-over tournament as Australia secured a fifth title.

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He had relinquished his hold on the No.1 spot after Australia's one-day series in England last month, slipping to second after a return of five wickets from the four matches he played.

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Starc, who is managing a chronic ankle injury, has since displayed scintillating form in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup this month, capturing a record 26 wickets from six matches for the NSW Blues at an average of 8.12 and a strike rate of 12.3.

West Indies tweaker Sunil Narine is now in second spot, ahead of New Zealand's Trent Boult and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan.

Dale Steyn dropped one place to sixth after taking 10 wickets at 26.70 during the India series, while Morne Morkel (seven at 18.85) climbed three places to eighth.

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Starc will not have a chance to further secure his hold on the top ODI ranking until Australia's four-match Victoria Bitter ODI series against India in January.

Instead his immediate task will be to replicate his Matador Cup form with the red (and pink) ball in the Commonwealth Bank Test series against New Zealand, starting on November 5, and the three Tests against West Indies that follow

"That consistency is there with the white ball (and) the way it's come out of the hand in the last 12 months especially is pleasing," Starc said following the Blues' title win.

"But I still feel there's a way to go with improvement with the white ball and definitely with the red.

"If I can take this consistency over the last three weeks into the summer with the red ball I'll be happy."

Currently ranked 20th in the ICC's Test charts, Starc will be going toe-to-toe next month with Black Caps spearheads Boult and Tim Southee, who both sit within the world's top 10 red-ball bowlers.

Mitchell Johnson is the only Australian inside the Test top 10 – currently 6th – while Peter Siddle (14th), Josh Hazlewood (15th) and Nathan Lyon (16th) sit just ahead of Starc.

Top 10 ODI bowlers: 1. Mitchell Starc (Aus) 713 points, 2. Sunil Narine (WI) 709, 3. Trent Boult (NZ) 705, 4. Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) 690, 5. Imran Tahir (SA) 688, 6. Dale Steyn (SA) 682, 7. Mitchell Johnson (Aus) 672, 8. Morne Morkel (SA) 666, 9. Saeed Ajmal (Pak) 655, 10. Ravi Ashwin (Ind) 640.