Proteas rocket up ICC Test rankings

South Africa has shot to second spot in the ICC Test rankings after sweeping aside Pakistan 3-0 in their home series.

The Proteas moved past New Zealand and England after gaining four points from their latest Test series triumph.

India (116 points) remain well clear in top position ahead of South Africa (110), England (108) and New Zealand (107)

Australia are fifth on 101 points after their 2-1 series loss to India. 

Pakistan dropped one position, slipping behind Sri Lanka to seventh place, and lost four points.

South Africa sealed a clean sweep with a 107-run victory on the fourth day of the third and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Monday.

The Proteas’ cracking fast-bowling attack spearheaded the success, with player of the series Duanne Olivier collecting 24 wickets at 14.70.

Kagiso Rabada (17 wickets at 18.70) and Dale Steyn (12 at 29) also impressed, while the ever-consistent Vernon Philander featured in two matches and grabbed six scalps.

"We are very fortunate to have that arsenal of four fast bowlers," Stand-in South Africa skipper Dean Elgar said.

"We know they are a good team. Three-nil is what we asked from the guys, and we have achieved that.

"We are halfway to our goals for the season. We want to achieve the same feat against Sri Lanka (in February)."

Meanwhile, Pakistan will not play another Test until after this year’s World Cup in England, which starts May 30, and have some batting issues to address after being bowled out six times during the series.

The inaugural Test Championship is set to begin in July this year – when Australia will be in England for an Ashes Test series – and will see nine of the 12 Test nations (excluding newcomers Ireland and Afghanistan, as well as Zimbabwe) play six series over two years – three home and three away.

Each bilateral Test series will feature at least two Tests and a maximum of five, with the Championship to culminate in a 'World Test League Championship Final'. The Final will be played in June 2021.

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur is keen to find a solution to his team’s batting woes over the coming months.

"We play Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates in September, then we play Australia in Australia straight after that," Arthur said

"We have to have our skill-sets perfect to manage the bouncing ball. I want to get our batsmen into Australia three or four weeks early, to have camps there to get them ready."