Dubai: South Africa replaced England as the top team in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table following its 2-0 victory over Andrew Strauss’s team in the three-match series which ended at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London today.

South Africa’s series victory means that it is the clear leader at the top of the table and England is now second, pushing Australia to third place.

Graeme Smith and his team received the prestigious Reliance ICC Test Championship macefrom ICC Chief Executive David Richardson who was joined in the presentation party by ICC Director and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke, ECB Chief Executive David Collier, Cricket South Africa (CSA) acting Chief Executive Jacques Faul and Pramod Garg – CFO, Europe Reliance Globalcom.

England had been the top team in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table since August 2011 when it dethroned India while South Africa has assumed the number one spot for the first time since November 2009.

Reliance ICC Test Championship (as of 20 August, after the England-South Africa series)

Rank   Team                          Rating
1          South Africa                120
2          England                       117
3          Australia                      116
4          Pakistan                       109
5          India                            104
6          Sri Lanka                       98
7          West Indies                   90
8          New Zealand                 80
9          Bangladesh                      0

By Indian Sports News Network