South Africa's 1-0 series win in Zimbabwe has moved it closer to Australia at the top of the ICC Test Championship table. The two points gained by South Africa takes its series average up to 1.5, just 0.12 behind the table topping Australians with 1.62.

The recently completed series is a new one for the Test Championship, meaning that South Africa has now played 16 of a possible 18 home and away series. It has won 11, drawn two and lost three of these, with two of the losses against Australia. The statistics add even greater significance to the build up to the home and away series against the current champion team in December and February.

Zimbabwe's continued struggle to win series, despite the outstanding form of star batsman Andy Flower and the promise of youngsters like Hamilton Masakadza, leaves it in ninth position on the table, with six points from 15 series and a reduced average of 0.40.

The updated Championship table now shows:

ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE, SEPTEMBER 2001

Team	      Played   Won    Lost    Drawn   Points   Average	
Australia       13      10      2       1       21      1.62	
South Africa    16      11      3       2       24      1.50	
England         14       7      5       2       16      1.14	
Sri Lanka       13       6      5       2       14      1.08	
West Indies     13       6      6       1       13      1.00	
New Zealand     15       6      7       2       14      0.93	
Pakistan        15       3      7       5       11      0.73	
India           13       3      7       3        9      0.69	
Zimbabwe        15       2     11       2        6      0.40	
Bangladesh       1       0      1       0        0       -	

Excluding the currently postponed Pakistan v New Zealand series, future series will include:
South Africa (2) v India (8), November
Australia (1) v New Zealand (6), November
Bangladesh (10) v Zimbabwe (9), November
Sri Lanka (4) v West Indies (5), November
India (8) v England (3), December
New Zealand (6) v Bangladesh (10), December
Australia (1) v South Africa (2), December

About the ICC Test Championship

Two points are allocated for winning a series and one for a drawn rubber. The result -and points allocation- of all future series will replace the previous equivalent.

At present, an average score per series (number of points won divided by number of series played) has been allocated to determine the top side, because not all teams have played each other home and away. This transitional arrangement will change to a straight points system when all teams have played each other home and away, in 2005.

The Championship has been introduced to add interest, context and excitement to the game at the highest level. It will run on a rolling league basis, with the system used for calculating positions based on the results of the most recent series (a minimum of two Test series applies), home and away, between each of the teams.

The adoption of a co-ordinated 10 year calendar of future tours by all ICC members has created the long term structure on which to base the Championship.

Media contacts:
Mark Harrison
ICC Communications Manager
Tel: + 44 20 7266 7913/1818
Email: mark.harrison@icc.cricket.org

© ICC