South Africa on Monday toppled England in the final Test of the three-match Test series to become No 1 team in Test cricket © Getty Images
London: Aug 20, 2012
South Africa dethroned England as the top team in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table following its 2-0 victory over Andrew Strauss' men in the three-match series which ended at Lord's Cricket Ground.
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. Pakistan and India followed at fourth and fifth with 109 and 104 rating points respectively.
Graeme Smith and his team received the prestigious Reliance ICC Test Championship mace from 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. (PTI)
Reliance ICC Test Championship:
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).
