Date:31/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/31/stories/2008083156262000.htm

Sport - Cricket

India slips to fifth place

Dubai: Despite its historic 3-2 series-win against Sri Lanka, India has dropped to fifth place in the ICC ODI Championship table, released on Saturday.

England replaced India at the fourth place and is within touching distance of the second position after its three wins against South Africa in the home series.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side had started in fourth place on 112 ratings points and finished the series in fifth place at 113. India’s defeat by 112 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis method in the fifth and final ODI however, did not cost it any place after England comfortably won its third match of the five-match series by 126 runs at The Oval. Had India won the series 4-1, it would have risen to 115 ratings points as compared to Sri Lanka’s 104.

If England manages to complete a series sweep against South Africa, it would jump to second place on 118 ratings points while South Africa would be on equal points with New Zealand but behind the Black Caps when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. — PTI