Lara rated number one
Despite mediocre batting performances by his standards in New Zealand, West Indies master batsman Brian Lara has still managed to maintain the world number one position according to the Pricewaterhouse Coopers Test ratings, published by the Cricketer Magazine. The ratings gave Lara who averages 51.60 in Tests, 900 points for the number one position ahead of India's Sachin Tendulkar who follows in second place with 866 points. Tendulkar who averages 56.09, is ahead of Steve Waugh who has 852 points at an average of 50.36. No other West Indian player is ranked in the top 20 in the batting ,but Curtly Ambrose is fourth in the bowling standings with 814 points. Ambrose who averages 21.31 runs per wicket is topped by Shaun Pollock (average 20.69) of South Africa with 90 points in the number one spot. Australia's Glen McGrath (average 22.42) is just behind with 901 in second place while Allan Donald (average 21.66) is third with 888. Courtney Walsh (average 25.47) is 11th with 698 points in the rankings which were complied before the just concluded Test series between South Africa and India. Glenn McGrath took 18 wickets against India to move up to second place in the bowling with his highest career rating, just one point behind Shaun Pollock. Chris Cairns took 17 cheap wickets in New Zealand's two victories over West Indies and climbs up into fifth position. Tendulkar and Michael Slater were the only batsmen to score 1,000 runs in Test matches in 1999, as shown by the graph below, although Steve Waugh missed out by just seven runs. Australia did, however, play 14 Tests, four more than India and six more than West Indies and England, for whom Nasser Hussain was the leading run-scorer with 573. Daryll Cullinan was the leading run-maker ahead of Jacques Kallis for South Africa, who played 10 tests. The top five ranked batsmen and bowlers follow.
All ratings and statistics based on matches played up to and including January 11. 
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