The Sri Lankan batsmen reaped rich rewards for their record-breaking partnership of 624 runs against South Africa in Colombo.
DUBAI: Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara reaped rich rewards for their record-breaking partnership against South Africa in Colombo which saw both batsmen storm into the top ten in the latest ICC rankings.
The two added 624 for the third wicket at the Sinhalese Sports Club in the first Test against the Proteas, setting the platform for an innings victory for their team.
Jayawardene, who scored his country's highest Test score of 374, moved up nine places to number 10 while Sangakkara, who scored a career-best 287 climbed three places to eighth.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting continued to head the batting charts ahead of his Indian counterpart Rahul Dravid while Jacques Kallis gained one spot to number three.
Also gaining a place each were Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf and Australian Matthew Hayden. They profited from the slide of Inzamam-ul-Haq who slid three places to number six.
Among bowlers, Englan's pace spearhead Steve Harmison was the big mover after his match figures of 11 for 76 at Old Trafford against Pakistan.
The career-best figures propelled the Durham speedster into the top 10 for the first time since early 2005 after a rise of 11 places to number six.
Mutthiah Muralitharan's ten-wicket haul at the SSC consolidated his position at the top of the rankings. He is followed by South African Makhaya Ntini who is only three points ahead of spin wizard Shane Warne. Anil Kumble is the only Indian in the top ten at number eight.
If England beat Pakistan in the ongoing series, they will reclaim second spot from Inzamam-ul-Haq's team behind Australia.
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