The Ashes: Steve Smith approaches Don Bradman's all-time best in ICC ratings
Updated
Steve Smith has moved closer to Don Bradman as the ICC's highest-ever rated cricketer after his match-winning double-century in the third Test against England in Perth.
The Australian captain's innings of 239, which helped his team regain the Ashes by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, has seen him reach a tally of 945 rankings points.
Highest ICC ratings
- 961 - Don Bradman (1948)
- 945 - Steve Smith (2017)
- 945 - Len Hutton (1954)
- 942 - Ricky Ponting (2006)
- 942 - Jack Hobbs (1912)
That took him to joint second position in the all-time ICC ranking list alongside former England opener Len Hutton.
Smith had reached 941 points after the first Test in Adelaide before dropping briefly to 938 after the Brisbane Test.
He overtook England batsman Peter May and Jack Hobbs as well as former teammate Ricky Ponting, closing within 16 points of Bradman's tally of 961 points in the process.
Smith's batting average of 62.32 is second only to Bradman in terms of batsmen with at least 20 Test innings and by the time the fourth Test of the series starts on Boxing Day, he would have been at the top of the rankings for two years.
He has now been number one over the period of 114 Tests; already putting him ahead of Bradman in that regard.
Fellow Australian Mitchell Marsh moved up 44 places to 65th after his score of 181 in the Perth Test while Usman Khawaja eased up two places to 19th.
In the bowlers' list led by England's new-ball bowler James Anderson, Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood has gained one slot to move into the top five after finishing with eight wickets in the match.
Teammate Pat Cummins was up four places to a career-best 39th.
AAP
Topics: ashes, cricket, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia, melbourne-3000
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