The cricket superpowers - Australia and South Africa are in a mad race for grabbing the top slot and the casualty of this speedy competition - The ICC ODI ranking! Whenever two sides take on to each other every time, you can say for sure some sort of turning the tables would definitely take place. When Proteas gave the Aussies some good deal of thrashing in the home series earlier this year, Australia slid down from the number one position of ICC Test Rankings.

Now that Australia has reclaimed its position in Test cricket, they are after the top slot in ODI ranking. South Africa has already tasted victory in two Twenty20 victories over Australia on Friday and Sunday. And that creates an upbeat mood in SA camp that this time too the win will be on their side. And if that is the case, Proteas will go I-0 up in the ICC ODI ladder.

The frequent up-down in the ICC ranking has made it difficult for the Champion’s trophy. It has been confirmed by Brian Murgatroyd, media and communications manager of the ICC that the seedings and groups relating to the sixth edition of the Champions Trophy, scheduled for September 24-October 5 need to be redrawn from the scratch. The fresh cut off will be decided in the next meeting of the ICC’s Executive Board, in Dubai on April 16-17. According to the rankings of March 12, 2008, the seedings and groups were:

• Group A: Australia (1), India (4), Pakistan (5), West Indies (8).

• Group B: South Africa (2), New Zealand (3), Sri Lanka (6), England (7).

But for this year, the seeding and groups are going to be lot different: while world champion Australia along with India will be moved to Group B, South Africa and New Zealand will find their places in group A. There will be no other changes for the rest of teams - only a change in seedings in group B - England at No.6, followed by Sri Lanka (No.7), instead of the other way around.

The sixth edition of Champions Trophy has already delayed by almost a year.  The tournament that was to be hosted by Pakistan, between Sept 11 to Sept 28 last year, got postponed on security reasons. Relocation was prescribed to save the tournament and so it has been finally slotted for September 24-October 5, in South Africa.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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