Sri Lankan record-breakers Mahela Jaywardene and Kumar Sangakkara reaped reward for their solid batting with significant rise in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen.
The duo, who added a Test and first-class record 624 for the third wicket during their team's innings victory over South Africa in Colombo, moved into the top 10 ahead of Friday's second Test at the R.Premadasa Stadium.
Captain Jayawardene, whose 374 is the highest-ever score by a Sri Lanka batsman in Tests, moved up nine places to 10th in the listing, while Sangakkara, who scored 287, his top score at the highest level, climbed three places to eighth.
The rankings remain headed by Australia's Ricky Ponting, clear of India captain Rahul Dravid and South Africa's Jacques Kallis.
The rise of Jayawardene and Sangakkara is not the only good news for Sri Lanka. Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan's 10-172 at the Sinhalese Sports Club, his 17th ten-wicket haul in Tests, extended his lead at the top of the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers.
Murali remains clear of South Africa's Makhaya Ntini, whose own rating slipped as a result of a wicketless match and he is now just three rating points clear of Australia's Shane Warne.
Another positive for Sri Lanka from the bowling point of view is Dilhara Fernando, who captured six wickets in the Test. The seamer moved up four places to 31 and now has a career-best tally of rating points.
For South Africa, the news is less encouraging. Defeat at the SSC means a drawn series is now the best it can hope for, but it cannot now overtake Sri Lanka and claim fifth place in the LG ICC Test Championship table.
Shaun Pollock, 13th in the bowling rankings, is set to return for Friday's second Test, and he may replace fellow-seam bowler Andre Nel, who dropped three places to 17th after taking 1-114 in the first match of the series.
Full details of the current LG ICC Test Championship and how future results will impact on the table, as well as the LG ICC Player Rankings can be found at: http://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/lg.html
