Historic first meeting is last series before official table is updated

Australia's first ever home Test series against Bangladesh starting on Friday 18 July in Darwin will be the last series before the ICC Test Championship is updated at the end of the month.

A 2-0 series win for Australia would improve its rating by just under one rating point while Bangladesh's rating would slide from four to three. However, if Bangladesh can escape with a draw in one of the matches it will boost its rating to five (with Australia falling by one rating point).

Such has been Australia's consistent dominance over recent years that even a disastrous performance in the two Test series against the bottom side will not be enough for it to fall from top spot before the ratings are updated.

The ICC Test Championship table, 15 July 2003

Position  Team         Rating
1      Australia     129
2      South Africa  115
3      New Zealand   103
4      England        98
5      Sri Lanka      97
6      India          91
7      Pakistan       91
8      West Indies    82
9      Zimbabwe       58
10      Bangladesh      4

Developed by David Kendix

Full scenarios for Australia v Bangladesh Test series:

The updated ICC Test Championship table will be announced prior to the England v South Africa Test series.

This process will see results from August 1999 to July 2000 - including Australia's unbeaten series victories over India, Pakistan and New Zealand - removed from the calculation period.

Mike Procter from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees will officiate on the series. David Shepherd and Rudi Koertzen from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires will stand in both Tests.

For the up-to-date ICC Test Championship table plus full scenarios for forthcoming series and details of the formula for calculating ratings visit the official ICC website www.icc.cricket.org

ICC media contacts: