SYDNEY, Aug 2 AAP - Australians topped the latest individual bowling and batting Test rankings while Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar fell to his lowest level in almost five years.

Tendulkar fell from second place in the PwC rankings to fifth while Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist remained comfortably at the top.

Australian opener Matthew Hayden was fourth on the list behind second placed Pakistani Inzamam-ul-Haq and West Indian Brian Lara.

No other Australian breaks into the top ten with Steve Waugh steady at 12th followed by Damien Martyn (13), Justin Langer (15), Ricky Ponting (20) and Mark Waugh (20).

Despite taking 10 for 98 in his last outing against Bangladesh Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan has fallen narrowly behind Australian Glenn McGrath at the top of the bowling stakes.

Shane Warne, who like McGrath hasn't sent down a ball in Test cricket since Australia's end of season tour to South Africa, comes in at fourth behind South African captain Shaun Pollock.

Reflecting recent success in the series against India, English seamer Matthew Hoggart has climbed three places to be fifth.

Jason Gillespie was the next best placed Australian at 13th, legspinner Stuart MacGill was 17th despite not playing since a one-off Test against South Africa last January and Brett Lee came in at 22nd.

The last time Tendulkar was as low as five in the rankings was back in November 1997.

The only current player to make Don Bradman's alltime best team, he has been the target of increasing criticism following India's 170 run drubbing by England at Lord's on Sunday.

Tendulkar was bowled for 12 playing a loose shot off Hoggard leaving the 29-year-old in the unusual position of suffering home press slings and arrows aimed at his previously godlike pedestal.

Despite scoring 29 Test centuries at an average of 56.96 - second only to Gilchrist in the top fifty ranked batsmen - a pattern of failure has become evident when India needs something substantial to win or draw matches.

Before the English tour Tendulkar admitted disappointment over his inability to grab the initiative especially in the latter stages of a game.

This is borne out by Tendulkar's second innings average of 31.9 over the last three years with no centuries.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.