Sri Lanka go into this week's npower Test series with England with the third longest Test match winning streak in the history of cricket, behind Australia's all-time record of 16 consecutive wins, and the 11 achieved by the West Indies. Sri Lanka's run of nine consecutive victories has been achieved against five different opponents, India, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan.

Going into this series, Sri Lanka occupy third place on the Championship Table, behind Australia and South Africa and ahead of New Zealand and England. A win for Sri Lanka would consolidate third place, pulling Sanath Jayasuriya's team up to 1.20 points and further away from New Zealand who are in fourth place.

A drawn series would leave England in fifth place but drop Sri Lanka into equal third position with New Zealand. A win for the home side would drop Sri Lanka to fourth place with a series points average of 1.07, ahead of England in fifth place on 1.06. New Zealand would then take third position with its current points average of 1.13.

The three-match npower England versus Sri Lanka series is a new fixture in the ICC Test Championship, as previous encounters in England have been restricted to single, one-off Tests (the Test Championship is based on series of two or more matches).

The current table does not include the recent abandoned series between Pakistan and New Zealand, which Pakistan led 1-0 before the Karachi bombing. The ICC will announce a decision on the final result of this series, and the awarding of Test Championship points, after further discussion with both Boards.

ICC Test Championship Table
[ as at 14 May 2002 ]

Team          Played   Won   Lost   Drawn   Points  Average
Australia       13      9      2      2       20      1.54 
South Africa    16     11      3      2       24      1.50
Sri Lanka       14      7      5      2       16      1.14 
New Zealand     16      7      5      4       18      1.13 
England         15      6      6      3       15      1.00
West Indies     14      6      7      1       13      0.93 
Pakistan        16      4      7      5       13      0.81 
India           14      4      7      3       11      0.79 
Zimbabwe        16      3     11      2        8      0.50 
Bangladesh       4      0      4      0        0       -   

Points System: ·2 - series win ·1 - series draw ·0 - series loss ·Sides ranked on average (points divided by series played). ·Only series consisting of two Tests or more are counted. ·The most recent series between the two sides, home and away, are counted. ·The initial table was constructed only considering series starting during or after the initial five-year cut-off date of May 1996. Thereafter series replace one another under the ICC ten-year programme with no fixed cut-off period. ·If, for any reason, a scheduled series is not played or completed, no points will be awarded. This decision has been taken to act as an incentive for members to fulfil all fixtures. ·Bangladesh will not be allocated an average score until they have completed nine Test series of the maximum 18. This is expected to be completed in April 2003. ·The table will revert to a straight points system once every side has played each other home and away. This is expected to be completed in 2005. ·The leading side will hold the ICC Test Championship trophy, produced in silver and gold by Asprey & Garrard and valued at more than £30,000. The trophy will automatically pass from leader to leader. ·If two sides are tied at the top of the table the holder will retain the ICC Test Championship trophy.

(BCCSL media release)

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