Tennis - ATP World Tour rankings

Last week's positions in brackets

1. (1) Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 10,980 points

2. (2) Rafa Nadal (Spain) 8,860

3. (3) Andy Murray (Scotland) 8,700

4. (4) David Ferrer (Spain) 7,210

5. (5) Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 5,075

6. (6) Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 4,740

7. (7) Roger Federer (Switzerland) 4,695

8. (8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 3,470

9. (9) Richard Gasquet (France) 2,625

10. (10) Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 2,610

11. (11) Milos Raonic (Canada) 2,555

12. (12) Kei Nishikori (Japan) 2,405

13. (13) Tommy Haas (Germany) 2,185

14. (15) Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 2,110

15. (16) Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 2,110

16. (17) Gilles Simon (France) 2,040

17. (14) John Isner (U.S.) 2,025

18. (18) Fabio Fognini (Italy) 2,025

19. (19) Marin Cilic (Croatia) 1,805

20. (20) Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 1,740

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2015 World Cup fixtures

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Anderson best in the world - Wasim

Venue: Emirates Old Trafford, ManchesterDate: 1-5 AugustStart time: 11:00 BSTCoverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave and via the BBC iPlayer Radio app, BBC Sport website & BBC Sport app. Live text commentary on BBC Sport website, app & mobile devices

Pakistan great Wasim Akram believes England's James Anderson is the best bowler in the world.

Anderson has taken 13 wickets in the first two Ashes Tests to help England to a 2-0 lead over Australia, ahead of the third at Old Trafford on Thursday.

The 31-year-old has 320 Test wickets, placing him third in England's all-time list behind Ian Botham and Bob Willis.

Test debut: v New Zealand in Auckland, 25 January 1985

Test appearances: 104

Test wickets: 414 at 23.62 (ninth highest Test wicket-taker of all time)

Counties represented: Hampshire, Lancashire

"Jimmy Anderson is leading from the front. For me he is the best bowler of this era," Wasim told BBC Sport.

"He does it consistently, with the new ball and the old ball."

Left-arm quick Wasim and his Pakistan team-mate Waqar Younis tormented opposing batsmen in the late 1980s and 1990s with their expertise in reverse-swing bowling and Wasim recognises Anderson as a fellow master of the craft.

"Jimmy is up there with me and Waqar because of the control he has," said Wasim, who played for Anderson's county side Lancashire between 1988 and 1998.

"He was always good with the new ball, but with the old ball he is intelligent. He bowls five away-swingers, then one inswinger and takes a wicket.

"Other England bowlers like Steven Finn and Stuart Broad try to alternate inswingers and outswingers, but if you do that your line or length won't be the same every ball you bowl."

The International Cricket Council's Test bowler rankings have Anderson joint fifth, with South Africa's Dale Steyn at number one.

Although Anderson's career average of 29.66 is significantly inferior to Steyn's 22.65, Wasim believes the Englishman has edged ahead in 2013, a year in which he has taken 32 wickets in seven Tests at 23.12.

"I have seen Dale Steyn bowling with the old ball and he only bowls one delivery - the inswinger to the right-hander," added Wasim.

1. Dale Steyn (South Africa) 2. Vernon Philander (South Africa) 3. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) 4. Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan) 5= Peter Siddle (Australia) 5= James Anderson (England) 7. Graeme Swann (England) 8. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) 9. Morne Morkel (South Africa) 10. Pragyan Ojha (India) "Steyn is one of the best in the world as well, but Jimmy is slightly ahead because he does a lot more with the old ball."

Former England seamer Andy Caddick believes the world has still not seen the best of Anderson.

Caddick, who played 62 Tests for England between 1993 and 2003, said: "He is in his prime now but he has got a few years left in him yet.

"I think we will see a lot better bowling from Jimmy.

"Now he is the finished article, he knows his game. When you start knowing your game as a bowler you are going to continue doing well."

Anderson's next challenge is to help England clinch a victory at Old Trafford that would win them the Ashes with two matches to spare.

It would be Australia's third successive Ashes series loss and former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff believes it could be some time before they regain the famous urn.

"Australia seem very much a work in progress and they are a long way away from competing - we are probably talking years," Flintoff told BBC Sport.

"We have seen from England that it can take a while and I think they are playing for pride more than anything at the minute.

"England should dominate for a few years now."

Chris Tremlett, the 6ft 7in Surrey fast bowler, has been called into England's squad for Old Trafford, which traditionally produces quick and bouncy wickets.

But Flintoff believes England should keep faith with Tim Bresnan, who took four wickets and scored a second-innings 38 in the 347-run victory at Lord's.

"Everyone goes on about Old Trafford bouncing and being quick but it does suit bowlers that attack the stumps," said Flintoff, who was part of the England side that regained the Ashes after an 18-year wait in 2005.

"I would stick with Bresnan for this one because the pitch should be quite flat.

"They have sold out five days of Test cricket so the club will want five days of Test cricket so they get rewarded financially. You have to work hard to win at Old Trafford."

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England face Australia at World Cup

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Pakistan And Sri Lanka Qualify For Women's World T20

Pakistan And Sri Lanka Qualify For Women's World T20Sadia Yousuf was named player of the match for her haul of four for nine against Ireland.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for next year’s ICC Women’s World T20 as they recorded comfortable wins over hosts Ireland and the Netherlands in Dublin. Zimbabwe also won and will contest the plate final on Wednesday against either Thailand or Canada, whose match was forced into a reserve day by rain. The crucial third place play-off to decide the final qualifier will also take place on Wednesday.

Pakistan were the first of the sides on show in the ICC Women’s World T20 qualifier to book their place in the 2014 edition of the main tournament in Bangladesh. They comfortably beat hosts Ireland to progress to Wednesday’s final. Only Kim Garth of the Irish batters reached double figures in what was a thoroughly disappointing batting performance. She made an unbeaten 38 from number three but Ireland were all our for just 65. Sadia Yousuf was the pick of the Pakistan attack with four for nine from her four overs.

Garth was then the only Ireland player to strike with the ball, removing Nahida Khan for 13 in the seventh over, as Pakistan got home in the 15th over to win by nine wickets. Javeria Khan finished not out on 34 off 39 balls, with Nain Abidi on 16 off 28.

Sri Lanka had to contend with the rain that arrived in Dublin in the afternoon, but they still made it through to join Pakistan by beating the Netherlands by 33 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method. Deepiak Rasangika made 47 off 50 balls and added 52 with Yasoda Mendis (26 off 22 balls) for the second-wicket. Eshani Kaushalya then added some late impetus by ending not out on 33 off only 16 balls as Sri Lanka ended on 157 for six from 19 overs.

The Dutch were then set an imposing 85 in nine overs to win. They began promisingly thanks to openers Miranda Veringmeier (14 off 15) and Helmien Rambaldo (22 off 24) and reached 39 for one in the sixth over. However, the spiralling required run rate got the better of the new batters and they finished well short on 51 for four. Sandamali Dolawatte, Shashikala Siriwardene and Chandima Gunaratne each picked up a wicket for Sri Lanka.

Zimbabwe made it back-to-back wins in the competition by defeating Japan in a low-scoring game to progress to the plate final. Sharyce Saili took three for 15 from her four overs, while there were wickets also for Tasmeen Granger (1-14), Precious Marange (1-10), Josephine Nkomo (2-9) and Christabel Chatonzwa (1-4) as no Japanese batter made double figures. Extras were the comfortable top-scorers with 21. Zimbabwe then also struggled with the bat and limped to their target to win by three wickets. Opener Loren Tshuma made 12, while Marange hit 13 from number eight. They had found themselves 30 for six at one point as Mai Yanagida took four for five from her four overs.

Thailand and Canada will have to return tomorrow to find the identity of Zimbabwe’s plate final opponent after their match was interrupted by rain at the halfway point. Canada will require 93 to win from 18 overs when the match resumes at 0900 GMT in the morning. Thailand made 92 for six from their 18 as Chanida Sutthiruang top-scored with an undefeated 17-ball 23 and four other batters reached double figures. Monali Patel was the pick of the Canadian attack with two for 23 from four overs.

© Cricket World 2013

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ICC proves it still cannot organise a World Cup with marathon schedule for 2015 tournament

Has the International Cricket Council learnt from this experience? No. The next World Cup in 2015 is going to be precisely the opposite: long and blunt, 49 matches spread over 44 days, and no game will really matter until the quarter-finals.

Exactly the same as last time, in other words. Pfaffing around south Asia in 2011 for more than a month of qualifying matches produced the most stunning results in the history of international sport.

Yes, South Africa, India, England, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand proved to be better at cricket than Zimbabwe, Kenya, Kenya, Bangladesh, Ireland and Holland.

Was not that a turn up for the books? Who could have dreamed that the quarter-finalists would be those first eight teams? It is just as well that we will have to go through the same process all over again in 2015, in 14 cities spread across Australia and New Zealand.

If there is one thing to be said for the format of the last World Cup and the next one, it is that it has to be better than the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, which put in a powerful bid to be remembered as the worst-organised cricket tournament ever.

That was the one where India and Pakistan were both knocked out in the first week, to be replaced in the Super Eight stage by Bangladesh and Ireland, and West Indian fans ignored the event.

The format was drawn up by a group of people, gathered by the ICC’s chief executive Malcolm Speed, none of whom had ever played a first-class game of cricket.

So they were not unlucky when India were knocked out by Bangladesh in the first week: anyone who had played cricket could have told them that India, then, were slow starters, and the qualifying stage had to be arranged differently.

After the 2011 World Cup, in response to complaints about long-windedness, the ICC’s executive board announced the number of countries in 2015 would be reduced from 14 to 10, then abruptly reverted to 14.

They decided World Cups have to include at least four associate members: which can be done, only the two group stages should culminate in semi-finals, not quarter-finals, giving the qualifying stage an importance it now lacks.

So book your holidays now for February 2015 and make sure you do not miss epic qualifying clashes like England v Kenya or Namibia v India.

The ICC can get a good price out of broadcasters for a World Cup. It still does not know how to organise one.

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Preview - ICC Women's World T20 Qualifier Finals Day

Classification matches are often low-key affairs with little but pride at stake. Wednesday’s ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier third-fourth place playoff between hosts Ireland and Netherlands can certainly not be categorised in that bracket.

The ICC's well-received decision to expand next year’s tournament to 10 teams means that the winners of tomorrow's clash will qualify along with finalists Pakistan and Sri Lanka who will do battle in the Trophy final with their fate already sealed.

Despite its inferior status, all eyes and attention will be on the day's second game at the YMCA Cricket Ground in leafy Sandymount ahead of the so-called showpiece final as the two Associate nations attempt to reach their first Twenty20 World Cup.

It's an opportunity which both Ireland and Netherlands have been waiting to grasp for a long time. Neither have qualified for an ICC event since 2005 and both will be eager to highlight the progress they've made in the last decade by booking their place in next year’s big-hitting edition in Bangladesh.

Although Ireland suffered another heavy defeat on Monday, their seventh in the space of a month, they will go into the winner-takes-all clash as favourites taking into consideration their familiarity with the ground and the fact they’ve only lost to the Dutch once in the last 10 meetings between the sides.

Ireland comfortably overcame the challenge of both Japan and Canada to advance to the semi-finals but struggled against superior opposition in their last two games, with their batting frailties ruthlessly exposed by Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Jeremy Bray’s side rely heavily on opener Clare Shillington to build an innings around and as the tournament has progressed, the top order including captain Isobel Joyce has failed to fire and therefore exposing the inexperienced middle order.

It’s a weakness which the Dutch will look to take advantage of in conditions which are likely to suit bowling with overcast and showery weather forecasted for Dublin.

Holland scraped through to the semi-finals on net run-rate despite two defeats in the group stages. They managed to narrowly defeat Zimbabwe in a low-scoring encounter by three runs before suffering a shock loss to Thailand in their second game and a comprehensive defeat to Pakistan.

They may have a dismal recent record against Wednesday’s opponents but all form and history goes out of the window in a game of this significance.  

Speaking ahead of the game, Irish coach Bray said he was confident his side can book their place in Bangladesh.

"I think realistically we were always thinking that the third and fourth placed play-off would be between us and the Netherlands so I think we’ve got to still be upbeat, definitely,” said the former opening batsman.

"The last couple of years we’ve been a good bit better than Holland, but in saying that, in T20 cricket anything can happen and the Dutch have some good players as well.

"We have to be on top of our games, like we have been all tournament with the ball and in the field. It’s just our batting that hasn’t been skilful enough and hopefully come the Netherlands game girls can stand up and make a big total for our bowlers to bowl at," he told the Irish Times.

Meanwhile, Netherlands captain Denise Hannema was in positive mood ahead of the game, saying, "We were disappointed by Monday’s result, but we can take some positives out of the performance and bring that back on Wednesday, especially our positive batting. We can definitely sharpen our fielding up ahead of the next game and we are looking forward to it."

Before the third and fourth placed play-off is the small matter of the tournament final which sees top seeds Pakistan and Sri Lanka do battle for the silverware and bragging rights. As already covered, both sides are already guaranteed a place in the World Cup after near perfect campaigns to date.

Captain of Sri Lanka, Shashikala Siriwardene, was delighted to have qualified for Bangladesh in 2014 and is looking forward to Wednesday’s game with their Asian counterparts.

"We were very disappointed with our performance in the last ICC World Twenty20, so am delighted we have now qualified as well with it being in the Asian region. Looking ahead to the Trophy Final, we have played Pakistan quite a lot, so it will be a difficult match, but one we hope to win."

Also on Wednesday, Zimbabwe take on Thailand in the Shield Final at Merrion CCC while Japan and Canada face each other in the third/fourth place playoff in that same competition.

© Cricket World 2013

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Pakistan And Sri Lanka Qualify For Women's World T20

Pakistan And Sri Lanka Qualify For Women's World T20Sadia Yousuf was named player of the match for her haul of four for nine against Ireland.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for next year’s ICC Women’s World T20 as they recorded comfortable wins over hosts Ireland and the Netherlands in Dublin. Zimbabwe also won and will contest the plate final on Wednesday against either Thailand or Canada, whose match was forced into a reserve day by rain. The crucial third place play-off to decide the final qualifier will also take place on Wednesday.

Pakistan were the first of the sides on show in the ICC Women’s World T20 qualifier to book their place in the 2014 edition of the main tournament in Bangladesh. They comfortably beat hosts Ireland to progress to Wednesday’s final. Only Kim Garth of the Irish batters reached double figures in what was a thoroughly disappointing batting performance. She made an unbeaten 38 from number three but Ireland were all our for just 65. Sadia Yousuf was the pick of the Pakistan attack with four for nine from her four overs.

Garth was then the only Ireland player to strike with the ball, removing Nahida Khan for 13 in the seventh over, as Pakistan got home in the 15th over to win by nine wickets. Javeria Khan finished not out on 34 off 39 balls, with Nain Abidi on 16 off 28.

Sri Lanka had to contend with the rain that arrived in Dublin in the afternoon, but they still made it through to join Pakistan by beating the Netherlands by 33 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method. Deepiak Rasangika made 47 off 50 balls and added 52 with Yasoda Mendis (26 off 22 balls) for the second-wicket. Eshani Kaushalya then added some late impetus by ending not out on 33 off only 16 balls as Sri Lanka ended on 157 for six from 19 overs.

The Dutch were then set an imposing 85 in nine overs to win. They began promisingly thanks to openers Miranda Veringmeier (14 off 15) and Helmien Rambaldo (22 off 24) and reached 39 for one in the sixth over. However, the spiralling required run rate got the better of the new batters and they finished well short on 51 for four. Sandamali Dolawatte, Shashikala Siriwardene and Chandima Gunaratne each picked up a wicket for Sri Lanka.

Zimbabwe made it back-to-back wins in the competition by defeating Japan in a low-scoring game to progress to the plate final. Sharyce Saili took three for 15 from her four overs, while there were wickets also for Tasmeen Granger (1-14), Precious Marange (1-10), Josephine Nkomo (2-9) and Christabel Chatonzwa (1-4) as no Japanese batter made double figures. Extras were the comfortable top-scorers with 21. Zimbabwe then also struggled with the bat and limped to their target to win by three wickets. Opener Loren Tshuma made 12, while Marange hit 13 from number eight. They had found themselves 30 for six at one point as Mai Yanagida took four for five from her four overs.

Thailand and Canada will have to return tomorrow to find the identity of Zimbabwe’s plate final opponent after their match was interrupted by rain at the halfway point. Canada will require 93 to win from 18 overs when the match resumes at 0900 GMT in the morning. Thailand made 92 for six from their 18 as Chanida Sutthiruang top-scored with an undefeated 17-ball 23 and four other batters reached double figures. Monali Patel was the pick of the Canadian attack with two for 23 from four overs.

© Cricket World 2013

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Tennis - ATP World Tour rankings

1. (1) Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 12310 points

2. (2) Andy Murray (Scotland) 9360

3. (3) David Ferrer (Spain) 7120

4. (4) Rafa Nadal (Spain) 6860

5. (5) Roger Federer (Switzerland) 5875

6. (6) Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 4865

7. (7) Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 4500

8. (8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 3480

9. (9) Richard Gasquet (France) 3045

10. (10) Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 2915

11. (11) Kei Nishikori (Japan) 2495

12. (12) Tommy Haas (Germany) 2395

13. (13) Milos Raonic (Canada) 2225

14. (14) Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 2135

15. (15) Marin Cilic (Croatia) 2075

16. (19) Fabio Fognini (Italy) 2075

17. (16) Gilles Simon (France) 2055

18. (17) Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 2029

19. (18) Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 2025

20. (22) John Isner (United States) 1770

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Video - Tendulkar On Winning 2011 World Cup

Watch an intimate film that showcases the career of Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, the 'Little Master', and the only man to have scored 100 international centuries.

He reveals that back in 1983 when India won the World Cup for the first time, he knew little about the game but the win ignited his passion for the game.

Guided by his father, Tendulkar worked extremely hard to make his dream of playing for India come true, going on to enjoy one of the longest and most distinguished careers in the game.

In 2011, 20 years after his debut and five attempts later, he accomplished his second dream by winning the World Cup with India, in front of his home crowd.

He has etched his name in the record books with 100 international centuries, more appearances than any other player and was the first male cricketer to score a double-century in a One-Day International.

He has won the World Cup, the Indian Premier League, the Champions League Twenty20 and countless other award and accolades along the way.

The film is the latest in a series of Defining Moments videos, which has profiled the likes of Leo Messi, Michael Schumacher and Novak Djokovic.

© Cricket World 2013

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Win For Hosts On Day One Of Women's World T20 Qualifier

Ireland's Clare Shillington celebrates her century against Japan. ICC / Ian Jacobs

There were no major surprises on the opening day of the ICC Women’s World T20 qualifier, with hosts Ireland, favourites Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the Netherlands all winning their respective matches.

The closest match of the day was always likely to be the one between the Netherlands and Zimbabwe at the YMCA Cricket Club in Dublin and so it proved. It was a tense and low-scoring affair, with Zimbabwe failing to score the seven runs that they needed off the final over and losing by three runs.

They struggled for much of their run chase, initially slipping to 29 for five, before a sixth-wicket stand of 33 between captain Ashley Burdett (23) and Nonhlanhla Nyathi (30 not out) gave them hope. However, those two would be the only batters to reach double figures as Leonie Bennett ended with figures of three for 15.

Sharne Mayers had earlier taken three for 14 to help restrict the Dutch to just 95 for seven. Miranda Veringmeier (15) and Tessa van der Gun (28rh) got them off to a good start, but only one other player reached double figures as Mayers and Christabel Chatonzwa (1-16) bowled tidily.

A century from Clare Shillington gave Ireland the ideal start. The 32 year-old - a veteran of 76 One-Day Internationals - smashed 114 not out off 72 balls to help her side trounce minnows Japan. She shared an unbroken 134 for the second-wicket with Cecelia Joyce (40 not out off 41 balls) as the hosts finished on 170 for one.

Elena Tice then took three for 10, while there were a brace of wickets apiece for Melissa Scott-Hayward (2-8), Kim Garth (2-10) and 13 year-old Lucy O’Reilly (2-9) as Japan were bundled out for 53. Only Mariko Yamamoto and Shizuka Kubota reached double figures.

Left-arm spinner Chandima Gunaratne took four for six from her four overs as Sri Lanka hammered Canada by nine wickets. They overhauled Canada’s derisory total of 44 in 37 deliveries as Yasoda Mendis and Eshani Kaushalya each finished on 17 not out. Sripali Weerakkody (2-11), Sandamali Dolawatte (2-8) and Oshadi Ranasinghe (1-8) were the other Canada wicket-takers.

Thailand could muster only 76 for eight after holding Pakistan to 145 for six. Chanida Sutthiruang hit a futile 19 off 11 balls towards the end of the Thai innings but they were never in the hunt. Sumaiya Siddiqi returned the incredible figures of 4-2-4-2, while there were also wickets for Sadia Yousuf (1-9), Qanita Jalil (1-14), Asmavia Iqbal (2-15) and Bismah Maroof (1-10).

Pakistan had earlier recovered well from the loss of Javeria Khan in Nattakan Chantam’s first over. Nain Abidi made 47 off 38 balls, while there was 25 from Bismah Maroof and a late 16-ball 26 from Nida Dar.

Tomorrow is a rest day in the tournament, with Thursday then seeing Thailand and Zimbabwe enter must-win games against the Netherlands and Pakistan, and Japan and Canada doing likewise in Group B against Sri Lanka and Ireland.

© Cricket World 2013

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