DUBAI, Jan 29: Pakistan's prolific seam bowler Mohammed Asif has equalled record for fewest cricket matches taken by a Pakistan player to break into top 10 of ICC player rankings for Test bowlers.

The 24 year-old captured five wickets in losing cause in decisive match of his side's series in South Africa which was enough to lift him three places in rankings to eighth position.

Asif took just nine Tests to reach lofty position. Only two Pakistan bowlers have broken into elite group so quickly – fast bowling legend Waqar Younis and Pervez Sajjad, left-arm spinner who played 19 Tests in 1960s and 1970s.

It is phenomenal achievement by Asif, who took 19 wickets at 18.47 in three-Test series against Proteas. It leaves him as Pakistan's top-ranked bowler as has now moved past Shoaib Akhtar in list.

However, Asif's continued rise — he now has 49 Test wickets at 20.12 each — represents just about only piece of good news for Pakistan in latest rankings.

Mohammad Yousuf remains in second place in batting list, just behind Australia captain Ricky Ponting, both Younis Khan (down four places to 10th) and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (12th, down one) have lost ground.

Shoaib, absent from third Test with hamstring injury, slipped three spots to 11th position in bowling while leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who along with Asif was Pakistan's workhorse in series, remains unchanged in 13th place.

The news is better for South Africa, as might be expected given their five-wicket success in third Test in Cape Town which secured a 2-1 series win.

Jacques Kallis, whose scores of 28 and 51 proved decisive in low-scoring match, climbs two places to seventh in batting ladder and remains Proteas top ranked player, ahead of Ashwell Prince, up one spot to 11th position for his vital unbeaten 59, one of only four scores of 50 or more in match.

Kallis took six wickets in Test and helped boost his stock in rankings for Test bowlers and all-rounders. He is 25th in bowling list, up two places, and consolidated lead in all-rounder table, ahead of England's Andrew Flintoff and team-mate Shaun Pollock. Graeme Smith is third Proteas batsman inside top 20, rising five places to 17th position on strength of scores of 64 and 33.

The bowling list is still topped by Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan ahead of South Africa's Makhaya Ntini with India's Anil Kumble in third position and Shaun Pollock, rested for Cape Town Test ahead of ODI series to follow, lies fourth.

The series result saw positions of two sides remain unaltered in Test Championship table with Pakistan still in third place and South Africa lying sixth.—Agencies