Australia's recent two-nil Test series win at home to New Zealand was built on the back of some crushing batting displays that will certainly have given Pakistan, the 'Baggy Greens' next opponents and England, who face their oldest rivals in the Ashes next year, plenty to think about.

Not even the masterful West Indies side of the 1980s, which featured batting greats Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards had such a dominant top seven.

Meanwhile the bowling list, still topped by England quick Stephen Harmison saw the return of veteran Aussie spearhead Glenn McGrath to the first three.

McGrath's team-mate and fellow paceman Michael Kasprowicz was rewarded for a string of recent good performances by being ranked 25th.

South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock, who earlier Thursday became only the fifth player in history to complete the Test double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets during the series-losing defeat against India in Calcutta, dropped to fifth in the bowling ratings.

It was the first time the seamer had been outside the world top three for over six years.