Kohli holds on to 2nd spot in ICC rankings
Dubai: Indian captain Virat Kohli held onto the second spot in the year-end rankings for Test batsmen just behind Australian Steve Smith, while Cheteshwar Pujara remained at the third spot.
According to the last rankings of 2017 released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) here on Sunday, Kohli has amassed a total of 893 points with Smith enjoying a comfortable lead at the top spot with 947 points. Pujara is trailing Kohli by 20 points.
Smith's contributions of 76 and 102 not out in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne have not only strengthened his position at the top of the table but also given him sole possession of second place for the highest-ever ranking points.
For his efforts in Melbourne, Smith earned two points and is now 14 points behind Don Bradman (961) and two points ahead of Len Hutton (945) in the all-time list.
Meanwhile, a magnificent unbeaten double century by England opener Alastair Cook in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne has helped him to finish the year inside the top 10.
The 33-year-old left-hander remained not out on 244 in his side's first innings score of 491, which has helped him to jump nine places to the eighth position.
He will now start 2018 with South Africa's seventh-ranked Hashim Amla firmly within his sights. Amla is 17 points ahead of the former England captain.
Cook had begun the year in 15th position, and had entered the Ashes at the 10th spot.
England captain Joe Root is the other batsman to improve his ranking, when he moved up one place to join New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson at the fourth place.
Root and Williamson had started 2017 at the third and fourth positions respectively.
Australia opener David Warner is at sixth, 24 points behind Root and Williamson, after his scores of 103 and 86 in the fourth Ashes Test earned him 30 points. Warner had started 2017 at the fifth position.
In the rankings for Test bowlers, there is no change in the top nine with England's James Anderson leading the field. Anderson had started the year on 810 points in sixth position and has finished on 892 points at the top spot.
The spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath had started 2017 in the top three positions, and have finished at the third, fourth and sixth places, respectively.
Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood started and finished the year at the fifth spot.
The only change in the top 10 is the return of South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel to the 10th position.
The 33-year-old claimed a haul of 5/21 in Zimbabwe's first innings for which he has been rewarded with a rise of three places, which has now put him one place ahead of compatriot Dale Steyn.
It is for the first time in nearly two years that Morkel is within the top 10.
Morkel's team mate Keshav Maharaj, who returned 5/59 in Zimbabwe's second innings, has gained two places and is now at a career high 16th position.
Outside the top 20, Chris Woakes of England and Australia's Pat Cummins have moved up three places each. Woakes is now in 28th place, while Cummins is now ranked 36th.
Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh is the top ranked all-rounder and he is followed by India's Ravichandran Ashwin.
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59 percent voter turnout in first phase in J-K, polling peaceful: CEO
Jammu, Sep 18: A voter turnout of about 59 percent -- "the highest in the past seven elections" -- was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said.
However, these are tentative figures and may rise after the final reports are received about postal ballots, and from remote pockets like Marwah, Wadwan, Dachhan and Machail in Kishtwar, the officer said.
Briefing mediapersons here after polling ended at 6 pm, Pole said the elections -- which covered 24 seats in seven districts -- ended peacefully without any untoward incident.
There are reports of some minor incidents of scuffle or argument from a few polling stations but "no serious incident" occurred that could have forced a repoll, he said.
Over 2.3 million voters were eligible to cast the ballot to determine the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents.
"The polling percentage of 59 percent is highest in the past seven elections -- four Lok Sabha polls and three assembly elections," he said, attributing the increase in the voter turnout to various factors including improved security situation, active participation of political parties and candidates and a campaign by the department.
He said Kishtwar district recorded the highest 77 percent turnout, while Pulwama district witnessed the lowest 46 percent.
Doda district recorded a turnout of 69.33 percent, Ramban district 67.71 percent, Kulgam district 61.57 percent, Anantnag district 54.17 percent and Shopian district 53.64 percent.
In the 2014 assembly elections, the district wise poll percentage was: Pulwama 44 percent, Shopian 48 percent, Kulgam 59 percent, Anantnag 60 percent, Ramban 70 percent, Doda 73 percent and Kishtwar 76 percent.
In Kishtwar districts, he said, the Padder-Nagseni segment recorded the highest 80.67 percent voting followed by Inderwal (80.06 percent) and Kishtwar (78.11 percent).
In the nearby Doda district, Doda west segment recorded 75.98 percent, Doda (70.21 percent) and Bhaderwah (65.27 percent).
In Ramban district, Banihal segment recorded 71.28 percent and Ramban 67.34 percent, he said.
Among the seven constituencies of Anantnag district, Pahalgam recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.86 percent, followed by Kokernag (58 percent), Dooru (57.90 percent), Srigufwara-Bijbehara (56.02 percent), Shangus-Anantnag (52.94 percent), Anantnag West (45.93 percent) and Anantnag 41.58 percent, Pole said.
In Pulwama district, the CEO said, the Pulwama segment witnessed 50.42 percent polling, followed by Rajpora 48.07 percent, Pampore 44.74 percent and Tral 43.21 percent.
In Shopian district, the Shopian segment recorded a voter turnout of 54.72 percent and Zainapora 52.64 percent.
In Kulgam district, D H Pora recorded a turnout of 68 percent, Kulgam 62.70 percent and Devsar 57.33 percent, Pole said.
He said seven districts of south Kashmir had been traditionally low poll percentage constituencies and in some of the past elections, the percentage had not even crossed the single digit.
Asked about a social media video purportedly showing a policeman losing temper and aiming his gun before being overpowered by his colleagues outside a polling station in Kishtwar, he said the district election officer and the returning officer concerned have taken note and issue was resolved amicably.
PDP and BJP candidates were involved in an argument at the polling station.
Pole expressed hope that the remaining two phases on September 25 and October 1 will also see high polling percentage.
Meanwhile, the election commission expressed satisfaction over the long queues of voters at the polling stations showcasing the entire world, the deep trust and confidence of the people of J&K in the democratic exercise.
The polling was held across 3,276 Polling Stations in the seven districts and 24 special polling stations set up for migrant pandits in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
According to officials, 31.42 percent of the more than 35,000 eligible kashmiri migrant voters exercised their franchise. While 27 percent cast their votes at 19 polling stations in Jammu, 40 percent at four polling stations in Delhi and 30 percent at one polling station in Udhampur.
In each of the seven districts where voting was held in the first phase, the voter participation exceeded the participation during the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the election commission said in a release.
The performance builds on the trend witnessed during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir which saw a voter turnout of 58.58 percent at polling stations, highest in the last 35 years.
Voting began at 7 am and proceeded steadily through the day. Men and women, the young and old, some too frail to walk and others patiently waiting their turn, queued up outside polling booths across Kashmir Valley and Jammu.
Security forces fanned out to ensure that there was no trouble. The day was largely without incident except for reports of clashes between political workers in some areas of Bijbehara and D H Pora.
