Questions are doing the rounds again as to the integrity of the ICC and its ranking systems.

Proteas fans are bewildered by the current ICC rankings and the way in which the Australians, in particular, are benefiting from the seedings for the ICC Champions Trophy to be hosted by Pakistan in September.

The Australians have benefited from some crafty cut-off date manipulation and again caught the international cricketing community napping.They are seeded No.1 for the ICC Champions Trophy by virtue of days and minutes, not ranking.

'South African fans are rightly concerned and have a number of questions about this seeding and ranking debacle'


And while April Fools Day might be the cut-off for the ODI awards, the Aussies have secured a more favourable seeding by seeing the Champions Trophy seeding cut-off date moved forward to the March 12, and thus left everyone wondering about April Fools.

South African fans are rightly concerned and have a number of questions about this seeding and ranking debacle. Firstly, who exactly is behind the manipulated cut-off dates? Secondly, who adjudged Australia as No.1 on March 12 (because on March 12 South Africa's second ODI victory placed them level with Australia).

The Australians have managed to secure a better pool via this seeding debacle and South Africa see themselves again in a pool of death with top ODI teams like Sri Lanka, New Zealand and England.