Greame Smith-led South Africa won the final Test match against England by 51 runs at the Lords last night to clinch the three-match series 2-0 to not only retain the prestigious Basil D'Oliveira Trophy but also claimed the No.1 Test spot.
The series win, second on the trot for the visitors in England, saw South Africa overcome the English supremacy with a total of 120 ranking points.
England with 117 points have been pushed to the second spot, while Australia are at No. 3 with 116 points.
"The match was a personal triumph for virtually every member of the Proteas' starting XI but Hashim Amla had to stand out for his century as did Vernon Philander who made 96 invaluable runs as a No. 8 batsman over the two innings and returned with the figures of 5/30," CSA said in a statement.
Amla scored a 121 runs in South Africa's second innings to set up a difficult target of 346 for England before Philander picked his seventh five-wicket haul in less than a year of Test cricket to see his side get to the top.
In the pursuit the right-arm medium pacer also etched his name on the famous Honour's Board.
Philander has taken 39 wickets in the current calendar year, which is just one less than the leader, Stuart Broad of England. (MORE)