Confusion reigned overnight after media outlets incorrectly reported that New Zealand’s win over West Indies in Wellington had taken them to the top of the ICC Test rankings.

After New Zealand sealed a second consecutive innings victory, ESPNcricinfo’s homepage led with the ‘news’ that New Zealand had overtaken Australia in the Test rankings when they in fact still trail their Antipodean neighbours by fewer than 0.1 rating points. Their match report also carried information regarding New Zealand’s apparent ascension to the top of the rankings, though this was amended at 3:05am GMT, over four hours after the game’s culmination.

ESPNcricinfo were by no means the only ones to be caught out. Sky Sports posted an article claiming that New Zealand had topped the rankings for the first time as late as 10:15am on Monday morning and even stand-in New Zealand skipper Tom Latham claimed after that the win that it was “pretty special” for New Zealand to go joint-first in the rankings for the first time.

The ICC confirmed shortly after the result that while some tables were showing Australia and New Zealand were equal on points at the top of the table, Australia were still ahead by 0.086 rating points.

New Zealand can still top the rankings later this winter, though. A series win over Pakistan at home and a drawn series between India and Australia Down Under would take the Blackcaps top of the Test rankings for the first time in their history. Any other result in the Australia-India series would see one of those two heavyweights sit at the top of the rankings. England currently occupy fourth place in the rankings, 10 ratings points off Australia.