Cricket World Ratings 20th August 2017

The West Indies were, as recently as the 1990s, the best cricket team in the world; but for some years now, have been in a state of relative decline.  Moreover, too many players, even strong ones, come (from all over the world) to the swinging, seaming conditions of England and assume they can play test matches the same way they play the short form of the game elsewhere, in a relatively thoughtless manner. In their earlier series this summer against South Africa, England played 4 one-sided games; but they lost one (as well as winning three), and there were at least some close sessions in each of the games;the South Africans at least had the right approach.  But the first test of the England-West Indies series proved disappointing; not just because the margin was one-sided, but because the West Indians weren't even remotely competitive; or even resilient.  Alistair Cook very nearly outscored the entire West Indian total on his own, and he only had to bat once!

Still, at one level England won't mind; it's another win in the book, altough there is some concern about a divide opening up in test cricket, made worse by the especial strength of the strongest sides at home.

India         212    
Australia     115    
South Africa   89    
England        87 +9  
New Zealand    53    
Pakistan        8    
Sri Lanka     -18    
West Indies   -73 -9   
Bangladesh   -145    
Zimbabwe     -328

Cricket World Ratings 15th August 2017

India have now completed yet another win, and a 3-0 whitewash of their hosts Sri Lanka.  A quick update to the world ratings confirms India's dominace

India         212  +6 
Australia     115   
South Africa   89
England        78
New Zealand    53   
Pakistan        8    
Sri Lanka     -18  -6 
West Indies   -64    
Bangladesh   -145    
Zimbabwe     -328

And the offical ranking tell a similar story, albeit on a different scale:

India        125 +2
South Africa 110
England      105 
Australia    100  
New Zealand   97  
Pakistan      93  
Sri Lanka     90 -2   
West Indies   75  
Bangladesh    69   
Zimbabwe       0 

Next up: West Indies begin a tough, and very late in the season, series in England, later this week.

Cricket World Ratings 7th August 2017

England have now completed their series against South Africa, which, like all recent series in England, consisted of one-sided tests.  England won three of them, the three matches in which they batted first (i.e. the team batting first won all three games); both sides are short of batsmen but have plenty of good bowling, but England prevailed thanks to their longer tail and the fact that their one batsman with genuine star quality, Joe Root, had a typically outstanding series whereas Hashim Amla, his opposite number, did not, and has possibly passed his peak.  Moeen Ali's development as a bowler was a welcome sign for the hosts' future; James Anderson yet again topped the bowling average in an English series, in spite of also turing 35 during it, and England will miss him when he's gone.

Meanwhile, India seem more-or-less invincible at the moment, and have taken a 2-0 lead over their latest hosts, Sri Lanka, with one test to go.  It will be interesting to see how this Indian team performs when it travels further afield - but its recent record at home and in the "near-abroad" is near impeccible.

The lastest world rankings are here: England have defeated South Africa the last time the sides met both at home and away, but overall, still trail them in the rankings:

India         206  +7 
Australia     115   
South Africa   89 -20
England        78 +20
New Zealand    53   
Pakistan        8    
Sri Lanka     -12  -7 
West Indies   -64    
Bangladesh   -145    
Zimbabwe     -328

As they also do in the official rankings, whose only point of deviance from mine is the lower position assigned to Australia.  Ahead of this winter's Ashes tour, I'm not sure England should take too much comfort from that.

India        123 
South Africa 110 -7
England      105 +6 
Australia    100  
New Zealand   97  
Pakistan      93  
Sri Lanka     92   
West Indies   75  
Bangladesh    69   
Zimbabwe       0

Cricket World Ratings 2nd August 2017

 In recent years, almost all test matches played in England have been one-sided, and the current series where the hosts are taking on South Africa is to date no exception: three matches in, England lead 2-1, but all three games have been won by over 200 runs.  Both teams are struggling for consistency in their batting, especially once the chips are down. India, meanwhile, aren't struggling at all; and a recent win over Sri Lanka has taken them to their highest ever rating. The current ratings are as follows:

India         199  +7
Australia     115    
South Africa  109 -23
England        58 +23
New Zealand    53    
Pakistan        8   
Sri Lanka      -5  -7
West Indies   -64    
Bangladesh   -145    
Zimbabwe     -328

And there's one match left to play in both series.