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