Cricket World Ratings 28th January 2019

England have been on something of a roll recently, with nine wins in their last ten games. But on paper, their team really doesn't look much like a test side. Instead, it's a side full of all rounders (including two non-keeping wicket keepers!), and while it can sparkle on its day, it hasn't yet acquired that look of invincibility that really great sides have; and in fact, has just been badly beaten in the first match of its current tour to the West Indies.  Meanwhile, another series has begun with a home win, as struggling Australia have seen off an even-more-struggling Sri Lanka.  In my cricket world ratings, this has the effect of leaving South Africa in first place, as follows:
  
South Africa  207  
India         204 
England       187 -35  
New Zealand   141
Australia     123 +15 
Pakistan       80
Sri Lanka      67 -15
West Indies   -12 +34   
Bangladesh    -73   
Zimbabwe     -252    
Ireland      -320    
Afghanistan  -352

Both series resume at the end of the week.

Cricket World Ratings 17th January 2019

India have recently won their first ever test series in Australia; England beat India at home this summer, then cruised to victory in Sri Lanka; and South Africa, who also beat India not too long ago, have just completed a convincing 3-0 home demolition of Pakistan.  In my cricket world ratings, all three sides have very similar scores right now, and it's genuinely hard to assert than any one of them is unambiguously the best in the world. But it is fairly clear that this trio defines the current top three.

England       221    
South Africa  207  +9
India         204         
New Zealand   141
Australia     108     
Sri Lanka      82 
Pakistan       80  -9
West Indies   -46   
Bangladesh    -73   
Zimbabwe     -252    
Ireland      -320    
Afghanistan  -352

The offical ratings are similar, although they put India clearly ahead and credit New Zealand with being a little closer to the leaders:

India        116
South Africa 110 +4  
England      108  
New Zealand  107  
Australia    101 
Sri Lanka     91
Pakistan      88 -4   
West Indies   70    
Bangladesh    69   
Zimbabwe      13

Two new series start before the month's end: England visit the West Indies, while Sri Lanka will try their luck in Australia.

Cricket World Ratings 8th January 2019

The end of India's final test in Australia was washed out.  India had had the better chance of winning; but they'll still be quite happy, as the draw ensured a famous series victory, amazingly their first ever in Australia.  Meanwhile, South Africa have beaten Pakistan for the second game in succession.  The latest version of my cricket world ratings looks like ths:

England       221    
India         204  -1   
South Africa  198 +11   
New Zealand   141
Australia     108  +1
Pakistan       89 -11   
Sri Lanka      82   
West Indies   -46   
Bangladesh    -73   
Zimbabwe     -252    
Ireland      -320    
Afghanistan  -352

Interestingly, India's 98 point advantage going into the final test almost exactly balanced Australia's home advantage under my system, so a draw almost exactly matched the theoretically expected result, and hardly altered the ratings of the two teams.


With the completion of the series down under, the official ratings now look like this:

India        116
England      108
New Zealand  107 
South Africa 106 
Australia    101 -1
Pakistan      92  
Sri Lanka     91 
West Indies   70  
Bangladesh    69   
Zimbabwe      13

Because the ICC ratings don't account for home advantage, Australia's series loss (not just the drawn final test), which the official ratings count as a single event (whereas mine count each test separately), make surprisingly little difference to the scores.

Pakistan's third test in South Africa starts on Friday.