Friday, 25 October 2019

Cricket world ratings 25/10/2019

A few weeks ago I predicted a good contest when South Africa toured India.  No such luck. India have just completed their third victory in 3 matches: they won the first game by over 200 and the next two by sucessively larger margins.  The current Indian team might not be the greatest of all time but at home they're simply awesome.  Their domination of my world ratings is clear:

India         256 +9
New Zealand   160 
Australia     159
England       151
Sri Lanka     113

South Africa  111 -8
Pakistan       80  
West Indies   -22     
Bangladesh   -122    
Zimbabwe     -252                
Afghanistan  -295
Ireland      -339

 

The grading system on the official ratings puts less emphasis on India's margin of superiority, but still has them clearly top:

India         119 +4
New Zealand   109
England       104

South Africa  102 -6
Australia      99
Sri Lanka      95
Pakistan       84
West Indies    80
Bangladesh     61
Afghanistan    55
Zimbabwe       16
Ireland         0 

Bangladesh will be the next team to try their luck in India, next month; that month also sees Pakistan visit Australia.

Sunday, 13 October 2019

Cricket World Ratings 13th October 2019

India have just won their second test (out of two so far) against South Africa; with only one match left, the series is won. The current status of my world ratings is as follows:
 
India         247  +9
New Zealand   160 
Australia     159
England       151
South Africa  119 -10
Sri Lanka     113 
Pakistan       80  
West Indies   -22     
Bangladesh   -122    
Zimbabwe     -252                 
Afghanistan  -295
Ireland      -339

After a while when no team has held a massive advantage at the top of the rankings (and South Africa were themselves top as recently as February), India have built a strong position for themselves. Their current rating is their highest ever, and only Australia have ever has a higher score, although, as a measure of their advantage over a hypothetical mean team, it is boosted by the recent grant of test status to Afghanistan and Ireland. Their lead over 2nd place, an alternative measure of domiance, is not yet a record (it was 110 points as recently as 2017) but isn't far off. It's worth noting that in 2008, Australia had a lead over 2nd place of 245 points, so there's still a way to go before all-time dominance is reached, but their number 1 position is hard to question. We will see shortly if they can complete a whitewash.

Monday, 7 October 2019

Cricket World Ratings 7th October 2019

Presently, India have a strong cricket side.  When they lost in the World Cup semi-final to New Zealand it was something of a shock, given how assured they had look previously; in test cricket, they are the top-rated team and have just won their first test in their latest series against South Africa.  There remains a suspicion that they’re not as good away as at home; they were well beaten when their test side last toured England.  On their own turf, they appear close to unbeatable.

The current status of my world ratings is as follows:

India         238 +11
New Zealand   160 
Australia     159
England       151
South Africa  129 -11
Sri Lanka     113 
Pakistan       80  
West Indies   -22     
Bangladesh   -122    
Zimbabwe     -252                 
Afghanistan  -295
Ireland      -339

The second test (of three) in the India-South Africa series starts on Thursday this week.