Cricket World Ratings 30th December 2021

England are currently in free-fall, three-nil down after three tests of their five match series in Australia.  India, meanwhile, have proven it is possible to win away from home, defeating South Africa in the first test of their three match series.  My world ratings nwo look like this:

1. India         285 +15  
   
2. New Zealand   248 
   
3. Australia     213  +9
4. Pakistan      131 
5. England       104 -10
6. South Africa   89 -15  
   
7. Sri Lanka      45 
8. West Indies   -45   
   
9. Bangladesh   -149    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339  

In addition to the continuation of the two current series, Bangladesh will travel to New Zealand for a one-off match in the new year.

Cricket World Ratings 20th December 2021

England have had a tough year, playing India away then at home, New Zealand at home, and now Australia away.  Those countries are arguably the three best teams in the world right now; one thing this schedule has clearly demonstrated is that England just aren't as good, and they've been racking up lots of defeats.  In their latest series, they're now 2-0 down with three to play, needing to win the series to regain the Ashes.  It would take a brave man to bet on this happening.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. India         270  
   
2. New Zealand   248 
   
3. Australia     202  +12
4. Pakistan      131 
5. England       114  -12
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      45 
8. West Indies   -45   
   
9. Bangladesh   -149    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339  

And based on their showing so far, England will fear there are more defeats to come.

Cricket World Ratings 11th December 2021

The summer cricket season ended suddenly, with India withdrawing from their last scheduled game against England, due to COVID threat.  But after an interval, there's been quite a lot of test cricket in the last few weeks.  Sri Lanka won both games in a two-match home series against the West Indies; New Zealand drew, then lost, on tour in India; Pakistan won a couple of games in Bangladesh; and Australia begun their home defence of the ashes with a win.  The effect on my world ratings is as follows:

1. India         270  +10
   
2. New Zealand   248  -12
   
3. Australia     190  +13
   
4. Pakistan      131  +19
5. England       126  -14
   
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      45  +25
8. West Indies   -45  -25 
   
9. Bangladesh   -149    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303  -20
    
12. Ireland      -339   -1
    

So India regain top place, and a misfiring England drop below Pakistan.  The official ratings currently look like this:

1. India         124 +5
2. New Zealand   121 -5
   
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 
5. Pakistan       93 +1
   
6. South Africa   88 
7. Sri Lanka      83 +5
   
8. West Indies    75 -5
9. Bangladesh     47 -2 
   
10. Zimbabwe       31  

So they also show India back in the lead, although as yet England still feature in a relatively strong fourth. Otherwise, the orders are in agreement.  England now have four more games to redeem themselves against the Aussies; India have a potentially testing tour to South Africa starting later in the month.

Cricket World Ratings 7th September 2021

The England-India series currently underway is proving to be an exciting one; but India seem to have more strength in depth, and resillience, than their hosts. England won the third test; but India had the better of the first (drawn) match, and have now twice one games by skittling England on the final day.  My cricket world ratings now look like this:

1. New Zealand   260  
2. India         258 +21
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       140 -21
5. Pakistan      112    
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -20  
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

The final match of a compressed series starts on Friday.

Cricket World Ratings 28th August 2021

Before today, England had lost four of their last five games against India, and would probably have lost the other one as well if not for bad weather.  But an Indian first innings collapse at Headingly, and yet more runs for Joe Root, have levelled the current series with two still to play.  My world ratings are affected as follows:

1. New Zealand   260  
2. India         237 -25
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       161 +25
5. Pakistan      112    
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -20  
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

India lose their recently acquired top place; while England regain some of the ground lost from their recent poor results (in early February they had 226 points and briefly held first place).

Cricket World Ratings 25th August 2021

Five defeats and two draws in seven games is a painful record, but that's England's recent run, albeit while playing tough oppposition in NewZealand and India.  The team's latest defeat has come at home to the latter, collapsing in a game they were at one time favourites to win.  Meanwhile, Pakistan have lost one, won one, in a two test series in the West Indies.

My world ratings now look like this, with India's win taking them back top:

1. India         262 +20 
   
2. New Zealand   260 
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       136 -20
5. Pakistan      112  -6  
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -20  +6
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

And the official world ratings have also been adjusted, taking in the results from the Caribbean, but not yet from the incomplete series in England:

1. New Zealand   126 
   
2. India         119 
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 
5. Pakistan       92 -2
   
6. South Africa   88
7. West Indies    80 +2 
8. Sri Lanka      78
9. Bangladesh     49  
   
10. Zimbabwe       31  

England and India resume their five match series today.

Cricket World Ratings 8th August 2021

England were briefly top of the world in my world ratings at the end of last yeat, having won a rare away test in India.  The home side then delivered a triple revenge, and back at home, England have also lost to New Zealand (who have since beaten India in the inaugural world test championship final).  Now they face India once more, this time with home advantage.  But the Indians look super-strong, and with such strength in depth, could easily win in the UK.  They had eked out a definite advantage in the first test before rain prevented a result.  England's hopes seem to very must rest on their captain, Root.

Within India the higher-rated team, but England having home advantage, the draw has almost no effect on my ratings. In other words, the difference in the two team's ratings is almost exactly sufficient to offset home advantage when it comes to predicting a result.  The mildy revised ratings looks like this:

1. New Zealand   260 
   
2. India         242 -1 
3. Australia     177 
4. England       156 +1
5. Pakistan      118  
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -26
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

Cricket World Ratings 12th July 2021

Bangladesh are currently in Zimbabwe, where they have just easily won the only test they will play on their visit.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. New Zealand   260 
   
2. India         243 
3. Australia     177 
4. England       155
5. Pakistan      118  
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -26
   
9. Bangladesh   -129 +19   
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280 -19   
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

And the official world ratings have also been adjusted. I had thought they were only affected by series of at least two matches, but it seems I was wrong: this means the results of the recent test final played between the top two sides has also had an effect:

1. New Zealand   126 +3
   
2. India         119 -2
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 
5. Pakistan       94 
6. South Africa   88
7. West Indies    78 
8. Sri Lanka      78
9. Bangladesh     49 +3 
   
10. Zimbabwe       31 -4 

But July is mostly empty of test cricket this year. India begin a series in England in early August.

Cricket World Ratings 23rd June 2021

 

All test matches are equal, but some are more equal than others.  The International Cricket Council recently instituted a system whereby the two best teams in the world would play off against each other, periodically: the first such match has just been played out between India and New Zealand and the latter, so cruelly robbed in the 50-over world cup, managed to win.  It's a great triumph for a small nation where cricket isn't even the principal national sport, and for a side with many good players but more notable for its team ethos than its stars.  Meanwhile, I had to change my algorithm to calculate the ratings, which had no previous facility to record a match played on neutral ground.  Fittingly, the win takes New Zealand top in my ratings for the first time ever. At the same time, South Africa have just completed a 2-0 win in West Indies, so my rankings now look like this:

1. New Zealand   260 +24 
2. India         243 -23 
3. Australia     177 
4. England       155
5. Pakistan      118  
6. South Africa  104 +20 
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -26 -20
   
9. Bangladesh   -148    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -261   
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

Oddly, the Test Championship doesn't affect the official ratings, which are based only on series of two games or more; however, New Zealand had already taken first place after beating England earlier in the month.

1. New Zealand   123 
   
2. India         121 
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 
5. Pakistan       94 
6. South Africa   88 +8
7. West Indies    78 -6
8. Sri Lanka      78
9. Bangladesh     46 
   
10. Zimbabwe       35 

The next test, in early July, sees Bangladesh visit Zimbabwe.

Cricket World Ratings 13th June 2021

Earlier this year, after winning twice in Sri Lanka then again in India, England sat briefly on top of my test cricket world ratings.  Since then, the team has lost four games in five, and two series, their latest defeat to New Zealand, who will now play India, their other tormentors, in the inaugaral world test cricket championship final.  Meanwhile, South Africa just secured a good victory in the first game of their West Indies tour.  My cricket world ratings now look like this:

1. India         266     
2. New Zealand   236 +24
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       155 -25
5. Pakistan      118  
6. South Africa   84 +24 
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies    -6 -24
   
9. Bangladesh   -148    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -261   
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

Meanwhile, in the official ratings, New Zealand go top, I think for the very first time:

1. New Zealand   123 +3
   
2. India         121 
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 -2 
5. Pakistan       94
6. West Indies    84
7. South Africa   80
8. Sri Lanka      78
9. Bangladesh     46 
   
10. Zimbabwe       35 

But both systems support the choice of the two sides who'll be playing for the championship.