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.

Cricket World Ratings 18th July 2017

The Champions Trophy, a one-day competition, occupied the first part of the English summer; but there are still seven scheduled tests, and the first two (of four between the home nation and South Africa) are now completed. In each game, the team batting first eventually won comfortably, England in the first game, South Africa in the second. It's an intriguing contest, England don't yet appear to have a balanced side (following on from their disastrous winter); South Africa are away from home and also possibly a couple of class players short (although there's certainly talent, as well as fragility, in both teams).  The remaining two matches are a very interesting propsect.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, who recently lost to Bangladesh for the first time, very nearly completed an unwelcome double by getting into a disastrous position against Zimbabwe; but came from behind with an epic run chase.  Moreoever, this is an isolated test, so Zimbabwe will not get another chance to prove their near-miss was no fluke.

So the current status of the world ratings are as follows:

India         192   
South Africa  132 -10  
Australia     115   
New Zealand    53   
England        35 +10
Pakistan        8  
Sri Lanka       2  +3   
West Indies   -64 
Bangladesh   -145   
Zimbabwe     -328  -3

And the official world ratings, which take into account the Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe test, but not the still incompelte England-South Africa Series:

India        123 +1
South Africa 117 +8
Australia    100 -8
England       99 -2
New Zealand   97 +1
Pakistan      93 -4
Sri Lanka     92 +2
West Indies   75 +6
Bangladesh    69 +3
Zimbabwe       0 -5

One odd feature of the official world ratings is that they divide up the cricket year into defined seasons, and when the new season begins, the old ratings get reset, with more dramatic changes than usual - so every team's rating has gone up or down since I last checked the list. Another point to note is that after these changes, the two lists are more in agreement than they were before.  Finally, poor Zimbabwe, who are both a weak team but who also get to play little cricket, sadly no longer have a single positive result that scores them any credit in the eligible period.  In my system, there is no theoretical limit to how low a team can be rated: their current score of -328 isn't quite a record (in 2008, they rated -334).  But the ICC system is grounded at zero, and that's where Zimbabwe sit right now.

Cricket World Ratings 15th May 2017

Pakistan have now completed their test series in the West Indies: they lost the 2nd test, but won the first and the last, to take a series victory overall.  The series marks the last appearance of two of their great batsmen, Younis Khan and their almost 43-year old captain Misbah ul-Haq, who managed a half-century in his final test.  These two evergreen veterans will be sorely missed, but leave behind great contributions: Younis made 10,000 runs at an excellent average of 52, while Misbah made 5000 at 44, and almost all past the age of 35.  The result leaves the rankings as follows:

India         192    
South Africa  142    
Australia     115    
New Zealand    53    
England        25    
Pakistan        8 +15  
Sri Lanka      -1    
West Indies   -64 -15  
Bangladesh   -145    
Zimbabwe     -325

And there's now a break from test cricket until July, when England host South Africa, a tough series for the home side and the first under their new captain Joe Root.

Cricket World Ratings 8th May 2017

 For over a decade (centred on the 1980s), the West Indies dominated international cricket, but the last 20 years have been tough for them; and recently, only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have rated lower than the West Indians in my cricket world ratings. Indeed, the last time the West Indians were higher than 8th in the pecking order was late 2013, which is quite notable given the effect that a single good series can have - in other words, it's been a long time since the West Indies last had a really good series.  But they have just won a good, comeback victory in their second (home) test against Pakistan, keeping the series open and lifting them back towards the other top nations (though not yet out of eigth place - they need a whole good series, and not just an isolated win, for that).  As for Pakistan, they very brielfy held top place in the official world rankings (though not in mine) at the end of last summer; but it hasn't been a great winter for them, and they now sit just one place, and 42 points, above their current opponents.

India         192    
South Africa  142    
Australia     115    
New Zealand    53    
England        25    
Sri Lanka      -1    
Pakistan       -7 -22  
West Indies   -49 +22 
Bangladesh   -145   
Zimbabwe     -325

The decider in this 3 match series will be played this week.