Cricket World Ratings 28th July 2022

 

Sri Lanka have recently played 2 short series at home, against first Australia and then Pakistan; and in both cases, they responded to defeat in their first test by winning their second. The victory over Pakistan has exactly undone the effect of their previous defeat in my rankings, returning both teams to exactly where they were before either match.  Another way of putting this is that Pakistan's prior lead of 49 points almost exactly offset their disadvantage of playing away: a drawn series was the expected result.

1. India         217 
   
2. Australia     214 
   
3. South Africa  173 
   
4. England       157
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Pakistan      111 -23
7. Sri Lanka      62 +23   
8. West Indies     8   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

The official ratings have moved slightly in Sri Lanka's favour, and against Pakistan.  Oddly, the series against Australia had not been recorded when I last consulted these, but now it has been, it hasn't affected Australia's score.  Although the official ratings, and mine, are generally in broad concurrence, their are oddities in the official system such that it's behaviour isn't always transparent:

1. Australia     128 
   
2. India         114 
   
3. South Africa  110
4. England       100 
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       92 -1
7. Sri Lanka      83 +1 
   
8. West Indies    67 
9. Bangladesh     48    
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

The next test cricket will be played in England, when South Africa will tour starting mid August.

Cricket World Ratings 21st July 2022

 Sri Lanka have just won a great victory over Australia, and now they entertain Pakistan; but the visitors finished their first test strongly to grab the win.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. India         217 
   
2. Australia     214 
   
3. South Africa  173 
   
4. England       157 
5. Pakistan      134 +23
   
6. New Zealand   125   
7. Sri Lanka      39 -23   
8. West Indies     8   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

The two sides play a second test starting on Sunday.

Cricket World Ratings 11th July 2022

Australia's form has been pretty good recently, and they won their first game on their tour of Sri Lanka, but their hosts have just got a convincing victory in the second game to level the series.  The effect on my world ratings is to restore India, by default, to first place, in spite of their recent loss to England:

1. India         217 
   
2. Australia     214 -31
   
3. South Africa  173 
   
4. England       157 
5. New Zealand   125
   
6. Pakistan      111  
7. Sri Lanka      62 +31   
8. West Indies     8   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

I'm still waiting to see what effect this will have on the official rankings. Sri Lanka will have another chance to move upwards when Pakistan are their next visitors later this month.

Cricket World Ratings 5th July 2022

England's recent revival has now delivered it's fourth, and most surprising, victory.  In an extra test against India (technically the last test of last year's series, which was postponed due to COVID-19), England have pulled off their fourth consecutive, and historically largest, run chase, again at a very rapid rate of scoring.  Meanwhile, Australia have won the first of their two scheduled matches in Sri Lanka.  My world ratings now look like this, with Australia going top: 

1. Australia     245 +13
   
2. India         217 -24
   
3. South Africa  173 
   
4. England       157 +24
5. New Zealand   125
   
6. Pakistan      111  
7. Sri Lanka      31 -13   
8. West Indies     8   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

Australia's latest win hasn't been counted yet in the official ratings (which are only updated at the end of series), but the team were already on top, and the two pecking orders are now in perfect alignment:

1. Australia     128 
   
2. India         114  -5
   
3. South Africa  110
4. England       100  +3
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       93
7. Sri Lanka      82 
   
8. West Indies    67 
9. Bangladesh     48    
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

Sri Lanka get another crack at Australia, then they will host Pakistan; subsequently, South Africa will play three tests at the end of the English summer.

Cricket World Ratings 28th June 2022

After a dreadful run, England have just walloped New Zealand in three straight tests.  In all matches the visitors put up a credible performance; but when the ball stopped moving, England simply smashed it out the park.  At times it didn't feel much like test cricket, but you couldn't say the approach didn't work.  Meanwhile, Bangladesh have gone to the West Indies, but lost both matches they played there.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. India         241 
   
2. Australia     232 
3. South Africa  173 
   
4. England       133 +18 
5. New Zealand   125 -18
   
6. Pakistan      111  
7. Sri Lanka      44   
8. West Indies     8 +17  
   
9. Bangladesh   -145 -17       
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

The official ratings look like this.  The decline in the West Indies ratings is something I can't explain; did I copy down the wrong number when I last assembled the list?

1. Australia     128 
   
2. India         119
3. South Africa  110
4. New Zealand   100 -11
5. England        97  +9
6. Pakistan       93
7. Sri Lanka      82 
   
8. West Indies    67 -10 
9. Bangladesh     48  -3  
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

Australia play in Sri Lanka early next month.

Cricket World Ratings 14th June 2022

 After a dreadful run, England are actually having some fun this summer, having beaten New Zealand two matches in a row by turning on the style in the final innings.  In the 2nd test, they came back having conceded over 500 first innings runs, powering to victory with some rampant hitting on a flat pitch.  There's still one match to play, but the series is England's, and my world ratings now look like this (a third win and England would overtake their visitors):

1. India         241 
   
2. Australia     232 
3. South Africa  173
4. New Zealand   143 -21 
5. England       115 +21 
6. Pakistan      111  
7. Sri Lanka      44   
8. West Indies    -9   
   
9. Bangladesh   -128       
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

Cricket World Ratings 5th June 2022

 

After a dreadful run (11 defeats and just one victory in 17 matches) England have finally won a test, a topsy-turvey home game against New Zealand which cleared up none of their selection dilemmas but did amount to a hurrah for their old guard, with Root, Stokes, Anderson and Broad all contributing to the victory.  My cricket world ratings now look like this:

1. India         241 
   
2. Australia     232 
3. South Africa  173
4. New Zealand   164 -25   
   
5. Pakistan      111  
6. England        94 +25 
   
7. Sri Lanka      44   
8. West Indies    -9   
   
9. Bangladesh   -128       
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339
    

England actually hosted New Zealand twice last year, this time it's a three match series, and it's still very much game on.  The next match starts on Friday.