Cricket World Ratings 19th February 2023

February has seen quite a lot of test cricket.  West Indies went to Zimbabwe, and were held to a draw in the first test, although they managed to win the second.  India, with home advantage, have twice beaten Australia; had the visitors managed to win, this would have been a major argument in favour of Australia's claim to be the best team in the world right now (a claim my rankings have been supportive of, but it's been close) -but instead the home side secured a win.  The third team who have been vying for the top spot, England, have meanwhile continued their fine run over the past year by winning in New Zealand, but India now sit in pole position.  The other interesting observeration is how far New Zealand have fallen; in 2021, they won the innaugaral world test championship and led the ratings with a score of 260, but it;s been harder going since then.

1. India         258 +31 
2. England       248 +19 
3. Australia     204 -31  
   
4. South Africa  149  
5. New Zealand   106 -19
   
6. Sri Lanka      62
7. Pakistan       53      
8. West Indies    -6  -3    
   
9. Bangladesh   -155          
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277  +3    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

The most up-to-date version of the official rankings looks like this:

1. Australia     126 -4 
   
2. India         115 
3. England       107
4. South Africa  102 -2
5. New Zealand    99 -1
   
6. Pakistan       88 +2
7. Sri Lanka      88 +5
8. West Indies    78 -1
9. Bangladesh     46 -2 
   
10. Zimbabwe       27 +2

The lastest results from India and New Zealand don't contribute to these scores, which are updated on series as opposed to match results (and neither series is yet complete). A third series will start before the end of the month, with South Africa hosting the West Indies.

 

Cricket World Ratings 8th January 2023

The number of draws in international cricket has been in sharp decline in recent years, but the new year has started with two of them, South Africa drawing a rain-affected match in Australia, while Pakistan and New Zealand played a close game in which all four results were possible right down to the wire.  The effect on my world ratings is as follows:

1. Australia     235 -12 
2. England       229 
3. India         227  
   
4. South Africa  149 +12  
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Sri Lanka      62
7. Pakistan       53      
8. West Indies    -3    
   
9. Bangladesh   -155          
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

Again, I note that my system predicts almost an exact 50% success rate for both teams when a home side entertains vistors with a 77 point advantage; so the draw in Pakistan makes no difference to the two teams' scores at integer resolution. Both series are now complete, but I'm still waiting for updates to the official ratings.  The next test will be played in Zimbabwe, with the home side hosting a visit from the West Indies.

Cricket World Ratings 30th December 2022

 Three tests were played over the Christmas period.  India completed a 2-0 away win in Bangladesh (although the results in game two was close); Australia drubbed South Africa again, and visitors New Zealand drew against their hosts Pakistan).  My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     247  +11
2. England       229 
3. India         227   +6
   
4. South Africa  137  -11
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Sri Lanka      62
7. Pakistan       53      
8. West Indies    -3    
   
9. Bangladesh   -155   -5        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

Interestingly, New Zealand's prior lead of 72 points over Pakistan almost exactly balanaces Pakistan's home advantage when it came to predicting the outcome of the match: with the two sides rated equally, the actual drawer has no significant effect on either of their ratings.  Meanwhile, the official ratings now incldue the results of the series in Bangladesh, and of England's recently completed win over Pakistan:

1. Australia     130   
   
2. India         115  +1 
   
3. England       107  +4
   
4. South Africa  104 
   
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       86  -6 
7. Sri Lanka      83  
   
8. West Indies    79  
9. Bangladesh     48    
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

There's one more match in each of the two current series to be played early in the new year.

Cricket World Ratings 20th December 2022

For England,wins in Pakistan has been historically rare events. Whitewashing their hosts 3-0, as they have just done, is virtually unprecedented, and England's latest triumph is all the more remarkable for the relative paucity of their spin attack.  Meanwhile, the Australians look in great shape, slaughtering the South Africans in just 2 days in the first test of their new series; and the Indians have won their first game in Bangladesh. My world ratings now look like this, with England now up into the top two:

1. Australia     236  +11
2. England       229  +17
3. India         222   +6
   
4. South Africa  148  -12
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Sri Lanka      62
7. Pakistan       53  -16    
8. West Indies    -3    
   
9. Bangladesh   -150   -5        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

There is also an update to the official world ratings to report, which captures Australia's recent win over the West Indies, but not yet the results of the series in Pakistan:

1. Australia     130  +2 
   
2. India         114 
   
3. South Africa  104 
   
4. England       103   
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       92 
7. Sri Lanka      83  
   
8. West Indies    79  -1 
9. Bangladesh     48    
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

Pakistan now have to pick themselves up against New Zealand, while the series in Australia and Bangladesh will continue over the Christmas period.

Cricket World Ratings 12th December 2022

 

Australia have just completed a 2-0 drubbing of the West Indies; perhaps more remarkable is England's acheivement, winning a second consecutive test in Pakistan. It moves them into a very strong third place in my world ratings, not far behind the top two: 

1. Australia     225  +6  
   
2. India         217
3. England       212 +19
4. South Africa  160
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Pakistan       69 -20
7. Sri Lanka      62    
8. West Indies    -3  -5   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

Next week, Pakistan get a chance for a shot at revenge (and the latest test was close enough to make that a real possibility; South Africa are Australia's next visitors; while India travel to Bangladesh.

Cricket World Ratings 5th December 2022

 After a few months off, test cricket is back. Australia have thumped their latest visitors (the West Indies), while England have won a test in Pakistan in spite of a very flat wicket, thanks mostly due to an extraordinarily aggressive approach to batting.  This attitude brought the team several wins while chasing over the summer at home, but to force a win batting first in Pakistan is arguably a greater achievement. In my world ratings, Australia's win is enough to put them into first place, a postion they already held in the official world ratings:  

1. Australia     219  +5   
2. India         217
3. England       193 +23
4. South Africa  160
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Pakistan       89 -22
7. Sri Lanka      62    
8. West Indies     2  -6   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

A second test in both series commences at the end of the week.

Cricket World Ratings 13th September 2022

In March, England's world rating was a poor 69, following a really bad run of results.  Since then, they've won six out of seven matches, dispatching three non-trival opponents: New Zealand, India, and now South Africa, although the latter did at least manage to win one test.  The net result has been a 101 point net improvement in their world rating, and an improvement from 6th to 3rd position.  The full ratings now look as follows:

1. India         217 
   
2. Australia     214   
   
3. England       170 +13
4. South Africa  160 -13
5. New Zealand   125  
6. Pakistan      111 
7. Sri Lanka      62    
8. West Indies     8   
   
9. Bangladesh   -145        
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

South Africa remain a fraction ahead of England in the official ratings, in which Australia, only in 2nd place in mine, maintain a commanding lead.  I don't know if I missed something regarding the West Indies, who appear to be much better ranked then when I last looked at the offical ratings for reasons that escpae me:

1. Australia     128 
   
2. India         114 
   
3. South Africa  104  -6
   
4. England       103  +3 
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       92 
7. Sri Lanka      83  
   
8. West Indies    80 +13 
9. Bangladesh     48    
   
10. Zimbabwe       25 

There's now a couple of months off in the test calendar: the action will resume when West Indies tour Australia in the autumn.