Cricket World Ratings 12th June 2023

The idea of the world test championship is that results over a two year period are used to determine the two best test match playing teams; and then they play off in a one-off game.  Of course, it isn't my ratings which are used to select the finalists, but in both events played to date, the two teams selected were my top two; and on both occasions one team was India, who have however lost each time.  A one-off match in English conditions isn't the easiest challenge for the Indians; this time, the victors were Australia, who will now go on to defend the Ashes against an English side who, in my ratings, have now overtaken India following this defeat.  My ratings thus look like this:

1. Australia     254 +15   
2. England       222 
3. India         207 -15 
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      43 
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -149           
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -349

The Ashes start in just a few days, but there's another match that gets underway first, with Afghanistan travelling to Bangladesh.

Cricket World Ratings 4th June 2023

The last time Irleand played England at Lords they very nearly grabbed a sensatonal win, before collapsing in their final innings. This time, they were walloped in the opening stages, and a spirited fightback couldn't prevent yet another defeat.  It's tough, trying to make it as a new team in test cricket; and so far, Ireland have had little in the way of encouragement from their results. My world ratings are based on comparing actual results to those expected from past form, and Ireland's defeat, heavily predicted, thus has had almost no effect on the table:

1. Australia     239
   
2. India         222   
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      43 
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -149           
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -349  -1

There is an update in the offical ratings to report as well,not based on this result, but a result of the way those ratings have fixed time periods built in, leading to periodic alterations.  This one acually makes the two lists less consistent, promoting India above Australia at the top of the list, although giving belated credit to England for their strong recent results.

1. India         121 +3
   
2. Australia     116 -6
3. England       114 +8
   
4. South Africa  104
5. New Zealand   100 -3
6. Pakistan       86 -2
7. Sri Lanka      84
   
8. West Indies    76 
   
9. Bangladesh     45 -1
10. Zimbabwe       32 +5

Next week, we'll get specific insight into the question as to which of the top two are really the best in the world, as the two sides meet in the world test championship final.  Last time out, India lost to New Zealand: can they do better at the second attempt?

Cricket World Ratings 28th April 2023

 

Ireland scored nearly 700 runs in their second test against Sri Lanka; and still lost by over an innings.  Their closest game in their brief test history was their only game against England, who they dismissed for under 100 but still lost to after being bowled out in their second innings for less than 40.  They get another go in June when the two teams meet again.  Meanwhile, their rating is so low that a defeat is pretty much the expected result each time they play any reasonably good team (especially when away from home): their latest one barely alters their score:

1. Australia     239
   
2. India         222   
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      43  +1
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -149           
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -348  -1

Cricket World Ratings 20th April 2023

 

After a long time without any test cricket, Ireland are in the middle of a sequence of three scheduled matches.  So far it hasn't gone too well for them, with big defeats against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.  My world ratings now look like this (not much altered, because the result was highly predicted):

1. Australia     239
   
2. India         222   
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      42  +2
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -149           
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -347  -2

A second match for Ireland in Sri Lanka starts shortly.  Will they finally be able to break their duck and win a game?

Cricket World Ratings 7th April 2023

 

Since Ireland were granted test status, they haven't had the chance to play many games - in fact, priort to this year, they'd only played three, all ending in defeat. But they've just played in Bangladesh (and lost), and have two games in Sri Lanka to follow.  At some point, they will manage to win one, but for the moment, they continue to prop up my world ratings from the bottom:

1. Australia     239
   
2. India         222   
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      40  
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -149  +6          
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -345  -6

Cricket World Ratings 20th March 2023

 

New Zealand have just won the second test against Sri Lanka, completing a 2-0 series win.  My world rankings now look like this:

1. Australia     239
   
2. India         222   
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154 +10
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      40 -10 
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -155          
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

The offical ratings have changed similarly, although with characteristic asymmetry:

1. Australia     122  
   
2. India         119 
3. England       106
4. South Africa  104
5. New Zealand   103 +1
6. Pakistan       88
7. Sri Lanka      84 -4
   
8. West Indies    76 
   
9. Bangladesh     46 
10. Afghanistan    40 
11. Zimbabwe       27
    
12. Ireland         0  

In early April, Ireland get a chance to lift themselves off the bottom, when they play a single test in Bangladesh.

Cricket World Ratings 13th March 2023

India's series against Australia has ended in a 2-1 home win, after the final match was drawn. Meanwhile, two travelling teams have just lost: West Indies in South Africa, and Sri Lanka in New Zealand, the former in a one-off test, the latter in the first game of a two match series.  My world rankings now look like this:

1. Australia     239  +5
   
2. India         222  -5 
3. England       222  
4. South Africa  163  +6  
5. New Zealand   144 +12
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      50 -12 
8. West Indies   -20  -7    
   
9. Bangladesh   -155          
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
    
12. Ireland      -339

So the top three are currently extremely close, but Austrlia go back to the number one spot. Next week, the series in India and South Africa continue, while New Zealand face new visitors in the form of Sri Lanka.  The offical ratings have also been updated:

1. Australia     122 -4 
   
2. India         119 +4 
3. England       106 -1 
4. South Africa  104 +2
5. New Zealand   102 +2
6. Pakistan       88
7. Sri Lanka      88
8. West Indies    76 -2
   
9. Bangladesh     46 
10. Afghanistan    40 
11. Zimbabwe       27
    
12. Ireland         0  

This is the first time I have seen an official ratings list with all 12 teams in it; most interesting is that relative newcomers Afghanistan rate above Zimbabwe, which they don't in my list, although otherwise the pecking orders match.

The second test in New Zealand starts next week.