Cricket World Ratings 28th January 2024

Test cricket can seem a predictable game. The strong teams beat the weak ones; when two strong sides play, the home team are heavy favourites.  And the margins of victory are often large.  But England, touring India, have just come from behind to win the first test of their five match series, although India are near-invincible at home and had never previously lost a home game with such a large first innings lead. Even more remarkably, the unfancied West Indies defeated Australia to square their two match series.  Both games went down to the wire.  It's been a great day for demonstrating the heights that the game can reach in its longest form.

My world ratings now look like this:

1. England       250  +26
2. Australia     240  -40
3. India         184  -26
   
4. South Africa  155    
5. New Zealand   130
   
6. Pakistan       81
7. West Indies    17  +40  
   
8. Sri Lanka      -5     
   
9. Bangladesh   -117            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

Australia had been riding high, with a historically superb rating, but a home defeat against unfancied opposition has cost them dearly; and England have gone top.  It may not last: they also begun their last series in India in winning style, but ended it well beaten.  But they couldn't have hoped for a better beginning. On Friday, the two teams go again, white Afghanistan play a one-off match in Sri Lanka.

Cricket World Ratings 20th January 2024

 

Australia's test cricket team are currently quite dominant in world cricket; it is no surprise they have started 2024 with a big win against their latest visitors, the West Indies.

My world ratings are not much affected, though, as a team's ratings mainly alter after results that are unexpected (as predicted by the previous ratings), and there was already a large difference in ratings between the two sides. As no win is ever 100% certain, there is a small adjustment in Australia's favour as follows:

 

1. Australia     280  +3
2. England       224
3. India         210
   
4. South Africa  155    
5. New Zealand   130
   
6. Pakistan       81  
   
7. Sri Lanka      -5  
8. West Indies   -23  -3    
   
9. Bangladesh   -117            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

The second test starts next week, as does the first game in England's series in India.

Cricket World Ratings 6th January 2024

The new year has begun with a second successive victory for Australia over Pakistan.  But India bounced back after losing their first test against South Africa, winning the second in the shortest time (in terms of overs bowled) ever recorded.  

My world ratings now look like this:

 

1. Australia     277  +6
2. England       224
3. India         210 +27
   
4. South Africa  155 -27    
5. New Zealand   130
   
6. Pakistan       81  -6
   
7. Sri Lanka      -5  
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -117            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

The official ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     118 
2. India         117 -1
   
3. England       115
   
4. South Africa  106 +2
5. New Zealand    95 
6. Pakistan       92
7. Sri Lanka      79 
   
8. West Indies    77  
   
9. Bangladesh     51 
10. Zimbabwe       32 
11. Afghanistan    10
12. Ireland         0
    

India's dramatic comeback hasn't prevented them from losing their top spot, over half a year after Australia displaced them in my ratings.  Next to try their luck in Australia are the West Indies, whose first test there starts in 10 days' time.

Cricket World Ratings 29th December 2023

The year in test cricket has ended with two home victories: for Australia against Pakistan (they now lead the series 2-0), and, more one-sidedly (and surprisingly so), for South Africa against India.  My cricket world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     271  +7
2. England       224
3. India         183 -19
   
4. South Africa  182 +19    
5. New Zealand   130
   
6. Pakistan       87  -7
   
7. Sri Lanka      -5  
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -117            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

India still lead the offical ratings, but in mine, they've were knocked off the top in March, and I expect the official ratings to eventually follow. Given they also lost a home world cup to Australia in this period, it must be galling! Both current series resume (and conclude) early next year.

Cricket World Ratings 18th December 2023

After a long interval featuring the 50-over World Cup (won by Australia) test match cricket has resumed.  Bangldesh won a rare test at home to New Zealand, before the visitors squared the series; and Australia have just followed on from their one-day success by walloping their visitors Pakistan in the first test of this series.  My cricket world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     264  +7
2. England       224
3. India         202
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   130 -24
   
6. Pakistan       94  -7
   
7. Sri Lanka      -5  
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -117 +25            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

The official ratings don't yet include results from Australia, but have shifted as follows:

1. India         118
   
2. Australia     118
3. England       115
   
4. South Africa  104
5. New Zealand    95 -5
6. Pakistan       92
7. Sri Lanka      79 
   
8. West Indies    77  
   
9. Bangladesh     51 +5
10. Zimbabwe       32

The Australian series resumes on Christmas Day; the following day, India begin a potentially tough tour of South Africa.

Cricket World Ratings 31st July 2023

Australia have retained the Ashes.  They took a 2-0 lead against England, but the hosts fought back to draw overall, and were probably denied a victory in the 4th test by rain. All 4 of the results came in close games, marked by the sharp contrast in styles between the two sides. Elsewhere, Pakistan have won twice in Sri Lanka, while West Indies lost and then drew at home to India for zero net effect on the two team's ratings.  Overall, my ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     257 -22
2. England       224 +21
3. India         202
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan      101 +48
   
7. Sri Lanka      -5 -48 
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -142             
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

The official ratings look similar, only differing in the relative placement of India compared to England and Australia. Their latest update also takes into account Bangladesh's win over Afghanistan earlier in the summer for the first time:

1. India         118 -3
   
2. Australia     118 +2
3. England       115 +1
   
4. South Africa  104
5. New Zealand   100
6. Pakistan       92 +6
7. Sri Lanka      79 -5
   
8. West Indies    77 +1 
   
9. Bangladesh     46 +1
10. Zimbabwe       32

And now there's a break: with a 50 over world cup imminent, there's no more test cricket due until December.

Cricket World Ratings 9th July 2023

Before the Ashes, 15 of the previous 16 tests has ended in a victory; and only 2 of those had been won by a margin on less than 80 runs or 6 wickets. Granted, one of the exceptions was New Zealand's record breaking 1-run victory over England; but the basic fact is that a lot of test match cricket is pretty one sided. But England and Australia have now played three really close, pulsating test matches; and England's victory in game three, following two narrow defeats, keeps the series alive. My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     279 -25
2. England       203 +26
3. India         202
4. South Africa  163    
5. New Zealand   154
   
6. Pakistan       53 
7. Sri Lanka      43 
8. West Indies   -20      
   
9. Bangladesh   -142             
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

The next match in this thrilling (though often tactically perplexing) series starts on the 19th July.