Test Cricket Ratings 27th January 2025

The West Indies have had a rather barren time of things lately; but have just drawn a series in Pakistan, winning the 2nd test of their series having lost the first. The effect on my ratings is to bring to two teams somewhat closer together than they were:

1. Australia     271
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       12 -33 
8. West Indies   -18 +33  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81  
   
10. Ireland      -300   
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -333

The official rankings now look like this:

1. Australia     126   
   
2. South Africa  114  +2
3. India         109  -2 
   
4. England       105  -1
   
5. New Zealand    97  +1  
6. Sri Lanka      87  
7. Pakistan       80  -3
8. West Indies    76  -1   
9. Bangladesh     65        
10. Ireland        26  
11. Afghanistan    19 +19
    
12. Zimbabwe        0  -4
    

This table has clearly incorporated Afghanistan's recent win in Zimbabwe, but one of the reasons I prefer my system is that team's ratings do not change when they haven't been playing. However, the pecking order is almost identical in both lists, only the relative positions of England and India now being in dispute.

In two days time, Australia begin the first of two tests to be played in Sri Lanka.

 

Cricket World Ratings 21st January 2025

The West Indies are currently in Pakistan, playing a two test series; but they have already been beaten in the first game, a very low scoring affair.  The effect on my ratings is relatively small:

1. Australia     271
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       45 +12 
8. West Indies   -51 -12  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81  
   
10. Ireland      -300   
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -333

The series ends next week, when Australia begin another two match tour, in their case to Sri Lanka.

Cricket World Ratings 7th January 2025

Australia lost their first test at home to India last year; but have since recovered to win the series 3-1.  South Africa have just beaten their visitors Pakistan 2-0.  And Afghanistan have just won their first game since 2021, winning their second game in Zimbabwe after drawing the first, and thereby also winning their first ever series of more than one game.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     271 +23
2. South Africa  197 +16
3. England       171
4. India         167 -23
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       33 -16
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81  
   
10. Ireland      -300   
11. Afghanistan  -306 +37       
    
12. Zimbabwe     -333 -37

Australia sit dominantly on top of the pile. India, who recently lost at home to New Zealand, have rarely rated so low, while both of test crickets two recent newcomers, Ireland and Afghanistan, now rate above Zimbabwe. In the official ratings, the order is now as follows (possibly the results from Zimbabwe are not yet incorporated; also note the way that the ratings are calculated can see rankings change when teams aren't playing, as older matches get removed from consideration):

1. Australia     126  +2  
2. South Africa  112  +3
3. India         109  -2 
   
4. England       106  +1
   
5. New Zealand    96  -1  
6. Sri Lanka      87 -10 
7. Pakistan       83  -3
8. West Indies    75   
9. Bangladesh     65        
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

The next series to start will see the West Indies visit Pakistan.

Cricket World Ratings 30th December 2024

2024's test calendar has ended with Australia going one-up with one to play in their series against India; South Africa shaving a home win in their first game against Pakistan; and Zimbabwe playing out a high-scoring (and rather boring draw) against their visitors Afghanistan.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     260 +12
2. South Africa  180  +9
3. India         178 -12
4. England       171
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       41  -8
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Ireland      -300  
11. Zimbabwe     -305  -9
12. Afghanistan  -334  +9 

Broadly speaking, not much has changed over the course of the year. England, down 53, are the biggest losers; and Ireland, who won two test matches, the biggest gainers; but the overall pecking order has not changed by that much.  The 2025 season begins in just a few days, with the next (and final) game in all three current series.

Cricket World Ratings 18th December 2024

England won their first two tests of their current tour of New Zealand; the hosts, however, won big in the final game, although the series was already lost.  Meanwhile, bad weather consiged the third of the five game series between Australia and India to a draw; with the series poised at one-all, this one could still go either way. My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     248 -10
2. India         190 +10
3. South Africa  181
4. England       171 -21
5. New Zealand   148 +21
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

With the series in New Zealand now complete, the offical ratings look like this:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         111 
   
3. South Africa  109  
   
4. England       105 +2
   
5. New Zealand    97 -3 
6. Sri Lanka      97  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    75   
9. Bangladesh     65        
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

After Christmas, the series in Australia resumes; Pakistan play a game in South Africa, and Afghanistan have a game in Zimbabwe.

Cricket World Ratinfs 9th December 2024

Two visiting teams recently started series with wins, England winning their first game in New Zealand, and India seeing off Australia.  But Australia have now levelled their series (with three games still to go), while England have secured their three game affair by also winning the second test.  In fact, the top six teams in world cricket have all been in action this past week, with South Africa winning a one-off test at home against Sri Lanka. My ratings now look as follows:

1. Australia     258 +12
2. England       192 +26
3. South Africa  181 +10
4. India         180 -12
5. New Zealand   127 -26
6. Sri Lanka      73 -10
   
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

The series in Australia and New Zealand resume later this week.

Cricket World Ratings 4th December 2024

England were recently worsted in Pakistan, whereas New Zealand managed an epic 3-0 win in India.  But it's England who have just emerged victorious from their first test in New Zealand, whereas India bounced back by winning in Australia (in a series that is soon to continue).  Meanwhile, Bangladesh have come from behind to draw their series in the West Indies.  My ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     246
2. India         192
3. England       166 +30
4. South Africa  159
5. New Zealand   153 -31
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39 -33  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81 +34              
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

The official ratings now take in the drawn series in the Caribbean:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         111 
   
3. South Africa  105  
   
4. England       103 
5. New Zealand   100 
6. Sri Lanka      91  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    75  -2 
9. Bangladesh     65  +1      
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

The series in Australia and New Zealand resume later this week.