Cricket World Ratings 24th May 2025

Prior to their recent game, England had last hosted Zimbabwe in test cricket in 2003.  It's obviously good that the giants of test cricket sometimes face the minnows but the home side's innings win was hardly a surprise.  Indeed, my ratings, which adjust after each match on the basis of whether a team has exceeded or fallen short of expectations, barely touches the ratings of either side after this game, and they now look like this:

1. Australia     295 
2. South Africa  197
3. England       172  +1
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      49 
7. Pakistan       12  
8. West Indies   -18  
   
9. Bangladesh   -115 
   
10. Ireland      -275   
    
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -325  -1
    

The next test is rather more interesting: Australia and South Africa face off on neutral territory in the world test championship final.  The ICC has a complex system for determining who gets to play in this game; but my ratings agree these are the two best sides in the world, albeit with some difference between them.

Test Cricket Ratings 2nd May 2025

Zimbabwe travelled to Bangldesh at a very low ebb, but surprsingly managed to win their first test.  The second test saw the home side level the series, but this expected result only marginally undoes the result of the first game (which moved the two teams' ratings each by over 40 points):

1. Australia     295 
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      49 
7. Pakistan       12  
8. West Indies   -18  
   
9. Bangladesh   -115  +6 
   
10. Ireland      -275   
    
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -324  -6
    

In the official ratings, Zimbabwe have also improved their score, although as it was zero before it could not have got worse:

1. Australia     127  
2. South Africa  112  -2  
3. India         109   
   
4. England       105 
5. New Zealand    97    
6. Sri Lanka      86   
7. Pakistan       82  +2  
8. West Indies    76     
9. Bangladesh     61  -4        
10. Ireland        30  
    
11. Afghanistan    19 
12. Zimbabwe       12 +12 
    

What would be more unexpected would be if Zimbabwe were to get another game result in their next game, as that is in England, it's played at the end of the month.

Test Cricket Ratings 24th April 2025

Recent positive results for Ireland and Afghanistan had dropped Zimbabwe down to last place in my ratings, in spite of their much longer test pedigree.  But they have just secured a surprise win in the first of two games they have scheduled in Bangladesh. This single result alone hasn't lifted them off the bottom, but it has certainly narrowed the gap between them and their nearest rivals, while setting back their horst who never quite seem able to break into the top eight.

1. Australia     295 
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      49 
7. Pakistan       12  
8. West Indies   -18  
   
9. Bangladesh   -121 -40 
   
10. Ireland      -275   
    
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -318 +39

A second good result for the visitors could change the order; the next match begins early next week.

Test Cricket Ratings 10th February 2025

Australia have just completed an effective 2-0 win in Sri Lanka, consolidating their first place in my world ratings.  Meanwhile, Ireland have just won an away game in Zimbabwe.  Their hosts have lost 9 our of 11 games since they last won a test in 2021. In my ratings, they've never been lower rated, nor have Ireland been rated higher:

1. Australia     295 +12
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      49 -11
   
7. Pakistan       12  
8. West Indies   -18  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81  
   
10. Ireland      -275 +24  
    
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -357 -24

Bangldesh did once have a rating of -370, though, so Zimbabwe's score is not quite the lowest of all time. Meanwhile, the official ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     127  +1
2. South Africa  114  
3. India         109   
   
4. England       105 
5. New Zealand    97    
6. Sri Lanka      86  -1  
7. Pakistan       80  
8. West Indies    76     
9. Bangladesh     65        
10. Ireland        30  +4 
    
11. Afghanistan    19 
12. Zimbabwe        0  

And that's it for over three months.  Zimbabwe can try to turn their fortunes around in May, when test cricket restarts with their visit to England.

 

 

Cricket World Ratings 1st Feburary 2025

Australia have started their two match series in Sri Lanka with a good win, further strengtheing their grip on top of my cricket world ratings:

1. Australia     284 +13
   
2. South Africa  197
3. England       171
4. India         167
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      60 -13
   
7. Pakistan       12  
8. West Indies   -18   
   
9. Bangladesh    -81  
   
10. Ireland      -300   
11. Afghanistan  -306        
    
12. Zimbabwe     -333

The second game follows shortly, alongside a one-off game in which Zimbabwe will host Ireland.

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.