Rank the test sides

[chaminda_00]

Reckon Sri Lanka really underated here and England over rated after one series. Out of sight out of mind for mine.

 

[pasag]

Australia won in SA, India didn't. India tour again soon, so maybe then. But I don't think you can be ranked #2 when you haven't beaten either of your competitors at their home while both of the other guys have.

Don't think too much emphasis should be placed on many of these past results as teams are constantly changing and quite dynamic and some of that stuff happened quite a while ago now.

 

[TT Boy]

Was the same after the rugby world cup. Boks won that but still were not regarded as number one and now that they are, they are playing anti-rugby and the rules should be changed.

When does India tour the Republic again? Thought South Africa were going there after the England series...

Sri Lanka also hasn't been to the Republic in ages, must be coming on seven years. Ngam was bowling then.

 

[pasag]

Yeah, whole world is against SA, global conspiracy etc

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah, whole world is against SA, global conspiracy etc

Not a conspiracy.

 

[kingkallis]

South Africa
India
Australia
Sri Lanka
England
New Zealand / Pakistan
West Indies / Bangladesh

 

[tooextracool]

Reckon Sri Lanka really underated here and England over rated after one series. Out of sight out of mind for mine.

The problem with SL is that they haven't really beaten any of the top 4 current test sides away from home in a series (not a one off test a la Oval 98) for well ......ever. If they manage to do that, I think they would be taken a bit more seriously in the rankings.

 

[chaminda_00]

The problem with SL is that they haven't really beaten any of the top 4 current test sides away from home in a series (not a one off test a la Oval 98) for well ......ever. If they manage to do that, I think they would be taken a bit more seriously in the rankings.

Maybe cus it been forever since we played India or South Africa away. Also we drew against England away last time we played them.

Since 2006 we have only lost one Test series against Australia. Can only play what infront of you and pretty much out played everyone with a few drew here and there.

 

[jondavluc]

South Africa
India
Sri Lanka
Australia
England
Pakistan
West Indies
New Zealand
Bangladesh

 

[wpdavid]

So I assume the official rankings mean **** now that SA are top of them?

Pretty much. Got a problem with that?


All I would say is the top 3 are so close that it's hard to be definitive until one of them starts really dominating. There'd be less discussion about no. 1 place if your boys hadn't stuffed up at home to Aus.

Based on recent results:
SA > England
India > Aus
SL > India
SA > Aus
Aus > SA
England > Aus

Make of it what you will

 

[tooextracool]

Maybe cus it been forever since we played India or South Africa away. Also we drew against England away last time we played them.

Since 2006 we have only lost one Test series against Australia. Can only play what infront of you and pretty much out played everyone with a few drew here and there.

draws aren't really good enough to be in the top 3 sides in the world though. SL also drew with NZ and WI away from home recently, two sides that are ranked well below them. Quite frankly' I don't really rate their batting and their bowling bar Murali leaves a lot to be desired (especially with Mendis currently underperfoming)

 

[chaminda_00]

draws aren't really good enough to be in the top 3 sides in the world though. SL also drew with NZ and WI away from home recently, two sides that are ranked well below them. Quite frankly' I don't really rate their batting and their bowling bar Murali leaves a lot to be desired (especially with Mendis currently underperfoming)

Drews are the nature of playing 2-Test series. But regardless it has been 3 Draws, 1 Lost and 6 Wins.

Compare that to the rest in the same period:
Aus: 7 Wins, 3 Lost
SA: 9 wins, 1 Lost, 1 Draw
Ind: 7 wins, 3 Lost, 1 Draw

If draws aren't good enough to be in the top three, then is three series loses in the same period good enough to be in the top 3 as well.

Don't really care if you rate their side on paper. But performance wise they have been as good as anyone.

 

[SJS]

Ranking purely by how I see the sides (not by who beat who when) I have no problems ranking the top three as...

1. South Africa
2. India
3. Australia​

and the bottom three as....

7. New Zealand
8. West Indies
9. Bangladesh​

With a full West Indies side, I would actually rank them joint 7th with New Zealand.

The problem is in the middle I will rank them but this is the most unpredictable lot.

4. Sri Lanka
5. England
6. Pakistan​

I am tempted to put England and Sri Lanka at par at number four but England, despite there recent Ashes win are the most inconsistent side. They have many problems in their team and the fact that they still managed to win the series is more a reflection on a new, uncertain, unsure phase Australia is going through than England's inherent strength.

 

[subshakerz]

Can't just rank them on what they do against each other, being the best in the world means you always get results, not just against the other top sides.

Before they lost this year to Australia, SA were unbeaten for 10 consequtive series, that's a pretty solid case of maintained form to be no.1

 

[tooextracool]

Drews are the nature of playing 2-Test series. But regardless it has been 3 Draws, 1 Lost and 6 Wins.

Compare that to the rest in the same period:
Aus: 7 Wins, 3 Lost
SA: 9 wins, 1 Lost, 1 Draw
Ind: 7 wins, 3 Lost, 1 Draw

If draws aren't good enough to be in the top three, then is three series loses in the same period good enough to be in the top 3 as well.

Don't really care if you rate their side on paper. But performance wise they have been as good as anyone.

Australia and India have been playing better sides in the period that you use though, thats the whole point. You can say whatever you want about 2 test series, but SL had to lose a test match in order to draw those series. AFAIC, until they start winning series away from home, its hard to see how they can be ranked amongst the top 3 in the world. They are probably comparable with England at this point.

Australia comfortably defeated WI when they toured there (and beat SA away from home) and have only lost 1 home series this decade. India have beaten NZ, WI and England away from home and have only lost 1 home series since 2000. SA have won away series in Pakistan, NZ, Australia, England and drew a series with India. Sri Lanka's home record is comparable to these teams but their away record is shocking.

Personally, I don't really hold out much hope for their batting away from home. They over rely on Jayawardhene and Sangakkara and whilst Samaraweera and Dilshan have potential, there is no one else that merits a mention. Other than perhaps Angelo Matthews but I haven't seen him bat in whites yet. The fast bowling stocks are ordinary as well and with Murali's impending retirement the future is rather bleak IMO.

 

[kingkallis]

Pretty much. Got a problem with that?


All I would say is the top 3 are so close that it's hard to be definitive until one of them starts really dominating. There'd be less discussion about no. 1 place if your boys hadn't stuffed up at home to Aus.

Based on recent results:
SA > England
India > Aus
SL > India
SA > Aus
Aus > SA
England > Aus

Make of it what you will

So SA is No.1

 

[aussie]

Didn't SRI draw in WI in 2008?. They really should have put them away if they can be considered a real threat away from away.

 

[aussie]

Agree with the greyhound. As much as not picking Hauritz was a blunder, the batsmen have to own that loss. What a poor collapse.

Seconded...

 

[subshakerz]

Didn't SRI draw in WI in 2008?. They really should have put them away if they can be considered a real threat away from away.

The last series of any significance that Sri Lanka won away from home was in Pakistan back in 2000, when Pakistan were still a formidable team.

 

[TT Boy]

Sri Lanka tour India in November but are not scheduled to tour South Africa until 2012. Ten years since their last tour!

South Africa don't host India until late 2010 but they tour India before Easter next year. Strange that South Africa would tour during their season, especially as they will only have four home tests this year against England but commercial reasons dictate.