Having had time to consider the pros and cons of the new system...
It definitely looks more like my system than the old one, but IMO it (and its ODI cousin) are very, very close in formulae and rationale to the FIFA/Coca-Cola Football World Rankings.
Which we all know are insanely unpredictable.
There's been a change in the Test Championship formulation to take into account all Tests rather than the previous meetings between two nations....
What the hell's the point of the Ten-Year plan then?
With a regular pattern like that, and matches losing X% of their value every year, teams will fluctuate up and down the rankings depending on how recently they played Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Good system, that.
When formulating my system 4/5 months ago, we found five key points (off BBC.co.uk) that a ranking system ought to incorporate:
* There is no weighting for strength of opposition.
My system is heavily based upon opponents' strength
The Kendix/ICC system does this loosely, but most of the top teams fall in the same scoring bracket... Not impressive
* Form plays no part, with the last series between each pair of teams counting for points.
Covered this point above...
* So far, each of the 10 Test teams has yet to play all of the others, so comparisons are difficult.
Will even itself out in time, but is an interrelated flaw of any rolling league
* The results of series, not individual Tests, count for points, so a whitewash is the same as a narrow win.
Sorted in both the Kendix & Pickup systems, one difference being the series bonus the Kendix system awards. To me a 3-1 point split for a three-test series ending 2-1 isn't fair.
* Wins in home conditions count the same as those away from home.
Kendix 0-1 Pickup