World Test top 10

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

The West Indies team has not been as bad as people give them credit for over the past year and a half.

 

[Neil Pickup]

The West Indies team has not been as bad as people give them credit for over the past year and a half.

Shame they've not won much, really :P

 

[Bazza]

Thats why we have the ratings! Ratings, whichever one they are, follow some specific rule which rules out a lot of human biost and gives some credibilty. But they are not accurate as they follow pre determined rules. This is why every one seems to be putting India higher and England so low which is not there in the ratings. The forms dont change instantly but a good series helps. India has been an iproving side. They used to be squashed abroad. Then they won a test each in the West Indies and England which was a big achievment although they didnt win any of the two series. Now they have had a good series in Australia and are certainly on the rise. I would say so of Pakistan and South Africa too in terms of quality of their side which seems to be improving with each match they play. It will be very crucial how the NZL-SAF series turns out..

But one good series doesn't prove that India are suddenly a great team away from home. England won in Pakistan and Sri Lanka a few years ago but followed that up by losing in India, drawing in NZ and losing in Australia, so it would have been easy to say they were 3rd when it would have been an over-reaction. Same applies to India just now.

 

[Richard]

Absolutely true - neither do they give a true reflection on how a team would do in the future.

Are you saying that ratings are meaningless?

Are you saying that anyone's guess is as good as anyone elses?

I've been saying as much for the last... since I saw PwC, ICC ODI Championship and the revamped Test Championship.

Both actually are perfectly valid arguments - it's a little like an 'unofficial league table' really and should be treated as such - good conversation starter.

The old Test Championship was see-through and without inconsistency. The new one is about as unfollowable as any league table can be.

 

[marc71178]

The old Test Championship was see-through and without inconsistency.

It was the most flawed system ever known to man.

How long did SA spend as "Number 1"?

The new one is about as unfollowable as any league table can be.

It's like D/L - if you care to read up about it, it is a fairly simple concept.

 

[Pratters]

by Bazza -

But one good series doesn't prove that India are suddenly a great team away from home. England won in Pakistan and Sri Lanka a few years ago but followed that up by losing in India, drawing in NZ and losing in Australia, so it would have been easy to say they were 3rd when it would have been an over-reaction. Same applies to India just now.

One series indeed doesnt prove every thing but it can say that you are improving as a side. Look at India. We used to be smashed vs all and sundry. Couldnt even win in Zimbabwe! Then we won a test in England and Windies. Now we nearly won in Australia and were the better team. So its a gradual improvement, not a one off.

 

[Richard]

It was the most flawed system ever known to man.

How long did SA spend as "Number 1"?

Who cares? At the end of the day South Africa did what they had to do.
It's not the ends, it's the means that count to transparency. And it was a consistent system with consistent rewards for a consistent task - winning, drawing or losing a series, regardless of perceived strength of opposition and regardless of scoreline.

It's like D/L - if you care to read up about it, it is a fairly simple concept.

Yes, but it relies on fluctuating values. Just like it's ODI counterpart. Therefore in my eyes it's totally meaningless.

 

[Richard]

Why does everyone think England are rubbish? Well, I guess Giles and Batty as the leading spinners...:P

I know! Pic James Middlebrook!

Or Jason Brown. Has always looked good to me, he is one of the few English spinners who can turn it.

i was telling neil if i dont get through in nz because of biased selections ill come to england and bowl my offies ! which do turn more than the current spinners

Don't be fooled! No fingerspinner can turn it more than Giles! Don't judge similar bowlers on disparities in pitches.
Certain fingerspinners, Giles included, spin the ball as much as it's physically possible to do with the fingers. He will turn it as much as any fingerspinner if they use the same pitch.
LOD and Jason Brown might be able to turn it as much as Giles or Croft, but believe me, not more!

 

[marc71178]

Yes, but it relies on fluctuating values. Just like it's ODI counterpart. Therefore in my eyes it's totally meaningless.

So are you saying D/L is meaningless as well?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Shame they've not won much, really :P

I was referring to ODI cricket where we have competed in almost every game we've played.

 

[Shane Warne]

1 aus
2 sa
3 india
4 sri lanka
5 pak
6 NZ
7 eng
8 windies
9 zim
10 bang

 

[Neil Pickup]

I was referring to ODI cricket where we have competed in almost every game we've played.

Clearly, "compete" and "play" being synonyms, after all

 

[Langeveldt]

The West Indies team has not been as bad as people give them credit for over the past year and a half.

True, but they have played some very very inept cricket on occasions..

 

[Shane Warne]

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
The West Indies team has not been as bad as people give them credit for over the past year and a half.

classic

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Disprove me and I'll retract my statement.

Also, I'm honoured to be mentioned in your signature.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

True, but they have played some very very inept cricket on occasions..

I never claimed otherwise, but the improvements are coming in some areas... slowly, but they're coming.

 

[Shane Warne]

Disprove me and I'll retract my statement.

Also, I'm honoured to be mentioned in your signature.

you appear to miss the point. since when can you get "credit" for being bad?

 

[Neil Pickup]

You can be "credited" with anything as you can use it as a synonym for "attributed"

 

[Marmers49]

When New Zealand gets Bond back then we will go back to our deserved 3 and contest for no.2 spot - we will bowl sides out more often. WE ARE NOT THE 6th BEST IN THE WORLD!?! What a joke those rankings! We have 9 tests without a loss then loss one and we drop 3 spots!

 

[Richard]

So are you saying D/L is meaningless as well?

As far as I was aware D\L relies on values that remain constant. A large number of them, but surely it would be an unfair system if they changed game by game?
And surely anyone who knows what they're talking about agrees it is fair?