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South Africa has set a national record with seven consecutive Test victories.� They have the opportunity to extend that record in their next series in England.� South Africa's previous best was five consecutive victories, which they had managed twice before.
Because of this sequence of victories, South Africa's rating has increased to a new national record high of 1161 points.� Their new rating surpasses their previous best effort set two years ago by one point.�
Since their return to Test cricket in 1992, South Africa's rating has continued to climb except for ongoing maulings at the hands of the Australians.� In setting a new record highest rating, South Africa has recovered from their two series losses to Australia a year ago.
At many other periods in Test cricket history, South Africa's current rating would have been enough to make them the highest ranked nation.� However, South Africa has had the misfortune to have their own best efforts coincide with Waugh's Australians.� Throughout Test history, there have been three teams of significance: Hassett?s Australians (peaking at 1217 points); Richards' West Indians (peaking at 1236 points); and Waugh's Australians who are yet to peak, but will move to at least 1236 points after the Ashes series.
South Africa remains 'stuck' in second place in the ratings.� South Africa has a 99 rating point lead over third placed Pakistan while they trail Australia by 69 points.� Until Australia falls to mere mortal status of under 1150 points, the outlook for South Africa is to remain in second place unless South Africa itself goes into decline.� Based on recent history, South Africa is unlikely to be challenged by any of the nations below them in the immediate future.�
The series loss to South Africa sees Pakistan fall to their lowest rating in the last twelve months of 1062 ratings points.�
Pakistan has held a mortgage on second or third position in the ratings for most of the last twenty years.� With just 21 points separating the third, fourth and fifth nations, Pakistan finds itself at risk of dropping further down through the ratings.
Pakistan now finds itself in the position of having won only four of their last ten Tests.� They have lost the other six, three times by an innings and in two other cases by just less than an innings.
The Pakistani players are amongst the most talented group currently playing Test cricket.� However, evidence suggests that the certain player's availability for Test duty is directly linked to internal team division.� It appears there are two factions in the national squad ? those who support Waqar Younis, the current captain, and those who want Wasim Akram to Captain the team to the World Cup in February.
One thing is certain, a divided team is never a successful one.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1230); 2. South Africa (1161); 3. Pakistan (1062); 4. England (1059); 5. New Zealand (1041); 6. Sri Lanka (1030); 7. India (1029); 8. West Indies (1004); 9. Zimbabwe (902); 10. Bangladesh (818).
