From 1877 until World War One
Between the World Wars
Post War to the WSC Revolution
The Professional Era to the New Millennium
The New Millennium and Beyond
Other Pages
Home Page
Article Archive
How the System Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Statistical Points of Interest
Current and Future Series Predictions
Links
Site Map
Information for Visiting Webmasters
Contact Us
Get Free e-mail ratings updates
Australia was always expected to do well during the three Test tour of New Zealand.� The Australians began the series as the only team to have reached 1250 points in the Test Cricket Ratings, while New Zealand was ranked a lowly seventh with 1021 points.
The series would have easily ended three to nil in favour of the tourists if bad weather not so severely interfered in the second Test.� Only 238 of the possible 450 overs (53 per cent) were bowled in the second Test.� When play was abandoned part way through the final day, New Zealand was 3 for 48, needing an unlikely 400 more runs to force Australia to bat again.
New Zealand was virtually left shell-shocked.� They lost the first and third Tests by nine wickets and were never really competitive.� New Zealand managed to limit Hayden and Clarke.� However, the Black Caps inability to close down Ponting, Martyn and especially Gilchrist, who averaged 171.5 in three innings, led to massive first innings totals by Australia.� With McGrath in perfect form with 18 wickets at an average of 15.7 runs and Warne with 17 wickets at 22, New Zealand had no answer with the bat.
Australia has now taken their rating to a record 1252 points.� The Australians are now 120 points ahead of their nearest rivals, England, who are ranked second with 1132 points.� Australia next faces England in a much-anticipated five Test battle for the Ashes in England in July.�
From a historical ratings perspective, Australia's nearest rivals are the West Indian team of (Sir) Vivian Richards.� While Clive Lloyd laid a foundation, Richards went on to lead the team to a rating of 1236 points, after the so-called 'blackwash' of England during March and April 1986 in the Caribbean.� From that point onwards, the West Indians were unable to match that rating and spent the next nine years slowly falling back to a rating for 1180 points.� West Indies rating then went into free fall toward their current rating of 967 points, their worst in history.
The Australians next nearest rivals was their own team in the post World War II period.� The platform was set by (Sir) Donald Bradman, who led the 'Invincibles' during a five-Test whitewash in England in 1948.� From there, Lindsay Hassett took the Australians to 1217 points in January 1952 after completing a four to one Test series win over West Indies.
From that point Australia dropped rapidly down to 1143 points during the mid 1950s.� However, a revival of fortunes culminated in Benaud leading them to victory in Pakistan in December 1959.� That win saw their rating rise to 1201 points.
These four teams represent the pinnacle of Test cricket.� No other team from any other nation has held a rating above 1200 points.� The only question remaining is how far the Australians can take their record before they peak.�
Following the recent series, New Zealand remains ranked seventh.� The Kiwi's rating has now eased back to 1019 points.� They retain a comfortable 52 rating point lead over eighth placed West Indies. However, New Zealand is now a distant 27 points behind sixth placed Sri Lanka, who they face next in a two Test series.
�
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1252); 2. England (1132); 3. South Africa (1124); 4. India (1077); 5. Pakistan (1063) ; 6. Sri Lanka (1045); 7. New Zealand (1019); 8. West Indies (967); 9. Zimbabwe (864); 10. Bangladesh (794).
