| Its a formidable challenge for cricket fans to agree | | | | the ICC from 2001, when the global test |
| who are the best teams in the world, and who are | | | | championship was inaugurated. But, the system didn't |
| the best current and past players. You might think | | | | take account of the relative strength of opponents, |
| that a sport that generates so many statistics could | | | | and a new test championship system was adopted in |
| easily provide the facts and figures to solve this | | | | 2005. |
| challenge, but it isn't so easy. The test playing nations | | | | This was devised by David Kendix, a cricket scorer |
| don't play the same number of games; opponents | | | | and an actuary. It works like a batting average - a |
| vary in strength, and there's no set representative | | | | winning team improves its average/ranking while a |
| period for calculating ranking points. | | | | losing team sees its ranking fall. Tests and ODIs use |
| For example, a strong side like South Africa might | | | | different variations of this system. |
| easily beat a developing team like Bangladesh in a 5 | | | | The "official" ICC-Kendix system is comprehensive, |
| match test series. But, how should that compare with | | | | but there are still several others that are based on |
| a hard fought series between say, India and | | | | points, ratings, averages or some combination of |
| Pakistan? Sir Donald Bradman had a test match | | | | these. They show that cricket records are a |
| batting average of over 99, but how should this be | | | | statistician's dream, but what do they all prove? |
| compared with today's stars of world cricket who | | | | The bottom line is that Australia are currently top of |
| play far more tests, but where a batting average of | | | | all the different rankings for tests and ODIs. South |
| over 50 is considered as outstanding? | | | | Africa are rated second in all ODI rankings, and |
| Various dedicated fans have developed rating | | | | England are second in all but one of the test match |
| systems to solve these problems. These rank | | | | ratings. The official ICC ratings give definitive league |
| individual players by awarding points or by calculating | | | | tables. |
| batting/bowling averages. Ranking periods range from | | | | So much for rankings, but there's far more to world |
| 18 months to a whole career. None are perfect, but | | | | cricket than number crunching. The "premier league" |
| the best known system was developed by Price | | | | of world cricket comprises ten nations who play each |
| Waterhouse Coopers (accountants), and is now used | | | | other in test matches, ODIs, the Cricket World Cup |
| by the ICC. | | | | and the ICC Champions Trophy. However the ICC |
| The ICC rankings rate players on a 0-1000 point | | | | World Cricket League includes 87 other nations who |
| scale, separately for tests and ODIs. They consider | | | | don't have test status, but do play ODI cricket. |
| the runs scored or wickets taken, the ratings of their | | | | These form five global divisions, and take part in five |
| opponents, the total runs scored in a game and the | | | | regional ODI tournaments. |
| match result. These rankings are a moving average, | | | | Kenya are the present WCL champions, and the six |
| so if a player's performance improves on his past | | | | members of WCL division one qualified for the 2007 |
| record, his rating increases. But, it reduces if his form | | | | Cricket World Cup, alongside the test playing nations. |
| declines. | | | | There are financial benefits for achieving test match |
| This is great for comparing current and past players. | | | | status and for playing in the world cup, which in turn |
| The calculations are pretty complex, but the ICC | | | | aids cricket development. So, the WCL promotes |
| player comparison tool does all the work for us. Try | | | | cricket development and offers non test playing |
| comparing Sir Len Hutton and Brian Lara, and see if it | | | | nations a route through to cricket's "premier league". |
| solves your after dinner debate about who is the | | | | The world test cricket championship, ODI rankings, |
| best. It's clever stuff, but of course it's only as good | | | | world cricket league and player ratings are relatively |
| as the rules for awarding rating points. | | | | new. Whether you love or hate them, they give |
| Team ranking systems are equally complicated. The | | | | cricket real global interest which is great for the |
| first system for test teams was devised in 1995 by | | | | sport. But despite all this science, will fans ever agree |
| Wisden, and awarded points for a team's | | | | who is the best? |
| performance in recent test series. This was used by | | | | |