After a comprehensive series victory over New Zealand, Australia has risen to the top of the ICC Test rankings.
Do Steve Smith and his men deserve such a lofty position, I hear you ask?
Probably, such is the convoluted method by which the rankings are formulated it is difficult to form an argument against the team currently in the best form. And currently, that team is Australia.
Having said that, quite how India managed to reach the peak takes some explaining given they shouldn’t even bother travelling to the western world, such is their distaste for overseas assignments. But there you go.
Anyway, back to the original point. You can only play to the system placed in front of you and so by that measure the Aussies are now the world leaders.
If you win enough games you’ll climb the ladder and that is exactly what they have done. If my maths is correct, 10 wins have been accrued since the start of the West Indies skirmish last year, alongside just three defeats.
That isn’t form to be sniffed at and although the three losses saw the Ashes handed back to where they belong (come on, you know that makes sense!) the rankings consider the accumulation of individual results and not the series they form a part of.
That is why England, with more eye-catching results against Australia and South Africa away, have been hampered by their five losses to West Indies (one), New Zealand (one), Australia (two) and South Africa (one).
It is also the reason South Africa, for so long consistently the best side in the world by some distance, have paid for such a dismal turn in form in India and then against England.
With such a mish-mash of a fixture list and nothing that resembles a league of sorts with home-and-away series against all teams over a set period – that’s just international cricket, not necessarily a gripe – there is no definitive way of determining who is the strongest team over the short term.
It is a given that certain teams have been the undisputed number one – Steve Waugh’s Australia of the late 1990s and early 2000s and the all-conquering West Indies of the 1980s spring easily to mind but others you could probably take or leave.
Smith’s men fall into that bracket. On their day they are capable of beating anybody and there have been hints of the dominant style that characterised the great teams of not too long ago. However, there is still an inkling Edgbaston and Trent Bridge haven’t been completely washed out of the system.
Conditions that don’t suit tend to trip up teams short of greatness and until the day arrives where the sub-continent and England are conquered, Australia won’t be considered any more than a very good side.
Are they capable of ascending to such heights in the near future?
Of all the sides doing the rounds at the minute they have as good a chance as any and what they do have in their favour is the age of the players.
Apart from Adam Voges – just what has this man been taking? – there is little in the way of surgery that will need to be done in the next year or so.
This isn’t the ageing outfit that appeared in Cardiff, Lord’s etc a few months ago and if the selectors stick to their guns then there is a real opportunity for good and proper progression.
Joe Burns looks more and more like a Test opener every time he walks out to bat, Usman Khawaja has been reborn and Peter Nevill has slotted unobtrusively into his role.
Mitchell Starc could be the best seamer going around if his rise continues and Josh Hazlewood, who is a serious operator when he bowls the ball rather than puts it there, should be around for years.
Add to the pot the shoo-ins like David Warner, Smith and Nathan Lyon and there are solid foundations in place.
As to whether they remain at the top of the tree, that’s a question for another day. But as for right now they are looking down rather than up.
Are they the best? Probably.
Bakkies
Guest
England have to lose the series to see the Ashes go the other. All they need is a drawn series to retain them. England need to find another swing bowler. They seemed to have passed over Graham Onions.
Bakkies
Guest
'1. If Mitch Marsh’s batting gets to a low-40s average' First of all Marsh needs to start scoring 50s. Same goes for Nevill. Nevill needs to get some decent scores otherwise he will be like Healy with the bat.
Bakkies
Guest
Waugh and Ponting's teams had numerous world class players with the bat and bowling partnerships with the ball.
hari
Guest
A five match test series in India will cure you of such thoughts I suppose!
Chinmusick
Roar Rookie
I have to disagree wholeheartedly there. With the red ball he probably isn't the best in the country, but he has so much upside. His problem is that he tries to do too much. Always trying to hoop it a mile or bowl a miracle ball. If he just used his attributes and reigned in the control when the opposition started to get their tails up then he would be a nightmare to face. He's so quick and tall that he really just needs to bowl on a line and length if the ball isn't swinging and his pace and bounce will give anyone grief. Especially over the long periods that you have to face certain bowlers for in test cricket. I feel like he had realised that and then got injured. I think you'll find he is going to decimate all comers in the years to come.
Johnny Boy Jnr
Guest
India became No. 1 because the BCI controls the game. They are paper champions
VivGilchrist
Guest
Dangermouse, are you laughing at your own joke?
VivGilchrist
Guest
Yes, they should have belted the Kiwis 5-0 not 4-0. Pathetic.
VivGilchrist
Guest
One name..... Jake Lehmann. Guys that thrive under pressure are worth there weight in gold.
Norm
Roar Pro
I had no idea kiwi slim played for the black caps?
James
Guest
There is not much point having 3 spinners, you'd only take two spinners if you plan to bowl spin from both ends. Of course having bowling options from the batsmen will strengthen the team, but a third spinner is unlikely to add anything significant to the team. Maybe, you could have 1 spinner, drop marsh for maxwell and keep the pace trio intact. But i think it would be more likely that you'd play both Marsh and Maxwell with two pacemen if you are going to have Maxwell in the team for his spin bowling rather than his batting alone.
Mark
Guest
Smith is a half decent spinner, two frontliners and 2 quicks plus Marsh would be ideal.
O Reilly
Guest
0/130 versus the bottom side suggests otherwise and he has a poor economy rate compared to O'Keefe or even Agar, who have both bowled more overs on less responsive pitches
Jagger
Guest
They are every bit a number 1 as South Africa ever were.
Lancey5times
Guest
By my calculations you posted this comment about 8pm Friday night assuming you are on the Australian east coast. Therefore you must have started drinking heavily around 3pm. Congratulations on your half day Friday and enjoy your hangover
The Bush
Roar Guru
I agree - it's outrageous that any team which isn't England or Australia can claim to be the best when they haven't even won a single Ashes before.
danno
Guest
Should not be number 1 unless you hold the Ashes. Getting bowled out for around 50 was a disgrace. England should be number 1. Have a much better team.
Jerry
Guest
Yes, that is the result of the last 8. I'm not sure why you'd limit it to 'last 8' but then I notice it cuts off the first match of the 2010 series that Aus lost. Oh, and the entire series before that which Aus lost 3-0. Funnily enough that 'Last 8' starts just after a 5 match losing streak in NZ, what a coincidence. I wouldn't think it necessary to cherry pick when you're the #1 team and CWC champs but apparently it is still required. To be honest, I'm wondering what the point of your reply is. I'm saying NZ have over performed by matching - or in fact edging ahead of - Aus in NZ in recent seasons. What's the point of chiming in with your 'Yeah, NZ sure are rubbish...not a patch on Aus" when all it does is confirm my point? Oh, sorry I did I forget to say how much better Aus are?
SuperEgz
Guest
Go read the ranking system on wikipedia. Its all quite logical. I even managed to calculate Australia's rating before the table was updated.
jamess29
Guest
@soapit, they won their last two tours in oz