Who's the true number one Test side?

India were top, they got whitewashed in England and Australia. England are top, they're getting whitewashed by Pakistan. SA will inherit the title, but they're not really that convincing either. Australia are seemingly on the way back, but were 20-odd for 9 a few months back and couldn't beat NZ at home.

It's all a bit difficult to make sense of... but who really is the best team out there?

Zimbabwe in a sprint. India in a marathon.
That's all the sense test cricket makes now.

I think our glaring ineptitude at playing spin is such a massive weakness that I'd be hard pushed to call us the best. We don't just have problems, we are probably one of if not the worst teams in the world at playing spin, Bangles and Zimbabwe included.

I've thought this for a while, it always seems to be spin that undoes us in ODIs, and this could be the start of it seriously impacting our test performance. Any team that plays against us should have a minimum of two spinners playing, we still have a fantastic bowling attack and on a non spinning deck our batsmen are up there with the best line ups in world cricket, but the weakness we have against spinners will ensure that we never become Windies/Aus dominant.

I'll tell you this time next year.

"Situation vacant"




As vacant as an England batsman's head, at present.

Brass Monkey wrote:I'll tell you this time next year.

I kind of think we will be having the same conversation then.

It's actually really great. I'm struggling to think of a time where test cricket has been so competitive, almost across the board.

I struggling to think of a time when test cricket has been so crap.

Maybe T20 is the way forward. Seems to be the average length of a test these days.

disagree Taips...I think that tests are just unpredictable...much of the cricket is interesting...I like it that most teams can beat another on any given day (tho the bannies do have a problem outside the subi-con and it looks like the english may have peaked and are in need of renewal

there are some good young batsmen and bowlers coming through in most teams

The Saffies I think have clearly the best array of bowling and batting talent and a good blend of youth and experience...just need to learn to deal with pressure

the english need to rebuild with KP and Strausser both clearly gawn but have some talented players and will stay competitive - if not number 1 - prolly 3 or 4

the bannies are the most interesting team...the 3 players who fought the hardest were the least experienced - ecoli, ashtray and louis...with the oldies on the way out their prospects they need more good young players to come through

the stannies have regrouped and in Miserable they have a great skipper

australia is going ok...if we can keep our good young bowlers fit we will be competitive ...our new NSP seems to have stopped selecting too many over rated NSW players but now need to unearth some young batsmen

Not saying it isn't interesting.. Just that the standard is so crap.

I don't think that is so clear cut - tho England being numero uno even for a short period of time would suggest mediocrity rules...

still there are a few champs around and many emerging players...pity (and mad) the Saffie v Oz series was just 2 tests...it seemed to provide some good cricket

one thing I do like is the better standard of bowling around at the moment ... and fewer flat tracks to inflate batting averages

Or poor batting

I can't think of a single occasion when a side has gone cheaply where poor batting wasn't given as the main cause. The poor bowlers are never given full credit.
Personally I'd expect Australia to rise to the top spot again before very long. I don't think England will sink to their old position either though. This 'Anything Can Happen' test cricket is great.

Bowling is certainly making a comeback, there's a few decent looking attacks out there suddenly. The era of a 30 average being world class might be coming to an end.

One of the major problems is the increasing advantage that home sides seem to have, more so in swing and spin friendly conditions. In some cases teams get off the plane and play the first Test almost immediately, and it's always hard to get a schedule that allows a team to acclimatise fully to unfamiliar conditions given the packed calendar.

Well they're all flawed but have their own strengths.

England's regression from an already woeful state against spin should bar them holding number one spot. Australia were on the ropes before they came up against a weak excuse for an Indian team. India are all over the place. Pakistan have got get some results away from home and South Africa are quite well-rounded team but always lack the self-belief to reach the highest heights.

"They're all sh!t" is winning so far!

I think if SA come over here and win this summer they will have a legitimate claim to it. Not a foregone conclusion though, it's always a close series and it will depend on how much England have their confidence destroyed or make panic changes after this winter in Asia.

I really think the Eng-Pak series is not a true indication. The wickets have been made for the Pak bowlers.

Pak would have easily beaten Aust and Saf on those decks as well - neither side having England's spin depth.

JGK wrote:I really think the Eng-Pak series is not a true indication. The wickets have been made for the Pak bowlers.

Pak would have easily beaten Aust and Saf on those decks as well - neither side having England's spin depth.

Although SA/Pak. played two draws at the same venues last year, albeit perhaps less spin-friendly. The problem with England playing spin is that they don't use their feet; AB and Amla for instance were roaming down the pitch with gay abandon.

It's a moot point as to whether or not the more even nature of test cricket means that the standard has gone down. Certainly more bowler-friendly pitches has exposed quite a number of the batsmen, but that's not to say the batsmen of the previous decade wouldn't have been exposed in similar fashion had the wickets been less flat and there been greater bowling depth. Suddenly there are a greater number of threatening quicks, so surely that makes test cricket strong if you follow the oft quoted adage about bowlers winning matches.

Before this current series in the Middle East, on balance England deserved to be #1 on balance of performances and they'll obviously regroup at home but they need to find a cure for the collective panic which sets in at the mere mention of spin.

SA has been the best travelling team over the past five years (wins in Pakistan, Bangladesh, England, Australia, West Indies, and two draws in India) but has regularly only been able to draw at home which is compromised its ranking. In contrast India and England have been very strong on home soil.

beamer wrote:"They're all sh!t" is winning so far!

I think if SA come over here and win this summer they will have a legitimate claim to it. Not a foregone conclusion though, it's always a close series and it will depend on how much England have their confidence destroyed or make panic changes after this winter in Asia.

They'd need to beat us first.

Eng deserve to still be #1
Its a toss up between Aust & SA as to #2

JGK wrote:I really think the Eng-Pak series is not a true indication. The wickets have been made for the Pak bowlers.

Pak would have easily beaten Aust and Saf on those decks as well - neither side having England's spin depth.

Not sure about that. SA plays spin better than England and Tahir would have also been dangerous in those conditions.

Big Dog wrote:Eng deserve to still be #1
Its a toss up between Aust & SA as to #2

Aye, one ordinary away series does not a failure make a side. India, on the other hand.

SAf on paper should be streets in front as no. 1 but we all know paper form and actual performance aren't always synchronised for the Yarps.

skully wrote:

Big Dog wrote:Eng deserve to still be #1
Its a toss up between Aust & SA as to #2

Aye, one ordinary away series does not a failure make a side. India, on the other hand.

SAf on paper should be streets in front as no. 1 but we all know paper form and actual performance aren't always synchronised for the Yarps.

SA's record is compromised by 4 bad matches, all in Durban. Otherwise we have been pretty solid all around the world.

As I would expect, taips. They are the side I am always amazed that we do well against (although we occasionally fall in a heap versus). As I said, on paper, they are the guns of world cricket.