Herman's Test Ratings

Test team Ratings - a mathematical approach

If you are wondering how a Belgian can become a cricket addict, just put the blame on the BBC. Since we received the BBC on our cable back in 1983, I've been watching test cricket (remember that first West Indies blackwash?).

For some years now, I've been calculating a ranking of the test teams. These ratings are updated after every match.

These ratings have three parts : a Batting and a Bowling average, and a combined rating. The batting averages have been corrected by taking into account the bowling average of the opposition, and vice versa.
The Combined Rating is equal to the difference between batting and bowling average, multiplied by 20. This number shows the number of runs with which the side would win or lose a test match against average opposition.

As there are no other 4-day matches involving the full nations, nor between Zimbabwe and the associates, I have included the match Zimbabwe - Sri Lanka of November 2008 in these ratings

Herman's Test Ratings after the second test South Africa - Sri Lanka and
the first test Australia - India (2011-12-29) :

team	batting	bowling	rating	M	start/seas
England	45.30	30.07	+305	11.0	+282 (1)
South Africa	36.85	27.79	+181	8.9	+190 (2)
Australia	33.77	29.31	+89	13.8	+78 (3)
Pakistan	33.46	31.68	+36	11.3	-50 (6)
India	37.07	37.10	-0	14.6	-34 (5)
Sri Lanka	36.39	38.23	-37	10.8	-19 (4)
New Zealand	28.68	35.97	-146	7.6	-220 (8)
West Indies	27.80	35.64	-157	10.9	-135 (7)
Zimbabwe	29.47	42.03	-251	2.3	-274 (9)
Bangladesh	26.69	50.30	-472	6.3	-406 (10)
Average	34.09	34.11

M is the number of matches used for the calculation (actually the number of wickets fallen and taken, divided by 40). A match from last season counts for 70%, the season before 49% and so on.

I have calculated these ratings for the entire history of Test cricket.
You can find Ratings for the past few seasons here.
And here is a summary of these Ratings through History.

Check here to see some of the early reactions to these ratings.

Here are some of the questions raised by these people, and my answers to them.

My other Cricket Pages are here.
If you want to check my other intrests, in particular the wonderful sport of Bridge, you may pass through my Home Page, or link directly to my Bridge page.

Written 1996 - Last Modified : 2011-12-29