Rise in rankings pays off for Black Caps
Aseries victory over Bangladesh in these three tests and it will be made official. New Zealand’s cricketers will pocket a US$500,000 (NZ$725,000) reward from the International Cricket Council next month, barring a Bangladesh boilover, and be recognised as the world’s second-ranked test side.
Not since the ICC test rankings began in 2003 have the Black Caps reached this lofty perch, and never before have they won four successive test series. A fifth beckons against ninth-ranked Bangladesh, already up against it without their injured stars Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.
India can’t be caught at the top and will receive US$1 million for a second straight year in the April rankings cutoff. Assuming they complete a fifth straight series win the Black Caps will hold second, ahead of South Africa (US$200,000) and Australia (US$100,000).
England, who beat India 4-1 at home in September and then steamrolled Sri Lanka 3-0 away, will be fifth and miss out by a whisker on the top-four cash allocation.
So are the Black Caps really the world’s second-best test side? And how did Kane Williamson’s men push past South Africa and Australia who each beat them in their most recent series, both home and away?
The rankings system allocates points for individual test wins, and bonus points for series victories. Wins over higher-ranked opponents gain more points, and defeats to lesser-ranked opponents are more costly.
South Africa showed that in their shock 2-0 defeat to Sri Lanka at home, which cost them five points and second spot, and opened the door for the Black Caps. England took a dive with their 2-1 loss to the eighth-ranked West Indies in the Caribbean which meant they missed out to Australia by a decimal point on US$100,000 for fourth spot.
Recent results are given more importance in the three-year window. The past year receives a 100 per cent weighting, and the previous two years are weighted at 50 per cent.
So the Black Caps’ test series winning streak, all against opponents ranked below them, didn’t earn them a huge amount of points (they’ve gained five since January 2018). But, crucially, they didn’t lose ground in a steady climb from their last series defeat to South Africa 1-0 at home two years ago.
New Zealand’s gripping third test victory over Pakistan in December to clinch a rare 2-1 away series win was crucial, and as it turns out, lucrative. It gained New Zealand three points, when a 2-1 defeat would have lost them four points and left them as low as sixth on the current table.
In the past 14 months India dropped eight points and South Africa six, while Australia got back to where they were on 104 after their 4-0 Ashes win over England in January 2018. Australia’s defeat in the South Africa sandpaper series a year ago opened the door for New Zealand to be ranked third at last April’s cutoff and they pocketed US$200,000, after the coveted 1-0 home win over England.
Of the top-five test sides New Zealand (30) played the fewest tests in the current ranking period, with India, South Africa and Australia in the early 40s and England a mammoth 53.
Player rankings are a good guide of a side’s standing, and a few Black Caps outside usual suspects Williamson and Trent Boult stepped up.
Williamson is ranked second in test batting behind India’s skipper Virat Kohli, and Henry Nicholls’ stellar 2018 saw him rise to fifth. Williamson, Nicholls and Tom Latham all made the ICC’s world test XI of last year, the first time three New Zealand players had done so.
In the bowling ranks, Boult is ranked sixth and new ball partner Tim Southee ninth.
After this Bangladesh series the slate is wiped clean and the new ICC World Test Championship begins in August, with the top two sides meeting in a final at Lord’s in June 2021.
The Black Caps face a tough start and by this time next year we’ll have the best gauge of where they stand in the test ranks.
In August they tour spin-friendly Sri Lanka, followed by two tests at home against England in November, then three in Australia including the coveted Boxing Day test in Melbourne. India return in February for two tests to wrap up a mouth-watering summer.
If the Black Caps could win three of those four series, there would be little doubt about their worthiness for a toptwo spot.
For now, the ICC bonus will be deserved reward for a consistent winning record in the toughest cricketing format where New Zealand have long been plucky mid-tablers.
New Zealand’s gripping third test victory over Pakistan in December to clinch a rare 2-1 away series win was crucial, and as it turns out, lucrative.
1. India 116 points
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❚ 3. South Africa 105
❚ 4. Australia 104
❚ 5. England 104
❚ 6. Sri Lanka 93
❚ 7. Pakistan 88
❚ 8. West Indies 77
❚ 9. Bangladesh 69
❚ 10. Zimbabwe 13
* Afghanistan and Ireland are yet to register points
Current ICC world test cricket rankings:
2. New Zealand 107