And he usually reserves them for the big moments. Ashes series winning spells at The Oval in 2009 and Trent Bridge 2015 and now a Basil d’Oliviera series winning spell at the Wanderers.
Root’s century was terrific stuff in testing batting conditions.
India will go to the top of the Test rankings after this result.
Another top class performance from Broad today. With Steyn’s body seemingly giving up on him and Anderson in decline, would you class Broad as the best pace bowler in Test cricket at the moment? I think I would.
He seems to be the man in form. Today was the seventh time he has taken 5 wickets in a single bowling spell. Gamechanger.
In fairness to him, I think he has added consistently good performances to the devastating spells (first innings here notwithstanding, where he did seem to be suffering from some kind of a bug). Ever since he ditched that ridiculous effort to be an “enforcer” a few years ago he’s been much better.
Yeah he copped himself on. The way he is going and still not 30 he can pass Anderson’s wicket total yet.
These rankings are some laugh. England are the top side in test cricket but are only ranked 5th. England have won the last three series they’ve played against the top three ranked sides, 1. India, 2. Australia and 3. South Africa in the last 18 months and in an era when away series wins are increasingly rare have own on their last tour to India and now South Africa.
England have hammered India in the last three renewals of the Patuadi Trophy, 3-1 in 2014 (with England’s three wins by 266 runs, an innings 54 runs and an innings 254). England won the four test series in India 2-1 in 2012 and whitewashed India 4-0 in England in 2011.
I’m guessing a bit about the exact order of teams, but within that same 18 month time frame they have lost series to fourth and seventh places, and drawn with sixth and eighth. Their position reflects their inconsistency. I expect they’ll move up sharply enough though, they are travelling in the right direction.
Saffers ranking undoubtedly belongs to a team that no longer exists, but any ranking system has to rely on past results so will not quite reflect current positions. Especially when a team only plays a handful of Test series in a year.
Over a year and eight tests since South Africa last won a test match.
Not saying the system is perfect by any means, but I don’t think the case for England as number one is as cut and dried as you make out, for the reasons outlined in previous post. I also think that India’s ranking is inflated a little by the fact that they never have to go to the UAE, where Pakistan have been virtually unbeatable. It is tough to devise a ranking system for Tests though - you want to take account of teams all playing each other, but you have to go back a lot of years for some head to heads.
Pakistan coming to England next summer will be interesting actually. I think they’ll do better than people seem to be assuming, especially if Amir comes back to something like he was before the ban. Player for player, they look a team that no team would roll over in any conditions - shame they don’t get enough Tests. Though if the Yasir ban isn’t overturned, it will be an awful loss for them.
The ranking system is set by the BCCI, so it’s a crock.
I know South Africa are shit and really they shouldn’t be given the talent they have, but that was a superb victory again by England.
If they ever sort out the opening position, they could be very good over the next few years.
Fourth test under way at Centurion today. Leading off with a century from opening batsman Cook, South Africa in a strong position of 329/5 at stumps.
Australia 463/6 at stumps on Day 2 of the First Test in Wellington against the Number 6 ranked test side New Zealand. Adam Voges is 176 n.o. His test average currently stands at 100.33 overtaking the 99.94 of Sir Donald Bradman.
Cricket 
if we win this are we number 1 in the world?I believe we might be
that will compliment our number 1 ODI spot
Australia’s current ranking owes a lot to home and away series against both New Zealand and the Windies in the last 12 months - the 6th and 8th ranked side.
When the pressure was on in England last summer Australia folded.
The stats dont lie.are we 1 or 2 ?
Stats can lie from time to time in cricket. Adam Voges has a test batting average of 100.33. Sir Donald Bradman had a test batting average of 99.94.
Here’s the breakdown of Adam Voges 100.33 test match batting average.
West Indies
1st Test - Roseau - 130 n.o.
2nd Test - Sabina Park - 37
England
1st Test - Cardiff - 31 & 1
2nd Test - Lord’s - 25
3rd Test - Edgbaston - 16 & 0
4th Test - Trent Bridge - 1 & 51
5th Test - The Oval - 76 n.o,
New Zealand
1st Test - Gabba - 83 n.o. & 1 n.o.
2nd Test - WACA - 41 & 119
3rd Test - Adelaide - 13 & 28
West Indies
1st Test - Hobart - 269 n.o.
2nd Test - MCG - 106 n.o.
3rd Test - Sydney - Didn’t bat
New Zealand
1st Test - Wellington - 176 n.o.