Test cricket is effectively in a league, it is just not well managed, countries choosing who to play, when, what formats and how much. The "ranking" system takes precedence above all so you don't see a table which is a shame.
Test cricket needs a shake up, I think the kiwi 45 all out and humiliating defeat shows that. I showed in the tour thread that New Zealand and West Indies are weak compared to the top six sides, both have won just FIVE Tests each in their last three series against England, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka respectively.
This leans towards smaller leagues, put New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in a second tier with the top two non-Test nations. They wouldn't have to stay there, in fact it would be very interesting to see if and which of New Zealand and West Indies would get promoted.
So I decided to have a look at the "best of the rest". As they haven't got proper Test results to compare, I looked at their recorded ODI results as according to howstat.com.au
I'll put a table for the non-Test teams and their results at the bottom of the page. Results against Test sides is just out of interest, not really fair to include those as sides like Ireland will have played them more and be thus penalised. I'll also exclude results pre World Cup 2007 and only matches involving Afghanistan, Canada, Holland, Ireland, Kenya, Scotland and Test nations.
Afghanistan
vs PAK/AUS : P2 W0 L2
vs CAN : P5 W4 L1
vs HOL : P6 W4 L2
vs IRE : P2 W0 L2
vs KEN : P4 W2 L2
vs SCO : P4 W2 L2
Canada
vs AUS/ENG/NZE/PAK/WIN/ZIM : P10 W0 L10
vs AFG : P5 W1 L4
vs HOL : P3 W0 L3
vs IRE : P7 W1 L6
vs KEN : P8 W4 L3 N/R 1
vs SCO : P5 W2 L3
Holland
vs AUS/BAN/ENG/IND/SAF/WIN : P9 W1 L8
vs AFG : P6 W2 L4
vs CAN : P3 W3 L0
vs IRE : P6 W0 L6
vs KEN : P8 W7 L1
vs SCO : P7 W2 L4 NR 1
Ireland
vs AUS/BAN/ENG/IND/NZE/SAF/SRI/WIN/ZIM : P34 W5 L26 NR2 TIE 1
vs AFG : P2 W2 L0
vs CAN : P7 W6 L1
vs HOL : P6 W6 L0
vs KEN : P9 W7 L1 NR 1
vs SCO : P8 W6 L2
Three of Irelands wins over Test sides have been vs Bangladesh or Zimbabwe
Kenya
vs AUS/ENG/NZE/SAF/SRI/ZIM : P20 W2 L18
vs AFG : P4 W2 L2
vs CAN : P8 W3 L4 NR 1
vs HOL : P8 W1 L7
vs IRE : P9 W1 L7 NR 1
vs SCO : P2 W0 L1 NR 1
Both wins over Test nations came against Zimbabwe (P12 W2 L10)
Scotland
vs AUS/ENG/IND/NZE/SAF/SRI/WIN : P9 W0 L8 NR 1
vs AFG : P4 W2 L2
vs CAN : P5 W3 L2
vs HOL : P7 W4 L2 NR 1
vs IRE : P8 W2 L6
vs KEN : P2 W1 L0 NR 1
Table
1. Ireland : P32 W27 L4 (NR 1) = Won 84.38%
2. Afghanistan : P21 W12 L9 (NR 0) = Won 57.14%
3. Holland : P30 W14 L15 (NR 1) = Won 46.67%
4. Scotland : P26 W12 L12 (NR 2) = Won 46.15%
5. Canada : P28 W8 L19 (NR 1) = Won 28. 57%
6. Kenya : P31 W7 L21 (NR 3) = Won 22.58%
So it would appear Ireland clearly should gain promotion into a Test set-up, if anyone, and probably have a three way play-off between Afghanistan, Holland and Scotland with the winner going into the second tier and the other two joining Canada, Kenya and two others in a third tier - with scope to increase the tiers downwards.
It is a shame to see Kenya at the bottom of the pile and winning less than 25% of their matches against the rest. They should have been given Test status back in 1999 ahead of Bangladesh, we didn't need another Asian Test team but an African team without large doses of white players would have been a good move. I would suggest having Holland in the second tier and a Central/South American team like Bermuda in the third tier might make cricket a bit more global.
Test cricket needs a shake up, I think the kiwi 45 all out and humiliating defeat shows that. I showed in the tour thread that New Zealand and West Indies are weak compared to the top six sides, both have won just FIVE Tests each in their last three series against England, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka respectively.
This leans towards smaller leagues, put New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in a second tier with the top two non-Test nations. They wouldn't have to stay there, in fact it would be very interesting to see if and which of New Zealand and West Indies would get promoted.
So I decided to have a look at the "best of the rest". As they haven't got proper Test results to compare, I looked at their recorded ODI results as according to howstat.com.au
I'll put a table for the non-Test teams and their results at the bottom of the page. Results against Test sides is just out of interest, not really fair to include those as sides like Ireland will have played them more and be thus penalised. I'll also exclude results pre World Cup 2007 and only matches involving Afghanistan, Canada, Holland, Ireland, Kenya, Scotland and Test nations.
Afghanistan
vs PAK/AUS : P2 W0 L2
vs CAN : P5 W4 L1
vs HOL : P6 W4 L2
vs IRE : P2 W0 L2
vs KEN : P4 W2 L2
vs SCO : P4 W2 L2
Canada
vs AUS/ENG/NZE/PAK/WIN/ZIM : P10 W0 L10
vs AFG : P5 W1 L4
vs HOL : P3 W0 L3
vs IRE : P7 W1 L6
vs KEN : P8 W4 L3 N/R 1
vs SCO : P5 W2 L3
Holland
vs AUS/BAN/ENG/IND/SAF/WIN : P9 W1 L8
vs AFG : P6 W2 L4
vs CAN : P3 W3 L0
vs IRE : P6 W0 L6
vs KEN : P8 W7 L1
vs SCO : P7 W2 L4 NR 1
Ireland
vs AUS/BAN/ENG/IND/NZE/SAF/SRI/WIN/ZIM : P34 W5 L26 NR2 TIE 1
vs AFG : P2 W2 L0
vs CAN : P7 W6 L1
vs HOL : P6 W6 L0
vs KEN : P9 W7 L1 NR 1
vs SCO : P8 W6 L2
Three of Irelands wins over Test sides have been vs Bangladesh or Zimbabwe
Kenya
vs AUS/ENG/NZE/SAF/SRI/ZIM : P20 W2 L18
vs AFG : P4 W2 L2
vs CAN : P8 W3 L4 NR 1
vs HOL : P8 W1 L7
vs IRE : P9 W1 L7 NR 1
vs SCO : P2 W0 L1 NR 1
Both wins over Test nations came against Zimbabwe (P12 W2 L10)
Scotland
vs AUS/ENG/IND/NZE/SAF/SRI/WIN : P9 W0 L8 NR 1
vs AFG : P4 W2 L2
vs CAN : P5 W3 L2
vs HOL : P7 W4 L2 NR 1
vs IRE : P8 W2 L6
vs KEN : P2 W1 L0 NR 1
Table
1. Ireland : P32 W27 L4 (NR 1) = Won 84.38%
2. Afghanistan : P21 W12 L9 (NR 0) = Won 57.14%
3. Holland : P30 W14 L15 (NR 1) = Won 46.67%
4. Scotland : P26 W12 L12 (NR 2) = Won 46.15%
5. Canada : P28 W8 L19 (NR 1) = Won 28. 57%
6. Kenya : P31 W7 L21 (NR 3) = Won 22.58%
So it would appear Ireland clearly should gain promotion into a Test set-up, if anyone, and probably have a three way play-off between Afghanistan, Holland and Scotland with the winner going into the second tier and the other two joining Canada, Kenya and two others in a third tier - with scope to increase the tiers downwards.
It is a shame to see Kenya at the bottom of the pile and winning less than 25% of their matches against the rest. They should have been given Test status back in 1999 ahead of Bangladesh, we didn't need another Asian Test team but an African team without large doses of white players would have been a good move. I would suggest having Holland in the second tier and a Central/South American team like Bermuda in the third tier might make cricket a bit more global.
