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2nd Test	India	v	New Zealand
Pre-rating	1209.18		923.34
Form	+1.26		-6.13
Expected Margin	India by 193 runs
Actual Margin	Match drawn
Post-rating	1205.31		929.49

Another performance full of grit from New Zealand who once again drew on the back of 225 from newly promoted opener McCullum and contributions from Guptill, McIntosh and Williamson. India were never far from winning, but couldn't push through when it counted. While they will rue the absence of Zaheer Khan in the second innings, their bowling ought to be strong enough to roll over a New Zealand line-up that is both inexperienced and limited.

While India ought to be playing better, given their exalted ranking, New Zealand themselves will lament letting Harbajan Singh escape for a second series century, and a substantial lead, when they were well placed to set a difficult last day target. Vettori was the pick of the bowlers, but needs better support from his pacemen if they are to push for a victory in the final test. Either way, they ought to be pleased with their efforts to date, and the future of a batting lineup that has acquitted itself better than the ageing Australian one that toured India a month ago.

1st Test	Sri Lanka	v	West Indies
Pre-rating	1112.21		918.16
Form	-14.19		-11.14
Expected Margin	Sri Lanka by 147 runs
Actual Margin	Match drawn
Post-rating	1104.89		922.03

The third of three drawn tests in the week although the second was rather disgracefully ended when both sides ought to have been pushing for victory in the final hour. This one had no chance, as rain on the final two days ruined the West Indian push for victory after Gayle's monumental 333 had given them a chance to enforce the follow-on. Roach and Shillingford took wickets at regular intervals without prompting the collapse they needed to wrap the game up.

That said, the Sri Lankan batsmen put on seven fifties without one going on to a century , while over half the West Indies total was scored by Gayle, whose dismissal occured in the midst of a Mendis inspired collapse of 6/21. While Sri Lanka struggled badly in the test just gone, they still escaped with a draw, and ought, like India, to win the remaining games.

Rankings at 19th November 2010
1.	Australia	1215.20
2.	India	1205.31
3.	South Africa	1192.00
4.	England	1157.21
5.	Sri Lanka	1104.89
6.	New Zealand	929.49
7.	West Indies	922.03
8.	Bangladesh	629.55
9.	Zimbabwe	556.79
10.	Ireland	556.46
11.	Scotland	461.60
12.	Afghanistan	445.10
13.	Namibia	388.49
14.	Kenya	338.92
15.	U.S.A.	296.99
16.	Uganda	268.44
17.	Nepal	196.51
18.	Netherlands	195.69
19.	U.A.E.	182.53
20.	Canada	177.51
21.	Hong Kong	148.65
22.	Cayman Is	134.24
23.	Malaysia	123.90
24.	Bermuda	105.40

Shaded teams have played fewer than 2 games per season. Non-test team ratings are not comparable to test ratings as they don't play each other.

Cricket - Ratings - Test 20th November, 2010 14:57:49   [#] 

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