Re-launched ICC Test Championship sees Australia's lead extended

Australia has strengthened its position at the top of the ICC Test Championship table under the new system launched today at Lord's cricket ground.

Australia leads the way with a rating of 129, 14 ahead of South Africa. The other side to benefit most from the new system is Pakistan which has overtaken West Indies to move to seventh position, behind India only by virtue of fewer matches played.

The ICC Test Championship table, 21st May 2003

ICC President Malcolm Gray congratulated Australia on its position at the top of the table after the completion of the review.

"The original ICC Test Championship was launched in May 2001 and we stated at the time that we would monitor its application," said Mr Gray.

"That process has now been completed and the revised system provides a fair reflection of the achievements of all ten Full Members."

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said the revised system now takes account of every match and series result.

"The new table takes into account the result of every individual Test Match with a bonus awarded for winning a series. It also recognises the strength of the opposition in calculating the points awarded."

A rating of 100 reflects average performance, so a team winning and losing a similar number of matches and playing a broad mix of opponents will have a rating close to 100.

The four main differences between the previous system and the new system can be summarised as follows:

- it reflects performances in all Test series completed since a given date (currently 1st August 1999), in contrast to the previous system which included some series played in 1996/97 yet excluded some more recent series

- in any series, both teams always have the opportunity to improve or worsen their rating; in the previous system, the side winning the preceding corresponding series could not improve its rating, while their opponent's rating could not fall

- it recognises the different strength of opponents faced so that, for example, a side that has played recent series against the lowest rated countries would not have any inherent rating advantage over a side that has not yet played them

The new method, developed by international scorer and actuary David Kendix, is similar to the ICC One-Day International Championship.

As with the ODI table, a greater weighting is attached to more recent matches and older series are dropped from the rankings every August.

The first series to be calculated using the new formula will be Zimbabwe's tour of England that begins on 22nd May 2003. For the up-to-date ICC Test Championship table plus full scenarios for forthcoming series and details of the formula for calculating ratings visit the official ICC website www.icc.cricket.org.