if anyone's interested...here's what needs to happen for sides to make the WTC
What India's Gabba win means for the Black Caps and the World Test Championship
ANALYSIS: Come on South Africa.
That’s what every Kiwi cricket fan must be thinking now the test series between Australia and India across the Tasman has come to a dramatic conclusion, with the visitors winning by three wickets at the Gabba to take the series 2-1.
As a result, the Black Caps have held on to the No 1 spot on the ICC world rankings and have moved from third to second in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
Australia were beaten by India at the Gabba, but the Black Caps now need them to lose at least once in South Africa.
To stay in the top two in the WTC and book their spot in the final in England in June, currently scheduled for Lord’s, they need two of the other three contenders – Australia, India, and England – to stay below them.
The simplest way for that to happen is if South Africa beats Australia at least once in their three-test series, which is scheduled to start at the end of February, but is yet to be officially locked in.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/authors/andrew-voerman
The good news is that Australia have lost at least once on each of their last four tours of South Africa – going down 3-1 in 2018, when the infamous ball-tampering incident took place; winning 2-1 in 2014; drawing 1-1 in 2011; and winning 2-1 in 2009.
The series before that in 2006 ended as a 3-0 win to the visitors, but that was the only time Australia have gone undefeated in their last 10 visits, so history is on the Black Caps’ side.
If South Africa and Australia were to draw two of their three tests – having only drawn once in South Africa in 24 meetings there since the Proteas’ readmission to test cricket in 1991 – that would also be enough, regardless of what happens elsewhere.
From Australia’s point of view, they are looking for a clean sweep or two wins and a draw to move back above the Black Caps.
If they can pull that off, the New Zealanders’ hopes will then lie with England, who are currently in Sri Lanka, but will travel to India to play a four-test series beginning on February 5.
India are in a position of relative comfort after their win in Brisbane – the first by a touring side at the Gabba since 1988 – and will stay ahead of the Black Caps if they beat England 4-0, 3-0, 3-1 or 2-0.
Kane Williamson and the Black Caps need South Africa – or England – to give them a helping hand over the next couple of months.
If pinning their hopes on a South African win doesn’t work out, the Black Caps will need England to win at least twice, to win once while also drawing at least once, or to force three draws.
England have won two tests in India on four occasions – most recently in 2012, then in 1984, 1976, and 1933 – so history is not so kind to Kane Williamson and co there.
Their last visit was in 2016, when they lost a five-match series 4-0; then there was a 2-1 win in a four-match series in 2012, a 1-0 loss in a two-match series in 2008, a 1-1 draw in a three-match series in 2006; and a 1-0 loss in 2001.
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If England were to win their remaining test in Sri Lanka and take that series 2-0, then go to India and win 4-0 or 3-0 – an extremely unlikely scenario – they would push India below the Black Caps, but move ahead themselves.
If that were to happen – and it’s a massive if – the Black Caps would need South Africa to come through.
The inaugural edition of the WTC started with the Ashes series in England in 2019 and will culminate in the next few months, with several series still to be officially scheduled due to the logistical challenges thrown up by the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport
Those include the South Africa-Australia series, which Australia need to play to control their own destiny with regard to the final. Earlier this week a Cricket Australia spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Suffice to say we are not there yet, but we want to go and we are working through things with them”. If it wasn’t to go ahead, the Black Caps would be assured of a place in the WTC final, regardless of what happens with England and India.
In the wake of the pandemic, the International Cricket Council announced last November that teams would be ranked according to the percentage of available points they had won, rather than their raw points totals, as some series were unable to be completed in time for the final to take place in June.
With a 2-0 win over the West Indies and a 2-0 win over Pakistan, the Black Caps finished their home summer having won 70 per cent of the points available of them. India have currently won 71.7 per cent of their available points, while Australia have won 69.2 per cent and England 65.2 per cent.
Simply put
To make the WTC final, the Black Caps need South Africa to win at least once or draw at least twice when they host Australia for three tests in February and March or England to win at least twice, win once and draw once, or draw at least three times when they visit India for four tests at the same time, but if England beat Sri Lanka in their second test, which starts later this week, then beat India 4-0 or 3-0, the Black Caps would need both scenarios to happen.
How things stand
1. India: 71.7 per cent of points won; four tests remaining at home v England
2. New Zealand: 70 per cent of points won; no tests remaining
3. Australia: 69.2 per cent of points won; three tests remaining away v South Africa
4. England: 65.2 per cent of points won; one test remaining away v Sri Lanka; four tests remaining away v India
The top two teams play in the final in England in June, currently scheduled for Lord’s.
What India's Gabba win means for the Black Caps and the World Test Championship
ANALYSIS: Come on South Africa.
That’s what every Kiwi cricket fan must be thinking now the test series between Australia and India across the Tasman has come to a dramatic conclusion, with the visitors winning by three wickets at the Gabba to take the series 2-1.
As a result, the Black Caps have held on to the No 1 spot on the ICC world rankings and have moved from third to second in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
Australia were beaten by India at the Gabba, but the Black Caps now need them to lose at least once in South Africa.
To stay in the top two in the WTC and book their spot in the final in England in June, currently scheduled for Lord’s, they need two of the other three contenders – Australia, India, and England – to stay below them.
The simplest way for that to happen is if South Africa beats Australia at least once in their three-test series, which is scheduled to start at the end of February, but is yet to be officially locked in.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/authors/andrew-voerman
The good news is that Australia have lost at least once on each of their last four tours of South Africa – going down 3-1 in 2018, when the infamous ball-tampering incident took place; winning 2-1 in 2014; drawing 1-1 in 2011; and winning 2-1 in 2009.
The series before that in 2006 ended as a 3-0 win to the visitors, but that was the only time Australia have gone undefeated in their last 10 visits, so history is on the Black Caps’ side.
If South Africa and Australia were to draw two of their three tests – having only drawn once in South Africa in 24 meetings there since the Proteas’ readmission to test cricket in 1991 – that would also be enough, regardless of what happens elsewhere.
From Australia’s point of view, they are looking for a clean sweep or two wins and a draw to move back above the Black Caps.
If they can pull that off, the New Zealanders’ hopes will then lie with England, who are currently in Sri Lanka, but will travel to India to play a four-test series beginning on February 5.
India are in a position of relative comfort after their win in Brisbane – the first by a touring side at the Gabba since 1988 – and will stay ahead of the Black Caps if they beat England 4-0, 3-0, 3-1 or 2-0.
Kane Williamson and the Black Caps need South Africa – or England – to give them a helping hand over the next couple of months.
If pinning their hopes on a South African win doesn’t work out, the Black Caps will need England to win at least twice, to win once while also drawing at least once, or to force three draws.
England have won two tests in India on four occasions – most recently in 2012, then in 1984, 1976, and 1933 – so history is not so kind to Kane Williamson and co there.
Their last visit was in 2016, when they lost a five-match series 4-0; then there was a 2-1 win in a four-match series in 2012, a 1-0 loss in a two-match series in 2008, a 1-1 draw in a three-match series in 2006; and a 1-0 loss in 2001.
https://my.stuff.co.nz/register/newsletter?type=cupupdates
If England were to win their remaining test in Sri Lanka and take that series 2-0, then go to India and win 4-0 or 3-0 – an extremely unlikely scenario – they would push India below the Black Caps, but move ahead themselves.
If that were to happen – and it’s a massive if – the Black Caps would need South Africa to come through.
The inaugural edition of the WTC started with the Ashes series in England in 2019 and will culminate in the next few months, with several series still to be officially scheduled due to the logistical challenges thrown up by the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport
Those include the South Africa-Australia series, which Australia need to play to control their own destiny with regard to the final. Earlier this week a Cricket Australia spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Suffice to say we are not there yet, but we want to go and we are working through things with them”. If it wasn’t to go ahead, the Black Caps would be assured of a place in the WTC final, regardless of what happens with England and India.
In the wake of the pandemic, the International Cricket Council announced last November that teams would be ranked according to the percentage of available points they had won, rather than their raw points totals, as some series were unable to be completed in time for the final to take place in June.
With a 2-0 win over the West Indies and a 2-0 win over Pakistan, the Black Caps finished their home summer having won 70 per cent of the points available of them. India have currently won 71.7 per cent of their available points, while Australia have won 69.2 per cent and England 65.2 per cent.
Simply put
To make the WTC final, the Black Caps need South Africa to win at least once or draw at least twice when they host Australia for three tests in February and March or England to win at least twice, win once and draw once, or draw at least three times when they visit India for four tests at the same time, but if England beat Sri Lanka in their second test, which starts later this week, then beat India 4-0 or 3-0, the Black Caps would need both scenarios to happen.
How things stand
1. India: 71.7 per cent of points won; four tests remaining at home v England
2. New Zealand: 70 per cent of points won; no tests remaining
3. Australia: 69.2 per cent of points won; three tests remaining away v South Africa
4. England: 65.2 per cent of points won; one test remaining away v Sri Lanka; four tests remaining away v India
The top two teams play in the final in England in June, currently scheduled for Lord’s.
