Asif among four Pakistan bowlers in top twenty rankings

[Gotham Cronie]

he major positive in the first cricket Test at Centurion for Pakistan was surely the form of fast bowler Mohammed Asif, who was back in the side after suspension.

With match figures of 7-145 against South Africa, it was enough to propel him in top 20 places in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings for Test bowlers for the first time.

Asif now sits in 19th spot after a rise of nine places.

Pakistan now have four bowlers in that top 20 with leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and seamer Umar Gul (who missed first Test through injury) in joint 15th position while fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, also available again after suspension, lies in ninth position.

Another absentee from Pakistan’s line-up at Centurion who is now available is Mohammad Yousuf. If he can start this year in the same way he ended the last one, then he could soon occupy the top spot in ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen.

The stylish right-hander broke Vivian Richards’ 30-year old record for most Test runs in a calendar year as he collected 1788 runs in 2006. He also claimed the record for most hundreds in this form of game in the same timeframe by posting nine, in only 19 innings.

Yousuf lies in second place in the batting list behind Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Yousuf’s teammate Younis Khan is Pakistan’s other player in the top ten (he lies ninth), while captain Inzamam has slipped one place to 12th position. His opposite number, Graeme Smith, has dropped three places after a quiet opening to the series (0 & 32) and is now in 21st spot.

Pakistan’s defeat, by seven wickets in the first Test, means it cannot now leapfrog England into second place in the ICC Test Championship table, even if it fights back to win the series.

[Raz]

What would Yousuf need to score to leapfrog Ponting?

[Raz]

Interesting to also note that Yousuf missing the first Test meant he dropped 9 points.

What is amazing is that Shoaib still occupies a place in the top 10 bowler rankings, even after missing a whole year of Test cricket.

[J-Essence]

makes me think if all these rankings hold much credibility....

Originally Posted by Raz Interesting to also note that Yousuf missing the first Test meant he dropped 9 points. What is amazing is that Shoaib still occupies a place in the top 10 bowler rankings, even after missing a whole year of Test cricket.

[ahsan17]

Originally Posted by Raz Interesting to also note that Yousuf missing the first Test meant he dropped 9 points. What is amazing is that Shoaib still occupies a place in the top 10 bowler rankings, even after missing a whole year of Test cricket.

These rankings don't seem right to me. Yousuf loses 9 points for missing a test match. Where as Hussey gained 2 points for getting 6 runs in 1 test match and ponting only lost like 3 points for getting 7 runs in 1 test match. Doesn't make sense.

Also for Yousuf to get to number 1, he has to score somewhere around 100 in 1st innings of the game and at least 40-50 in the 2nd innings (vice versa will work as well). Or if he gets like 100 in the first inning and doesn't have to bat in the second. If he makes 100 in one inning but makes a small score in the other inning, its hard to see him overtake ponting.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by ahsan17 These rankings don't seem right to me. Yousuf loses 9 points for missing a test match. Where as Hussey gained 2 points for getting 6 runs in 1 test match and ponting only lost like 3 points for getting 7 runs in 1 test match. Doesn't make sense. Also for Yousuf to get to number 1, he has to score somewhere around 100 in 1st innings of the game and at least 40-50 in the 2nd innings (vice versa will work as well). Or if he gets like 100 in the first inning and doesn't have to bat in the second. If he makes 100 in one inning but makes a small score in the other inning, its hard to see him overtake ponting.

The Hussey one was an absolute joke!

Hope Yousuf can get to no.1 and lead us to victory at the same time.

[ahsan17]

Originally Posted by Raz The Hussey one was an absolute joke! Hope Yousuf can get to no.1 and lead us to victory at the same time.

I am not saying this is happening, but is there any kind of bias in the rankings? I mean there can be no other explaination for Hussey gaining 2 points for scoring 6 runs in a test match. I saw Younis lose like 20 points for scoring 9 runs against England at Oval!

[Gotham Cronie]

Yousuf has to turn into an Australian or Englishman to leapfrog Ponting.

[kablooee87]

Originally Posted by saaib118 Yousuf has to turn into an Australian or Englishman to leapfrog Ponting.

I hate when people say this. If you think the ratings are flawed fine. But the formula is public knowledge. It's all very statistically based.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by kablooee87 I hate when people say this. If you think the ratings are flawed fine. But the formula is public knowledge. It's all very statistically based.

I would love to know how this formula can account for Hussey gaining points for making single digit scores (whilst in the top 10 as well) and people like Younis Khan losing points for doing something similar.

[mooz]

see the ironic thing is that people are all ecstatic that there are so many Pakistanis in the top 20, then cast doubt on the validity of the same rankings.

[Gotham Cronie]

Originally Posted by kablooee87 I hate when people say this. If you think the ratings are flawed fine. But the formula is public knowledge. It's all very statistically based.

Dude, chill out. I was joking.

[ahsan17]

Originally Posted by mooz see the ironic thing is that people are all ecstatic that there are so many Pakistanis in the top 20, then cast doubt on the validity of the same rankings.

Thing is that very few people take these rankings seriously. Even though there are so many Pakistanis on the top 20, there are some serious flaws in the rankings and Hussey's 2 points illustrate that.

[Genghis]

As far as I understand, the ICC rankings are the best ranking system available in the cricket world so I'm happy with it. I don't know about the Hussey incident, so I won't comment on that.

Whats great is that hopefully from the second test match playing XI we will have four bowlers in the top 20 and then we will have 3 batsmen in the top 12. Now that is a great sign, and puts this side right up there with the Aussies.

[mooz]

Originally Posted by genghis81 As far as I understand, the ICC rankings are the best ranking system available in the cricket world so I'm happy with it. I don't know about the Hussey incident, so I won't comment on that. Whats great is that hopefully from the second test match playing XI we will have four bowlers in the top 20 and then we will have 3 batsmen in the top 12. Now that is a great sign, and puts this side right up there with the Aussies.

any ranking that puts us right up their with Australia has to be flawed. They would destroy us if we play them.

[Genghis]

Originally Posted by mooz any ranking that puts us right up their with Australia has to be flawed. They would destroy us if we play them.

If we played with our full compliment of players ... then no I don't think we would be destoyed. Australia's current test team has only two bowler in the top 20 but five batsmen in the top 20, so of course they are ahead of us. Plus ICC Test rankings show that we have a lot to do to catch up to Australia as a test team, but the potential is there (unfortunately the potential is always there, its the application which is almost always lacking).

[Sheikh_Ji]

It all has to do with the fact that the points take into account scores for the last 3 (or maybe its 2) years. So each time the points are updated innings that were in the 2-3 year time frame during the last update may no longer fall in that time bracket.
I dont know anything about the specific cases noted above, but this could be a possible explanation.