Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

The media are fond of end of year grading of football managers....thought could be extended to test teams...so here goes:

England
Australia
South Africa
West Indies
New Zealand
India
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh

England - A - A turbulent year but overall a success due to limited overs success over Pakistan and the Ashes win.

Australia - A* - Could have been a disaster after the Ashes defeat but have consolidated very well and have the World Cup to prove it.

South Africa - A- - An underwhelming year in long and short form but enough hope to think that the coming test series won't be awful. Rabada a good find.


West Indies - U - Dreadful year with almost no positives.

New Zealand - A* - Must have to get the same as Australia. Met them in the final. Won over so many fans with their combative Series vs England.

India - A- - Struggled at the start of the season against some fairly lowly opposition but the recent win over South Africa plus their World Cup run puts them in the top tier....just.

Pakistan - B+ - Probably the most varied of the test sides. Got their arse handed to them by Zimbabwe but their test victories against England were impressive. Inconsistent.

Sri Lanka - F+ - A rag tag year with nothing to show from it of any real note. Thought they may struggle going forward before their tenacious display against New Zealand.

Zimbabwe - U - Being beaten by Bangladesh and Afghanistan is nothing but unmitigated failure for the Zimbabweans.

Bangladesh - B - Fairly solid year showing some signs of improvement. Need to push on next year.

WI's series against ENgland was a good one for them. E, maybe.

In Tests, Pakistan didn't lose a series, but didn't leave Asia, B.

ENgland lost more than they won, so C.

India and SA didn't play enough to be marked.

NZ had a good year, but flunked their big challenge in Australia, B-. Upgraded to B+ for reaching WC final.

Australia lost their big series, had one called off. Drew the Sydney Test v India. C. Upgraded to B+ with WC win.

Class prize to BD, for improvement.

365notout wrote:England - A - A turbulent year but overall a success due to limited overs success over Pakistan and the Ashes win.

Australia - A* - Could have been a disaster after the Ashes defeat but have consolidated very well and have the World Cup to prove it.

South Africa - A- - An underwhelming year in long and short form but enough hope to think that the coming test series won't be awful. Rabada a good find.


West Indies - U - Dreadful year with almost no positives.

New Zealand - A* - Must have to get the same as Australia. Met them in the final. Won over so many fans with their combative Series vs England.

India - A- - Struggled at the start of the season against some fairly lowly opposition but the recent win over South Africa plus their World Cup run puts them in the top tier....just.

Pakistan - B+ - Probably the most varied of the test sides. Got their arse handed to them by Zimbabwe but their test victories against England were impressive. Inconsistent.

Sri Lanka - F+ - A rag tag year with nothing to show from it of any real note. Thought they may struggle going forward before their tenacious display against New Zealand.

Zimbabwe - U - Being beaten by Bangladesh and Afghanistan is nothing but unmitigated failure for the Zimbabweans.

Bangladesh - B - Fairly solid year showing some signs of improvement. Need to push on next year.

Agree with most of those. Think you're being a bit harsh on Sri Lanka and there's no way SA should be that high. They just got thrashed in India.

Didn't India play 2 test series Arthur + 1 Australia test.
8 test is enough to judge them on.
Would give them b

Fair enough. Played about the same as NZ.

I wouldn't give Australia an A+. We lost the Ashes. The WC win is all well and good, but what really matters is the Ashes.