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Australia has been the form team in Test cricket over the last four years and have lifted their rating by 112 points. Australia can lay claim to being as nearly invincible as (Sir) Vivian Richards' West Indian team of 1986, with whom they share the highest rating.
While Australia has been almost continually climbing through the ratings stratosphere, West Indies cricket has continually plummeted. Four years ago, West Indies held fourth place in the ratings. Since that time they have lost 79 ratings points to their current rating of 1004 points. West Indies now holds their fourth lowest rating in history.
West Indies has a proud record at home against the Australians. They are one of the few nations with a winning advantage in both series and tests. In eight Test series, West Indies has won four, lost three and drawn one ? the last series when Stephen Waugh initially took over as Australian captain in 1999. In 38 Tests, West Indies has won 13, lost 12 and drawn 13.
Despite that record, West Indies will be lucky if they avoid a whitewash in the series against Australia. West Indies has replaced Carl Hooper as captain with Brian Lara, whose captaincy record leaves much to be desired. Hooper has subsequently withdrawn from the series leaving the side somewhat lacking in experience.
Australia, for its part, has lost the services of Glenn McGrath (family reasons), Shane Warne (drug ban) and Damien Martyn (injury). These three players have played more Tests between them than the entire West Indian squad apart from Lara. However, while West Indian reserves are few and far between, Australia can call on more able replacements.
Australia starts the four Test series in the Caribbean holding an enormous 232 point lead over West Indies. As a result, Australia can only afford to concede a single draw while winning the other three Tests if they are to improve their rating and claim the highest rating in history in their own right. Regardless of the result, Australia will remain firmly fixed in first place after this series.
West Indies starts the series in eighth place in the ratings. The home side can start improving their rating if they win a Test or claim two or more draws. West Indies can draw level with seventh placed India if they win the series 2.5 to 1.5. In the unlikely event that West Indies wins by a whitewash, they would claim fifth place in the ratings.
Speculation regarding when Stephen Waugh will draw stumps on his phenomenal career continues within Australia. That speculation comes despite the likelihood that any other side in the world would pick him automatically, perhaps until such time as he gets buried in a box - and then only reluctantly. For Waugh, the series represents unfinished business. A draw in his first series as captain was not the result expected at the time. Waugh will want to set the record straight. Would anyone want to bet against him?
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1236); 2. South Africa (1161); 3. Pakistan (1062); 4. England (1053); 5. New Zealand (1041); 6. Sri Lanka (1030); 7. India (1029); 8. West Indies (1004); 9. Zimbabwe (902); 10. Bangladesh (818).
