The rankings are a fair reflection of how a team has performed in the previous 12 months - the last time England was ranked no.1 was 2003 - and we all know how England like to think a series win every now and then makes them no.1 in the cricket.

no different to when they lose and England think they need a new captain/opening batsman/bowler/team.

> no different to when they lose and England think they need
> a new captain/opening batsman/bowler/team.

That's the thinking of the 80's and 90's. I think English cricket, and its supporters, have moved on a great deal since then.

English cricket has definitely moved on from the 80s and 90s but during the time that Australia has been captained by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting (with a couple of cameos from Adam Gilchrist) England has had ten different test captains.

> during the time that Australia has been captained
> by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting (with a couple of cameos
> from Adam Gilchrist) England has had ten different test
> captains.

After Steve Waugh took over, England had Nasser Hussain from 1999-2003. He then resigned after Michael Vaughan's successful stint as ODI captain, and Vaughan led the team until 2008, where injury finally ended his career. He was replaced by Kevin Pietersen for a short lived, ill-fated tenure, where a discipline issue caused his sacking, after which Andrew Strauss replaced him and has remained ever since. Flintoff, Trescothick, Cook and perhaps 1 or 2 others have also captained the side when others have been injured, but generally, England's test match captaincy over the last 10-12 years has been pretty settled. In fact, if he had remained fit and in form, there is every chance that Michael Vaughan would still be in charge even now.

It's still a lot of different captains, whether through injury, form or experimentation.

> It's still a lot of different captains, whether through
> injury, form or experimentation.

Oh yeah of course it is. But what does suggest is that Australia were very lucky to have successive captains in Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting that managed to remain fit for the vast majority of their tenures.

But my response was more to Raistlin's point of English crickets desire to constantly chop and change their leadership. The changes that have been made in the last decade or so have for the most part been forced on them through resignations.

time goes so SLOWLY

yeah I can see your point there

but there is a difference....the all blacks play better rugby than the ozzies ¹

> series... lets get over their and train, play a few
> amateur sides

Amateur sides ? I doubt that playing amateur sides from the second tier, provincial "Heartlands" competition is any sort of preparation for a World Cup.

> but there is a difference....the all blacks play better
> rugby than the ozzies [fn snicker snicker]

And we do everything else better - plus we've won twice as many WC's as the mighty ABs.

Youre still not ranked best in the world, regardless of how many world cups you have won :-)~ ¹

well I do know that most kiwis love to beat the ozzies more than anyone or anything lol....but in this case, and this time, I know we are all going to enjoy the match between england and us even more so......lol....that black strip, haley westenra ....lol......yeah....i know the blacks are ready for the english side ¹ ; )

It will be a good game for sure!!!

cant wait

History will remember WC titles - not the no.1 ranked side at any given time.