So based on the current rankings you'd have 2 leagues of 5 teams with England (#6) in Div 2? I think not.

Perhaps a ranking system which gives points according to ranking? e.g. a win against the mightiest of them all, SA, worth > Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. Tennis has competitions which are worth 1,000, 500 and 250 points for winning so series with different values in cricket?

Over 75,000 at the G now for the Melbourne derby and they are expecting the crowd to go beyond 80K!

80,883 in fact. I was watching the SA vs Eng test 1st day at Capetown and they said the record crowd at Cape Town was 75,000 - for 5 days of a test!! 20,000 there today and the Poms seemed to outnumber the Saffers.

Will 5/317 be beyond SA?

Perhaps it would be better to help teams like the Windies to get better so the test arena remains diverse. Money is the issue here. Their best players run off to play 20 20 for the cash which brings them closer to what Australian test players earn. West Indies test players earn between about a third and a quarter of what Australian test players earn per match. No wonder they run off to play 20 20. ........ and it reflects in their 20 20 ranking No. 2 in the world.

There's also the lure of greater money in the USA playing basketball, gridiron etc which is more attractive to the youth of the Windies (and dare I say the lure of making easy money from substances craved by the richer nations as well). Fewer kids are playing cricket there now but yes the Dwayne Bravo's and Chris Gayle's playing 20/20 is a short term reason - the decline of Windies cricket long predates the advent of 20/20.

The demise of SA as a test nation can probably be put down to Smith no longer captaining the team and he and Kallis not playing, Steyn past his best and injury prone, Amla's form suffering with his attempts at filling Smith's shoes, AB not as good as he was. Still, as our Zulu friend reminds us, the computer says they are the best so who are we to argue.

Money ...... as I said.

Well yeah but not so much money in 20/20.

I've just witnessed one of the most hapless performances of test cricket I've ever seen. With all due respect to Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow - they smashed about 300 in less than 2 sessions off one of the worst test bowling line-ups I've seen - for long spells in the innings the 2 opening batsmen Elgar and Van Zyl bowled lukewarm rubbish. Morkel's contribution was to drop a sitter and bowl a few overs. Amla had them in semi-trouble yesterday and didn't bowl Morkel for an hour while Stokes and Bairstow got settled. Nearly 3 and half days to get SA out twice, assuming they don't go well past their high point in the last 9 knocks of 214.

I think England are 'rooted' for a win now that Root dropped AB on 5 and Amla was dropped on 21 and 76. Draw most likely with 2 days to go.

Ah the feminists are going nuts over this. Who really got shut down?

Cranky Chris Gayle cuts Mel McLaughlin media conference short

Seriously has the world gone mad?

http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/big-bash/chris-gayles-big-bash-league-future-in-doubt/news-story/a089ad376ed7a55dcc896a158203aa92

Banning him from future BBL's. WTF ......... do they expect to draw crowds by having hot tottie journo's running around the games.

Message for BBL, Channel 10 and Cricket Australia. If you are serious about this topic, lets see if you have the balls to wheel out ugly fat women as the face of the game ...... I bet you don't. ..... left wing PC hypocrisy at its best again.

Indeed, it has!!!

Aus v Ind competing for top spot in the pyjama party rankings. First match starts in Perf in a few hours.

Bring back warney!!!

Safs. 7-46

Yeah, that sucks. Certainly gone downhill they have.

Yes, a shocker. We've had a terrible year and given up the No.1 spot without so much as a whimper

Time to move on and rebuild

We'll be back