Cricket fans and commentators are questioning the seemingly farcical nature of the ICC rankings that have seen Harry Brook leapfrog Travis Head and Steve Smith. Brook has been England’s third-leading run-scorer in the series so far as the tourists failed to win back the Ashes urn.
Australia holds an unassailable 3-1 lead before the fifth Test at the SCG, and England have been poor despite winning their first Test on Australian soil in 15 years. So it was particularly galling for fans when the ICC announced the latest batting rankings this week and Brook overtook Head and Smith.
Harry Brook (L) has leapfrogged Travis Head and Steve Smith (R) in the ICC batting rankings. Image: Getty
Brook moved up three spots to No.2 in the world, only behind England teammate Joe Root. Head and Smith were both bumped down a spot to 4 and 5 respectively (behind Kane Williamson), despite outperforming Brook throughout the Ashes.
Brook made 41 and 18 not out on an MCG pitch that was rated ‘unsatisfactory’ by the ICC. Head made 12 and 46, with his second-innings score the highest individual total of the low-scoring match. Smith made 9 and 24 not out.
Harry Brook has averaged 33 in the Ashes series. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Across the whole series, Head has 437 runs (the most of any batter) at an average of 54.62. He scored stunning centuries in Perth and Adelaide and has arguably been the player of the series.
Smith only has 136 in three Tests, but has averaged 45.33 because he’s been unbeaten three times. His average is the third-best out of anyone in the series so far – behind Head and Alex Carey (48.50).
As for Brook, he’s the fifth-highest run-scorer in the series with 232, but has only averaged 33.14 with one half-century. Yet someone he’s overtaken both Head and Smith, despite being outperformed.
Cricket fans question ICC batting rankings farce
The ICC said in an official release: “England batter Harry Brook and fast bowler Josh Tongue have made striking progress in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings after crucial performances in the low-scoring fourth match of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Brook has overtaken the Australian pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head as well as Kiwi batter Kane Williamson to grab second position behind compatriot Joe Root after vital scores of 41 and 18 not out.”
Tongue, who took 5-45 and 2-44 to earn player of the match honours at the MCG, jumped up 13 spots to 30th in the bowler rankings. Mitchell Starc moved up one spot to second behind India’s Jasprit Bumrah, while Pat Cummins slid down two spots to fourth.
Veteran cricket writer Malcolm Conn wrote on social media: “You’ve gotta worry about the rankings or the state of Test cricket if an ill-disciplined, underperforming Harry Brook can ‘leap’ to second.” A fan responded: “Under no circumstances whatsoever is Brook currently the 2nd best Test batter in the world. Not a bloody chance.”