To coincide with the summer of Test cricket starting today with #AUSvIND, here are the current top 10 Test batsmen as per my effective average model. Without Smith and Warner, it appears the key to Australia's batting lineup is Usman Khawaja - will we see a big series from him?

An interesting take on the old "one brings two brings three" adage!

Missed most of the #NZvSL series while on holiday, so I spent the new year looking for a match between Iceland Cricket’s Reykjavik Vikings and Kópavogur Puffins to make up for it. No luck. All I could find were some glacial pools and an Iceland-shaped rock — close enough!

Hashim Amla's career trajectory exhibits behaviour of the stereotypical sportsperson. Began his career at a young age and improved with experience, eventually reaching his peak, before slowly declining over the years. Now seems like a good time to call it quits on a great career.

Smith stays #1, Williamson leapfrogs Kohli and Warner storms back into the top 5 in my updated Test batting rankings. The ICC continue to show no love for Taylor and Sharma despite strong showings in recent outings. Several interesting series in #AUSvNZ & #SAvENG on the horizon!

"By the time the next World Cup rolls around, Oliver Stevenson and his colleagues, powered by NeSI HPC resources, will have even more tools for analysing cricket and its athletes." 🏏💻 #GaussianProcessStrikesAgain

A bit late to the Glenn Phillips party but great to see him rewarded for his strong performances in the Plunket Shield. Here are my current top 10 batsmen in the NZ domestic first class scene... there must be a number of NZ fans counting down the days until Conway's eligibility!

Modelled the career trajectory of COVID-19 cases in NZ as if it were a Test match batsman... hoping to see this poor run of form continue, but beware the potential late career comeback in June/July.

Finally, some cricket! Ben Stokes jumps into my top 10 Test batting rankings. Can he go one better and leapfrog the skipper in the third Test? #ENGvsWI

Caught up with my favourite cricket-loving RNZ host @oldmannato on First Up this morning to discuss NZ's chances in the World Test Championship Final. Could the Blackcaps be the favourites...? Looking forward to getting heaps of sleep this weekend. rnz.co.nz/national/progr…

A preview of this weekend's World Test Championship Final between New Zealand and India. Will the Blackcaps be third time lucky in a finals match this time around? oliverstevenson.co.nz/new-zealand-vs…

A great piece of analysis that highlights that players aren’t really affected by the “nervous 90s”. More evidence to support the “fallible 50s” and “hazardous 100s”!

Last week I predicted New Zealand as the favourites to win the World Test Championship against India. Now, as world champions, @oldmannato , Guy Heveldt and myself chat about the Blackcaps’ path to becoming the world’s # 1 Test side. rnz.co.nz/national/progr…