Russell Degnan
@idlesummers.bsky.social
Mostly cricket, stats, associate, affiliate and women's, unless I am watching cycling, tennis, basketball or something else. @knottedpaths for non-sport.
Listening to Bertus is always a good use of your time. Glas to see this podcast back after a little hiatus.
Cricket Sickos is back! Today's guest is Bertus de Jong @bdjcricket.bsky.social who talks about Dutch cricket, how tournament formats should be, and the challenges facing international cricket.
open.spotify.com/episode/24JQ...
open.spotify.com/episode/24JQ...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
September 28, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Listening to Bertus is always a good use of your time. Glas to see this podcast back after a little hiatus.
There is something terribly gauche about Cricket Australia telling other countries they can't play Test cricket and might go bankrupt if they try.
This wasn't an issue thirty years ago when there was significantly less money in cricket. It is an issue entirely derived from the financial structure
This wasn't an issue thirty years ago when there was significantly less money in cricket. It is an issue entirely derived from the financial structure
August 14, 2025 at 8:31 AM
There is something terribly gauche about Cricket Australia telling other countries they can't play Test cricket and might go bankrupt if they try.
This wasn't an issue thirty years ago when there was significantly less money in cricket. It is an issue entirely derived from the financial structure
This wasn't an issue thirty years ago when there was significantly less money in cricket. It is an issue entirely derived from the financial structure
This was a fun but very nerdy wonk chat.
Today on Cricket Sickos, Russ Degnan @idlesummers.bsky.social returns to the podcast and dives deep into ICC team rankings - what works, what doesn't, and what the point of rankings even is.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5zH4...
Youtube: youtu.be/k_iDaxqjLFI?...
RSS: anchor.fm/s/fa16cb28/p...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5zH4...
Youtube: youtu.be/k_iDaxqjLFI?...
RSS: anchor.fm/s/fa16cb28/p...
Episode 48 - More Rankings Wonkiness with Russ Degnan
The Cricket Sickos Podcast · Episode
open.spotify.com
July 29, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This was a fun but very nerdy wonk chat.
Ratings following the last three tests. Zimbabwe's recent run of matches means they have the highest games played since 2005, but also, their lowest ever rating.
Very little change otherwise as they matched their expected margins in the previous test: ENG by 22 (exp: 8), AUS by 176 (exp: 166)
Very little change otherwise as they matched their expected margins in the previous test: ENG by 22 (exp: 8), AUS by 176 (exp: 166)
July 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Ratings following the last three tests. Zimbabwe's recent run of matches means they have the highest games played since 2005, but also, their lowest ever rating.
Very little change otherwise as they matched their expected margins in the previous test: ENG by 22 (exp: 8), AUS by 176 (exp: 166)
Very little change otherwise as they matched their expected margins in the previous test: ENG by 22 (exp: 8), AUS by 176 (exp: 166)
Updating Test ratings following the Australia and England games. Australia still the leading team by a reasonable margin. South Africa and India with strong form indicating potential to close the gap.
July 7, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Updating Test ratings following the Australia and England games. Australia still the leading team by a reasonable margin. South Africa and India with strong form indicating potential to close the gap.
Reposted by Russell Degnan
May 17, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Reposted by Russell Degnan
Today's episode of Cricket Sickos is with Emerging Cricket co-founder @danielbeswick.bsky.social, who talks to me about the origins of the Emerging Cricket network and his role helping to grow cricket with the ICC!
open.spotify.com/episode/2o1A...
open.spotify.com/episode/2o1A...
Episode 19 - Rising Tide with Daniel Beswick
The Cricket Sickos Podcast · Episode
open.spotify.com
January 4, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Today's episode of Cricket Sickos is with Emerging Cricket co-founder @danielbeswick.bsky.social, who talks to me about the origins of the Emerging Cricket network and his role helping to grow cricket with the ICC!
open.spotify.com/episode/2o1A...
open.spotify.com/episode/2o1A...
End of year Test Ratings before we start again. Australia on top.
Teams remain very stable. NZ dropping back over the last few years is the only significant change of note, and even then it puts them back where they were in 2019.
Teams remain very stable. NZ dropping back over the last few years is the only significant change of note, and even then it puts them back where they were in 2019.
January 2, 2025 at 2:16 AM
End of year Test Ratings before we start again. Australia on top.
Teams remain very stable. NZ dropping back over the last few years is the only significant change of note, and even then it puts them back where they were in 2019.
Teams remain very stable. NZ dropping back over the last few years is the only significant change of note, and even then it puts them back where they were in 2019.
You do wonder what the third umpire in a Blind Joel match thinks. Hanging out for the eventual hot mic dismissal of his abilities.
December 30, 2024 at 6:14 AM
You do wonder what the third umpire in a Blind Joel match thinks. Hanging out for the eventual hot mic dismissal of his abilities.
Ashwin's batting waned as his career progressed which meant he wasn't really a genuine all rounder. But half way through it he had a legitimate claim to having the highest wins above replacement per test of any player ever. Phenomenal record
December 18, 2024 at 8:52 AM
Ashwin's batting waned as his career progressed which meant he wasn't really a genuine all rounder. But half way through it he had a legitimate claim to having the highest wins above replacement per test of any player ever. Phenomenal record
Reposted by Russell Degnan
If you want something to listen to at lunch of #NZvENG (or waiting for #AUSvIND), today's Cricket Sickos is with @anththehistorian.bsky.social - we discuss his research into Britain "civilising" its colonies using cricket, and hear about his amazing cricket origins!
open.spotify.com/episode/6npC...
open.spotify.com/episode/6npC...
Episode 15 - Performing empire with Anth Condon
The Cricket Sickos Podcast · Episode
open.spotify.com
December 7, 2024 at 12:06 AM
If you want something to listen to at lunch of #NZvENG (or waiting for #AUSvIND), today's Cricket Sickos is with @anththehistorian.bsky.social - we discuss his research into Britain "civilising" its colonies using cricket, and hear about his amazing cricket origins!
open.spotify.com/episode/6npC...
open.spotify.com/episode/6npC...
Reposted by Russell Degnan
Promo for The Cricket Sickos Podcast now lives here!
It's interviews with cricket obsessives, discussing the weird and wonderful ways we love the game. Guests include @linuxlea.bsky.social and @liebcricket.com.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5ks7hJt...
Youtube: youtube.com/@aditrs7870?...
It's interviews with cricket obsessives, discussing the weird and wonderful ways we love the game. Guests include @linuxlea.bsky.social and @liebcricket.com.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5ks7hJt...
Youtube: youtube.com/@aditrs7870?...
The Cricket Sickos Podcast
Podcast · Adit RS · A podcast where host Adit talks to fellow cricket sickos to talk about the weird and wonderful ways we obsess over cricket.
open.spotify.com
November 13, 2024 at 6:30 AM
Promo for The Cricket Sickos Podcast now lives here!
It's interviews with cricket obsessives, discussing the weird and wonderful ways we love the game. Guests include @linuxlea.bsky.social and @liebcricket.com.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5ks7hJt...
Youtube: youtube.com/@aditrs7870?...
It's interviews with cricket obsessives, discussing the weird and wonderful ways we love the game. Guests include @linuxlea.bsky.social and @liebcricket.com.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5ks7hJt...
Youtube: youtube.com/@aditrs7870?...
Adit invited me onto his podcast! It's called The Cricket Sickos Podcast as he interviews people about their cricketing life. We discuss that, associates, cricket structures and writing/commentary
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3kDGhG…
Youtube: youtu.be/89f3ppFpmLA?si=qBFE1ox3QUKglg-I
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3kDGhG…
Youtube: youtu.be/89f3ppFpmLA?si=qBFE1ox3QUKglg-I
Cricket Sickos Ep 10 Russ
YouTube video by aditrs
youtu.be
November 3, 2024 at 8:46 AM
Adit invited me onto his podcast! It's called The Cricket Sickos Podcast as he interviews people about their cricketing life. We discuss that, associates, cricket structures and writing/commentary
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3kDGhG…
Youtube: youtu.be/89f3ppFpmLA?si=qBFE1ox3QUKglg-I
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3kDGhG…
Youtube: youtu.be/89f3ppFpmLA?si=qBFE1ox3QUKglg-I
I also didn't discuss the (mostly) successful staging of the World Cup in the USA, or its prospects for the future. But while doing that other thread I stumbled across what I wrote in 2012, and it is basically exactly the same.
web.archive.org/web/20230930...
web.archive.org/web/20230930...
Idle Summers - Taming cricket`s wild frontier
web.archive.org
June 29, 2024 at 10:26 AM
I also didn't discuss the (mostly) successful staging of the World Cup in the USA, or its prospects for the future. But while doing that other thread I stumbled across what I wrote in 2012, and it is basically exactly the same.
web.archive.org/web/20230930...
web.archive.org/web/20230930...
As we roll into the T20 WC final, I want to reflect on the 20 team WC. A number of teams I was advocating for in 2010 (no really, it has been that long: web.archive.org/web/20230603...), and which in a way finally came to fruition.
Idle Summers - The Ins and Outs of Potential World Cup Formats
web.archive.org
June 29, 2024 at 9:24 AM
As we roll into the T20 WC final, I want to reflect on the 20 team WC. A number of teams I was advocating for in 2010 (no really, it has been that long: web.archive.org/web/20230603...), and which in a way finally came to fruition.
One of the nice things about NRR is that if you multiply it by the number of matches played and by 20 you get (more or less) the run differential. So, for group 2:
South Africa +25
West Indies +72
England +16
USA -116
South Africa +25
West Indies +72
England +16
USA -116
June 23, 2024 at 3:40 PM
One of the nice things about NRR is that if you multiply it by the number of matches played and by 20 you get (more or less) the run differential. So, for group 2:
South Africa +25
West Indies +72
England +16
USA -116
South Africa +25
West Indies +72
England +16
USA -116
Probabilities for each T20 World Cup group to follow. Getting good estimates of win probability is difficult because I haven't done a rating for T20 and am relying on the ICC (which is...ok, maybe) but also because the standard deviation of margin makes a significant difference on the odds of upset.
June 11, 2024 at 1:39 AM
Probabilities for each T20 World Cup group to follow. Getting good estimates of win probability is difficult because I haven't done a rating for T20 and am relying on the ICC (which is...ok, maybe) but also because the standard deviation of margin makes a significant difference on the odds of upset.
Canada's bowling is an embarrassment. Completely fell apart from a winnable position.
June 2, 2024 at 3:43 AM
Canada's bowling is an embarrassment. Completely fell apart from a winnable position.
From an otherwise interesting article on older players. Leaving aside the inset that says BPM is a "replacement level", not "average" measurement, you'd think it would trigger that something was wrong with this when in some years *all groups* were below average.
www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/a...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/a...
April 16, 2024 at 6:37 PM
From an otherwise interesting article on older players. Leaving aside the inset that says BPM is a "replacement level", not "average" measurement, you'd think it would trigger that something was wrong with this when in some years *all groups* were below average.
www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/a...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/a...
Been a while since I updated the ratings, which have tightened at the top with Australia and India declining relative to England.
India still favoured by 69 runs.
Sri Lanka by 181 runs over Afghanistan.
India still favoured by 69 runs.
Sri Lanka by 181 runs over Afghanistan.
February 3, 2024 at 11:00 AM
Been a while since I updated the ratings, which have tightened at the top with Australia and India declining relative to England.
India still favoured by 69 runs.
Sri Lanka by 181 runs over Afghanistan.
India still favoured by 69 runs.
Sri Lanka by 181 runs over Afghanistan.