With a new domestic season fast approaching here in England, we take a brief look back on the last 12 months and the top performers at Test level, using those wonderful statistics...
Top 6 Test Openers (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
McKenzie (SAF) - ave 77.62
Sehwag (IND) - ave 73.11
Hayden (AUS) - ave 62.87
Jaques (AUS) - ave 56.10
Smith (SAF) - ave 55.35
Cook (ENG) - ave 43.72
Top 3 Number 3 Batsmen (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Sangakkara (SRL) - ave 96.63
Khan (PAK) - ave 58.33
Amla (SAF) - ave 51.57
Top 3 Number 4 Batsmen (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Jayawardene (SRL) - ave 84.92
Kallis (SAF) - ave 76.68
Hussey (AUS) - ave 73.87
Top 3 Number 5 Batsmen (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Chanderpaul (WIN) - ave 91.44
Misbah-ul-haq (PAK) - ave 78.71
Clarke (AUS) - ave 66.50
Top 3 Number 6 Batsmen (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Symonds (AUS) - ave 85.50
De Villiers (SAF) - ave 54.26
Laxman (IND) - ave 53.35
Top 3 Batting Wicketkeepers (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Akmal (PAK) - ave 42.30 (3 ct per match / 0.33 st)
Prior (ENG) - ave 40.14 (2.8 ct per match / 0 st)
Dhoni (IND) - ave 37.47 (1.93 ct per match / 0.36 st)
Top 3 Dismissal Wicketkeepers (Last 12 Months – Minimum 5 Games)
Gilchrist (AUS) - ave 31.00 - 5.83 dismissals per match (5.83 ct / 0 st)
McCullum (NZL) - ave 27.33 - 4.43 dismissals per match (4.43 ct / 0 st)
Ramdin (WIN) - ave 18.00 - 3.44 dismissals per match (3.33 ct / 0.11 st)
Come back for the bowling line up and comment...
3 comments:
Really interesting stuff Chris. But discounting Bangladesh would make the stats a whole lot fairer, as they are so weak they rather distort the stats (McKenzie, Sanga and Jayawadene spring to mind!)
Indeed, although in some cases players averages have suffered if the results against Bangladesh are included, Ganguly and De Villiers two players who spring to mind. I would also say that the Bangledeshi bowling is stronger than the batting and when visiting Bangladesh especially it is not quite so easy (Still not especially daunting). Bowlers on the other hand have it easier vs Bangladesh.
Ultimately, the stats drop to Sangakkara - 52.92, Jayawardene - 70.67 and McKenzie - 60.67, still quite impressive, although i agree that McKenzie's average for the year is quite distorted as he has only played four games other than those couple against Bangladesh since his recall, although a criticism of him four years ago when he was dropped was that he couldn't play spin, so to have done well in Bangladesh and India shows that he has improved that facet of his game. I would think that Hayden has outperformed him this year, but Haydos missed a lot of the season through injury, so it is close, I personally think Hayden is better and don't believe for a second that Sehwag is the best opening partner for him in a World IX, but I was rewarding performances in the last 12 months, purely from a statistical viewpoint.
I think the wicket keeping results are especially interesting, as not one batting keeper made it into the top dismissal keepers list.
The Dhoni wicket keeping number is amazing (1.93). I know he can drop the odd one but I don't recall him doing it wholesale...
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