Sunday, November 10, 2013

Modern Era Batsmen versus Top Eight Nations

In this post, we aggregate the performance of modern era batsmen against the top eight test nations since 1 Jan 1985. Performances against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have been excluded as they have been, in general, the weakest teams (and also the weakest bowling attacks) over this period (1 Jan 1985 to 10 November 2013).

Result Summary:
  • Most players (38 out of 48) show a reduction in their career averages, thus lending credence to the hypothesis that Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have had weaker bowling attacks. 
  • Only six players have over 10,000 runs.
  • Sachin Tendulkar, as expected, has the most runs, hundreds, and fifties.
  • Hashim Amla has the fastest rate, in terms of number of innings, of scoring hundreds (6.21) and fifties (2.62).
  • Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis are the only players who average over 53.
  • Michael Clarke and AB de Villiers are the few with 50+ averages who actually see a rise in their avergaes - meaning they have underperformed against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Among players with post-filtered 50+ averages, AB de Villiers and Michael Clarke show an increase in their averages of 0.77 and 0.36 respectively.
  • Among players with post-filtered 50+ averages, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar, and Jacques Kallis see the biggest drop in averages with 3.69, 2.78, and 2.41 respectively. Mohammad Yousuf sees the overall biggest drop of 4.09. These batsmen have performed exceptionally well against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh which has boosted their career averages.
  • Only ten players average over 50 as opposed to fifteen when including performances against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
 
Data table:


PlayerMatInnsNORunsHSAve10050Inns per 100Inns per 50Career Average
SR Tendulkar (India)1843062814183241*51.0143657.122.8353.78
RT Ponting (Aus)161278271282825751.1039597.132.8451.85
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)152263341214422453.0340546.582.8055.44
R Dravid (ICC/India)148263271174927049.7830578.773.0252.31
BC Lara (ICC/WI)127226611558400*52.5332477.062.8652.88
SR Waugh (Aus)163255431038120048.9629488.793.3151.06
S Chanderpaul (WI)134233389943203*50.9824599.712.8151.89
DPMD Jayawardene (SL)11920810952637448.1126418.003.1049.56
KC Sangakkara (SL)9917614863328753.2926356.772.8956.98
VVS Laxman (India)12521332838428146.32165513.313.0045.97
V Sehwag (ICC/India)971704823431949.6023297.393.2749.34
GC Smith (ICC/SA)10218412812927747.2623368.003.1249.36
AJ Stewart (Eng)12722619798019038.55134317.384.0439.54
ML Hayden (Aus)9717613795620348.8028276.293.2050.73
ME Waugh (Aus)127208177939153*41.56204610.403.1541.81
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)10317318765432949.3821428.242.7549.60
MJ Clarke (Aus)95161167605329*52.4424276.713.1652.08
KP Pietersen (Eng)951646754522747.7523307.133.0948.38
JL Langer (Aus)10017612754425046.0023297.653.3845.27
MA Taylor (Aus)104186137525334*43.4919409.793.1543.49
MA Atherton (Eng)11120577469185*37.72154513.673.4237.69
AN Cook (Eng)931669740029447.1323327.223.0247.85
DC Boon (Aus)10418520729020044.1821318.813.5644.18
AJ Strauss (Eng)961736677417740.5621248.243.8440.91
G Kirsten (SA)9616914664927542.8918339.393.3145.27
GP Thorpe (Eng)94169246430200*44.34163510.563.3144.66
AB de Villiers (SA)81138156423278*52.2117328.122.8251.44
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)791407641122348.2020267.003.0452.29
SC Ganguly (India)9916916631123941.24133113.003.8442.17
Younis Khan (Pak)761369618531348.7019247.163.1651.17
SP Fleming (NZ)94166106135274*39.3283820.753.6140.06
MEK Hussey (Aus)7713416599319550.7818297.442.8551.52
CH Gayle (WI)841495595433341.34123112.423.4742.25
ST Jayasuriya (SL)9216412586534038.58112714.914.3240.07
IR Bell (Eng)8715318585423543.3617359.002.9446.66
PA de Silva (SL)841458572426741.7818218.063.7243.43
M Azharuddin (India)931388571719943.9719207.263.5444.56
HH Gibbs (SA)821466569822840.70122512.173.9541.95
HM Amla (SA)67118105621311*52.0419266.212.6252.32
CL Hooper (WI)10017115557423335.73122714.254.3836.46
N Hussain (Eng)8815816537820737.87133112.153.5937.18
RB Richardson (WI)7513011536019445.04132610.003.3345.04
MP Vaughan (Eng)761398531919740.6017168.184.2141.44
MJ Slater (Aus)731296530821943.1514219.213.6942.83
AC Gilchrist (Aus)90132195238204*46.3515268.803.2247.60
ME Trescothick (Eng)701359517221941.04112712.273.5543.79
RR Sarwan (WI)791426509529137.46132810.923.4640.01
MV Boucher (ICC/SA)133195215052122*29.0333365.005.4230.30


Notes:
  • Only batsmen who made their debut after 01 Jan 1985 are included. 
  • Cut-off is for batsmen with over 5000 runs.
  • These ratings include Test matches until 9th November 2013.

Best Bowler by Career ICC Ratings

In this post, we use the ICC Player Ratings to attempt to rate the best bowlers in Test cricket. This post attempts to decide the best bowler of all time by calculating the average (arithmetic mean) rating of a player over his entire career.

The ICC ratings glean all their information from a standard scorecard and hence are entirely objective. The ICC ratings take into account the match conditions and quality of opponents and hence are a better measure than raw career statistics. Because the ratings takes the quality of the opposition into account, individuals who make merry against weaker opposition do not get their ratings unduly inflated. Conversely, players who perform well against stronger opposition are rewarded.

Result Summary:
  • George Lohmann, who holds the lowest lifetime Test bowling average among bowlers with more than fifteen wickets and the record for the lowest strike rate in all Test history, is the best bowler. He played only 9 matches though.
  • Glenn McGrath, at number 5, is the first bowler with over 20 matches and is also the first player from the modern era.
  • Curtly Ambrose, Shaun Pollock, and Alan Donald follow at 6, 7, and 8.
  • Muttiah Muralidaran, Test crickets highest wicket-taker, comes in at number 9.
  • McGrath and Muralidaran have 28 matches with 900+ points, the most for any of the players.
  • Unlike the best batsman list, there are a plethora of modern era players in the top 10 and top 20 of the best bowlers list.

Data table:


PlayerMatchesRating Average900s800s700s
G.A. Lohmann9828.78332
J. Briggs17816.410115
R. Peel11799.27065
C.T.B. Turner11795.18065
G.D. McGrath124790.8628753
C.E.L. Ambrose98777.246686
S.M. Pollock108775.27185118
A.A. Donald72771.104413
M. Muralidaran133770.1285420
J. Garner58768.7403612
D.W. Steyn67758.647433
W.W. Hall48747.8301917
M.D. Marshall81740.910486
R.R. Lindwall61739.9703314
V.D. Philander18739.61184
D.K. Lillee70737.1903019
W.A. Johnston40736.4811910
F.S. Trueman67734.4502528
R.J. Hadlee86730.8618339
M.W. Tate39726.8701318
S.K. Warne145726.7915943
W. Barnes2718002
S.F. Barnes27715.15673
A. Kumble132714.201388
W.J. O'Reilly27711.961143
C.V. Grimmett37711.2711211
L.R. Gibbs79710.2203015
Imran Khan88710.153127
S.R. Clark24709.790115
Waqar Younis87709.371628
G.P. Swann57701.280833
C.E.H. Croft27700.370611
C.A. Walsh132697.7902360
A.V. Bedser51696.1241011
Wasim Akram104694.3201653
I.T. Botham102686.8362915
A.M.E. Roberts47684.810622
D.L. Underwood86679.2411633
K.R. Miller55677.9102013
G.D. McKenzie60677.7301130
I.R. Bishop43676.720522
P.M. Pollock28675.640810
M.A. Holding60673.8202421
R.G.D. Willis90661.0301246
Kapil Dev131660.601544
H.J. Tayfield37659.8401015
M. Ntini101658.3601945
Fazal Mahmood34658.260146
J.N. Gillespie71655.850336
M.H.N. Walker34655.590118
H. Verity40652.9801413
J.J. Ferris3651.33010
H.H. Streak65645.940031
J.A. Snow49645.370723
A.L. Valentine36642.080015
M.G. Johnson51640.180621
G.F. Lawson46636.370818
J.C. Laker46633.740191
M.A. Noble42633.670112
C.J. McDermott71632.790024
T. Richardson14632.79017
B.S. Bedi67631.70231
W.P.U.J.C. Vaas111631.340119
M.J. Hoggard67628.930030
R.M. Hogg38627.680011
J.R. Thomson51625.330217
A.K. Davidson44622.847127
D.R. Doshi33621.820013
J.B. Statham70620.290238
S. Ramadhin43619.630013
K. Higgs15618.13025
Harbhajan Singh101617.940025
J.M. Anderson87617.170535
N.A.T. Adcock26616.31066
S.J. Harmison63615.5101016
P.M. Siddle46614.330512
D. Gough58614.050017
Mohammad Asif23614039
C.C. Griffith28612.820013
A.R.C. Fraser46610.04007
B. Lee76609.280114
R. Benaud63608.9502016
G.A.R. Lock49607.53375
Saqlain Mushtaq49598.510022
B.S. Chandrasekhar58597.29006
G. Ulyett1597000
J.M. Gregory24593.83005
M. Morkel51590.690027
Danish Kaneria61590.52004
M.G. Hughes53588.750025
Saeed Ajmal30586.530112
G. Giffen14585.29003
S.C.G. MacGill44584.05004
S.P. Gupte36583.080110
W.J. Whitty14582013
T.M. Alderman41576.49007
A.A. Mailey21575.52000
F.H. Tyson17575.35005
G.G. Arnold34569.74008
H. Ironmonger14568.21051
D.G. Cork37565.92000
T.L. Goddard41565.22008
A.R. Caddick625650014
F.R. Foster11562.64000
F.J. Titmus53562.260019
D.L. Vettori112560.32000
Zaheer Khan88557.640013
Shoaib Akhtar46556.850812
A.A. Mallett38554.39004
S.C.J. Broad62553.390016
E.A.S. Prasanna49552.96006
H. Trumble32552.28093
C.S. Martin71549.83000
R. Ashwin17549.41004
J. Srinath67548.3008
A. Nel36548.06007


Notes:
  • A player takes 20 innings to start receiving full points, so players with very few innings (i.e. fewer career test matches) are at a slight disadvantage via this averaging scheme. 
  • These ratings include Test matches until 9th November 2013.
  • Read more about ICC Ratings on their FAQ page.

Best Batsmen by Career ICC Ratings

In this post, we use the ICC Player Ratings to attempt to rate the best batsmen in Test cricket. This post attempts to decide the best batsman of all time by calculating the average (arithmetic mean) rating of a player over his entire career.

The ICC ratings glean all their information from a standard scorecard and hence are entirely objective. The ICC ratings take into account the match conditions and quality of opponents and hence are a better measure than raw career statistics. Because the ratings takes the quality of the opposition into account, individuals who make merry against weaker opposition do not get their ratings unduly inflated. Conversely, players who perform well against stronger opposition are rewarded.

Result Summary:

  • Don Bradman, as expected tops the list as the best batsman.
  • Jack Hobbs, the leading run-scorer and century-maker in first-class cricket, comes in second.
  • Brian Lara is the first modern era player to make an appearance at third.
  • Len Hutton and Gary Sobers round off the top 5.
  • Gary Sobers has the most 900 point matches, testifying that he kept his performance up for quite a few matches.
  • Bradman has 28 900+ rating scores in only 52 matches!
  • Sangakkara is the second modern era player to make an appearance at twelfth. This scheme is not unduly benefiting modern era players who play a lot of matches and hence have high career aggregates.

Data table:


PlayerMatchesRating Average900s800s700s
D.G. Bradman52855.3728126
J.B. Hobbs61799.0014286
B.C. Lara131783.5556545
L. Hutton79781.28251723
G.S. Sobers93780.85303611
R.N. Harvey79777.7053529
H. Sutcliffe54775.4803015
I.V.A. Richards121762.74144736
E.D. Weekes48760.5261911
P.B.H. May66760.29221410
K.F. Barrington82747.2053621
K.C. Sangakkara117747.0365025
W.R. Hammond85745.4003237
Javed Miandad124743.1204153
R. Dravid164741.7905265
M.E.K. Hussey79738.4751732
R.T. Ponting168736.86174838
S.M. Gavaskar125736.5383129
A.R. Border156736.0004464
J.H. Kallis164735.0166449
K.P. Pietersen99733.0512340
S.R. Tendulkar199732.3307071
M.L. Hayden103723.2745020
A.C. Gilchrist96722.0001840
M.J. Clarke97719.0212829
W.M. Lawry67715.4501427
M.C. Cowdrey114713.3902159
G.S. Chappell87712.8701844
D.C.S. Compton78712.5932017
G.A. Headley22711.77247
D.P.M.D. Jayawardene138707.0602564
V. Sehwag104703.9402929
C.C. McDonald47700.960918
K.D. Walters74698.8831315
Inzamam-ul-Haq120697.5502657
A.I. Kallicharran66697.030831
A.D. Nourse34695.7111310
S. Chanderpaul149695.1812841
G.C. Smith112693.830463
A.N. Cook97688.9901227
D.I. Gower117688.800752
R.B. Kanhai79688.5802231
I.J.L. Trott48686.710624
R.B. Richardson86686.2201241
G.R. Viswanath91686.1101429
C.G. Greenidge108681.910744
N.C. O'Neill42681.620019
Mohammad Yousuf90681.2161226
A.R. Morris46680.610819
A. Shrewsbury5677.80002
Younus Khan86676.9001933
M.E. Trescothick76673.530133
A.W. Greig58667.840029
C.H. Lloyd110667.290549
F.M.M. Worrell51665.390516
S.R. Waugh168664.5706320
C. Hill49664.4701015
H.W. Taylor42659.600621
A.J. Strauss100658.120030
G.P. Thorpe100656.790039
D.L. Haynes116655.390035
M.H. Richardson38653.920019
A.B. de Villiers87653.6711519
J.J. Lyons12653.00004
D.R. Martyn67652.450825
Saeed Anwar55649.110419
P.E. Richardson34648.290215
W.M. Woodfull35647.540118
M.E. Waugh128646.710038
K.J. Hughes70644.410329
G.M. Turner41644.020520
V.S. Hazare30642.800611
G. Boycott108640.950031
G. Kirsten101639.850018
A. Flower63637.9201311
W.G. Grace11636.27000
B. Mitchell42635.480021
Hanif Mohammad55635.420219
R.A. Smith62634.370312
E.R. Dexter62633.580625
R.L. Taylor50633.160026
H.M. Amla71632.5621117
V.V.S. Laxman134632.470040
Saeed Ahmed41632.460011
I.R. Bell93632.080122
A.J. Stewart133631.770047
M.A. Atherton115630.940030
C.L. Walcott44630.234135
M.J. Slater74629.920023
G.A. Gooch118629.7002020
A.L. Hassett43628.420713
M.A. Taylor104625.710019
J.L. Langer105622.150041
Zaheer Abbas78618.050125
M.P. Vaughan82616.440811
C.C. Hunte44614.050112
W. Bardsley41613.120012
T.T. Samaraweera81612.780025
B.F. Butcher44612.64005
B.C. Booth29611.28004
B. Sutcliffe42610.740010
C.D. McMillan55610.18003
M. Azharuddin99608.31004
D.C. Boon107606.480028
J.C. Adams54605.460313
D.J. Cullinan70605.200016
S.P. Fleming111605.06005
J.H. Edrich77602.420015
Mohsin Khan48601.48007
D.J. McGlew34599.71009
P.D. Collingwood68598.31003
K.S. Ranjitsinhji15594.53000
E.J. Barlow30592.50006
H.A. Gomes60591.720016
Azhar Ali31591.45008
H.H. Gibbs90591.120527
S.C. Ganguly113590.59002
R.B. Simpson62590.000105
R.C. Fredericks59589.220010
H.L. Collins19589.16002
R.G. Pollock23589.13224
R.R. Sarwan87589.10005
B.L. D'Oliveira44588.89000
I.M. Chappell75588.750223
N. Hussain96588.55008
D.B. Vengsarkar116588.460611
I.R. Redpath66588.060012
W.J. Cronje68587.54005
I.T. Botham102585.750117
W.H. Ponsford29585.14003
P.A. de Silva93585.000021
W.R. Endean28583.82001
M.D. Crowe77583.520028
G. Gambhir54583.35094
V.T. Trumper48582.830115
M.J. Prior72581.21004
C.H. Gayle98580.63005
R.M. Cowper27577.26019
B.M. Laird21576.81000
G.N. Yallop39576.51002
F.A. Iredale14576.50000
S.T. Jayasuriya110576.27008
J.B. Stollmeyer32576.13017
Salim Malik103576.110010
T.W. Graveney79574.81000
G. Pullar28574.57003
D.L. Amiss50573.940322
R.H. Catterall24573.75002
R. Abel8572.63000
F.E. Woolley64572.34001
Sadiq Mohammad41571.07003
J.H.W. Fingleton18570.39003
A.G. Prince66570.380014
D.M. Jones52567.40000
M.A. Butcher71566.07003
J.T. Tyldesley31564.39001
Misbah-ul-Haq43563.530016
G.P. Howarth47562.530110
M. Leyland41562.44009
A.E. Stoddart15560.87000
M.W. Goodwin19559.79000
C.A. Pujara14559.43004
J.G. Wright82559.01001
B.A. Edgar39558.90001
D.S. Steele8558.88000
S.M. Katich56558.660111
K.R. Miller55558.49000
N.J. Astle81558.32000
G.S. Blewett46557.04000
P.R. Umrigar59556.44009
K.C. Wessels40556.10006
Asif Iqbal58555.26002
S.M. Nurse29554.38001
T.L. Goddard41553.63000
J.V. Coney52553.19001
Hon. F.S. Jackson20552.90002
A.J. Lamb79552.59000
K.R. Stackpole43552.56009
J. Darling34551.76003
S.L. Campbell52551.54000
W.A. Brown22551.27000
Wasim Raja57550.74003
P.J.L. Dujon81550.35002


Notes:
  • A player takes 20 innings to start receiving full points, so players with very few innings (i.e. fewer career test matches) are at a slight disadvantage via this averaging scheme. 
  • These ratings include Test matches until 9th November 2013. 
  • Read more about ICC Ratings on their FAQ page.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Best Batsman against Highest Wicket Takers


Cricket is a statistics heavy game. In this post, we use performances of batsmen against the highest wicket takers to filter the performances of batsmen and judge how they fared against opposition of a minimum quality. This is a crude method to exclude performances against weaker bowling attacks, the definition of weaker bowling attacks being an attack missing a bowler who never went on to take 200 Test wickets in their careers.

Result Summary:

PlayerTeamSpanMatInnsNORunsHSAve100500
DG BradmanAUS1946-194810173118823484.85443
RG PollockSA1963-197015252154427467.13640
H SutcliffeENG1925-193419344179019459.664111
AD NourseSA1935-195121384193623156.94682
CL WalcottWI1950-196023434215022055.12981
MJ ClarkeAUS2004-201382138126920329*54.9223246
L HuttonENG1946-195524446208420554.844142
GS SobersWI1954-19746010913524322654.6115259
IVA RichardsWI1974-19919715010746429153.3123377
BC LaraWI1990-2006128228611739400*52.87334717
HM AmlaSA2004-2013529184366311*52.6015206
R DravidIND1996-2011129227251061027052.5228496
DPMD JayawardeneSL1997-2013981718846537451.93253610
JH KallisSA1996-2013130225281022622451.90324812
Javed MiandadPAK1976-199395147156852280*51.9016375
V SehwagIND2001-2012801395692531951.67202113
SR TendulkarIND1989-20131592662612342241*51.42395410
KF BarringtonENG1960-196842726338625651.308193
KC SangakkaraSL2000-2012781389661728751.2920255
JF ReidNZ1979-1986142221025158*51.25523
RT PontingAUS1995-2012148252241159225750.84345517
AN PetersenSA2010-201313232106518250.71511
AR MorrisAUS1946-195527472228020650.66983
MEK HusseyAUS2005-20136310813481319550.66152412
A FlowerZIM1992-200258107184475232*50.2811255
SM GavaskarIND1971-198786150116970236*50.14213310
Inzamam-ul-HaqPAK1992-200710016817757232950.14204311
AR BorderAUS1978-1994142243391022520550.12265411
EAB RowanSA1935-195116313139523649.82381
KD WaltersAUS1968-19816310613462425049.7213293
ML HaydenAUS1994-20099216511763338049.56262614
GS ChappellAUS1970-19848114217618720449.49202912
S ChanderpaulWI1994-2012130224349360203*49.26225714
PBH MayENG1953-1961305052208285*49.065114
KP PietersenENG2005-20125810654942202*48.9317154
Shoaib MohammadPAK1983-1995345272189203*48.64795
Younis KhanPAK2000-2013691228551531348.37172012
WR HammondENG1928-194721371173325148.13620
TT SamaraweeraSL2001-2013518914360823148.1011158
WM LawryAUS1961-1971448010335921047.988204
G BoycottENG1964-198278140146039246*47.9216336
CH LloydWI1966-198589144136237242*47.6116323
VS HazareIND1946-1952172931232164*47.38442
SR WaughAUS1985-200415223937956020047.32264622
DR MartynAUS1992-20066610714439516547.2513237
AC GilchristAUS1999-200885126195037204*47.07152414
RM CowperAUS1964-196816282121416546.69451
Zaheer AbbasPAK1971-198559968405627446.0910148
CC HunteWI1960-196726484202518246.024100
Asad ShafiqPAK2010-201317273109313045.54382
G GambhirIND2004-201242754322820645.467174
MD CroweNZ1982-199553908372218845.3912146
DM JonesAUS1984-199241699271621645.26889
RB KanhaiWI1957-1974549644160158*45.2110204
DJ CullinanSA1993-200165109124364275*44.9814199
AB de VilliersSA2004-20136310674444217*44.889252
Mohammad YousufPAK1998-2010771367578722344.8616269
EJ BarlowSA1963-197015282116420144.76442
GC SmithSA2002-20137914310592327744.5314309
JB HobbsENG1925-193014250111314244.52261
IM ChappellAUS1967-1980591089440319244.4711257




Notes:
All the data in this chart are generated from ESPN Cricinfo's awesome Statsguru tool.
This includes performances of batsmen from AUS, ENG, IND, NZ, PAK, SA, SL, WI, and ZIM.
The bowlers included are those who have taken at least 200 Test wickets as of 8th November 2013, there are 63 of them.
The cut-off for batsmen is set to 1000 runs.