After 2015 World Cup test cricket has been flourishing with runs and success. In this period 49 Tests have been played producing 77.55% results!. If one has to consider poor pitch preparation, short boundaries, large bat size, and some average bowling skills, this is an amazing achievement for Test cricket!.
There were 93 centuries and 49 five-wkt haul in this period of play- which is a very good sign of performance.
The batting has been great as runs are rushing in cricketing world. Countries like Australia and Bangladesh have 40 plus batting avg, with most centuries scored in Australia (19).
Here is an interesting fact- In Sri Lanka, in only 8 test matches 17 centuries(2nd most) were scored, yet only twice teams manage to past the score of 400!. I believe inspite 12(out of 17)centuries from top4 batsman, there was lack of substantial partnerships(50plus)especially in the middle/lower order, resulting in regular mini collapses that did not allow them to post big score (400 plus). Sri Lanka always has been a tough place for batsman to start their innings, either at the top or middle.
Surprisingly India is a worrying factor considering they would be hosting 13 Tests in next 12 month period.
Although only one series was played since last April (2015), viz against South Africa a 4-Test series. That series was a testimony to poor pitch preparation for India. The low-standard surface enabled uneven bounce from the very first hour of a that series. Out of 16 completed innings, 7 were got over (all out) inside 70 overs. Two games within 3 days (ICC handed an official warning to Nagpur for poor preparation). If one has to calculate No.overs in a 4-Test series, than 1800 should be the maximum overs bowled. However only 990 overs were bowled in 13 finished innings.
England seems to be a place where there was a balance between batting and bowling skills, with both being very successful. There is an even contest between bat and bowl – In 10 Tests 35% (less than 200 runs)were low-scoring innings, and 60% were high scoring innings(400 plus). This featured 14 centuries for batsmen, 11 five-wkt haul, and 10 four-wkt haul for bowlers.
In England weather is the only problem and if it doesn’t play truant, than we would get a balanced Test cricket.
Country wise Test performance.
Here is country wise Test performance of all teams after World Cup 2015. All data (bat+ bowl) is summed up to find out the actual indicators. Overall the balance is maintained. Australia needs to produce pitches that assist bowling(all type) and India needs to prepare pitches that last five days and hope batsman can bat on it.In table below the result(2nd)column includes both wins and loss in that country. The 3rd column includes all type of centuries( 100s,150s,200s etc) . And the primary indicators(from 7th column onwards)includes both bat and bowling data summing up all innings played in a test.
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All data is updated from April 1, 2015 to end of June 2016.
