If Test Matches are won by bowlers and saved by batsmen, then limited over games are supposed to be won by batsman!. However we didn’t see this happen in just concluded series between Australia v Sri Lanka, where both sides, failed to score big. The series was won by Australia 3-2, but it was dominated by bowlers, batsmen failed to score big, & only once their team manage to go past 250mark, whilst they struggle to reach the 200mark.
Now, this comes as a surprise considering in last two years there is a rise in high scores(250+) in oneday matches, & games played in subcontinent have witnessed consistency since the advent of T20 & IPL. The World Cup(2011) being “Crowning Glory”.
|
All ODIs |
Mt |
250+score |
Win(%)for 250score |
Successful Chasing (%)250score above |
|
1971-09 |
2786 |
33.88% |
75.21% |
23.20% |
|
2009-11 |
396 |
43.94% |
71.26% |
27.59% |
|
Total |
3182 |
35.17% |
74.53% |
23.59% |
|
A comparison: sub continent v All ODIs |
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|
ODIs in Sub continent |
Mt |
250+score |
Win(%)for 250score |
Successful Chasing (%)250score above |
|
1971-09 |
1043 |
35.86% |
77.01% |
22.99% |
|
2009-11 |
155 |
47.10% |
71.23% |
28.77% |
|
Total |
1198 |
37.31% |
76.06% |
23.04% |
|
WC2011 |
49 |
53.06% |
73.08% |
26.92% |
|
All data processed till end of Aus –SL series |
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It also encouraged teams to chase big targets successfully, as win ratio for 250+targets has increased. It only shows that since 2009, teams have managed to score250 consistently, & at same time these scores are chased successfully, & there is a constant rise in last 2years.
A One day match allows a batsman to play a Test match cricket in 50over period, and openers are key in building team’s platform, as they are the only one to face maximum % of balls in an innings.
Nevertheless, all this didn’t happen in Sri Lanka, as home side struggled to post 200 consistently in spite of getting a solid/fast start (50Avg Runs for 1st Wkt)by their openers!.
Meanwhile one can understand Australian batsmen struggling, they were coming in after a 4month layoff from cricket, & playing in subcontinent is never easy for any team, neverthless they surprised all by winning the series before the final game was played.
In 5games, Australia chased in 4, & in doing so lost only 30wickets, and Sri Lanka on the other hand lost 45wickets. In sum of 75wickets lost in that series, 37 of them were dismissed inside 10runs, which is @ 49.33%, a very high percentage of low score, and shockingly 50% of them were top order batsmen!.
Reasons for low-scores : Batsmen getting out cheaply to L B W & Bowled.
In a cricket match, batsmen getting dismissed for low-scores(less than 10runs) is a common practice. The ratio remains constant in all formats, and teams will fail to score big regularly, if these dismissals are for top order batsmen. .
.
These low-scores are related to “the way a player gets dismissed”, and 41% of these “low-scores” are attributed to “Bowled” and “L B W”.
In limited over matches, it’s been a regular feature at the end of an innings, when batsmen(all type) are more concerned about scoring runs then persevering their wickets, and if fielding side maintain their line, then the famous proverb is used here, “You miss, I hit”, & then these dismissals are frequent.
On Avg at least 3to 4 batsmen(per inn) get dismissed in this fashion, & it has remain constant in all conditions in limited over matches.
A review of these features in just concluded Aus – SL ODI series.
Australia lost 30wkts in 5games
-Their top order(I,II,III & IV) contributed 75.28% of Total Runs scored by them in this series.
-Batsmen getting dismissed for low scores(less than 10runs) = 53.33%
-Top order batsmen (I, II,III, IV,) getting dismissed for low scores =16.66%
-Mode of Dismissals(Bowled & L B W) for all batsmen = 43.33%
-Mode of Dismissals(Bowled & L B W) for top order =16.66%
Sri Lanka lost 45wkts
-Their top order(I,II,III & IV) contributed 58.83% of Total Runs scored by them in this series.
-Batsmen getting dismissed for low scores(less than 10runs) = 46.66%
-Top order batsmen (I, II,III, IV,) getting dismissed for low scores = 11.11%
-Mode of Dismissals(Bowled & L B W) for all batsmen = 31.11%
-Mode of Dismissals(Bowled & L B W) for top order batsmen = 11.11%
In all One day International matches
– Batsmen getting dismissed for low-scores = 42.50 %
– Top Order (I, II,III, IV,) getting dismissed for low-scores = 16.80%
-Mode of Dismissals(Bowled & L B W) for all players = 29.78%
-Amalgamation of low-scores dismissals & “Bowled” & “ L B W” = 14.36%
All data is processed till end of AUS -SL ODI series (Aug 2011)
