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A look at Test batting for all countries, with consumption of balls as primary discussion. There has been rise in No. of overs bowled /1st Innings in last few years. Therefore the obvious curiosity whether batsman are able to score more if they are facing more balls/innings. Here is a findings year wise
1st Inning Average Balls faced by each batting position
| Balls/Inn | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| I | 77 | 86 | 71 |
| II | 84 | 75 | 60 |
| III | 90 | 85 | 86 |
| IV | 85 | 96 | 68 |
| V | 77 | 97 | 67 |
| VI | 71 | 75 | 69 |
| VII | 54 | 58 | 45 |
| VIII | 38 | 41 | 33 |
| IX | 28 | 25 | 30 |
| X | 19 | 18 | 21 |
| XI | 11 | 10 | 12 |
1st Inning Average Runs scored by each batting position … interestingly in 2013 -facing less balls did not have any effect on batsmen’s ability to score runs!.
| AVG | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| I | 35.12 | 35.54 | 36.44 |
| II | 43.47 | 34.69 | 34.22 |
| III | 40.16 | 41.98 | 49.44 |
| IV | 46.11 | 44.13 | 39.45 |
| V | 39.84 | 49.19 | 39.74 |
| VI | 40.25 | 36.23 | 51.23 |
| VII | 29.79 | 31.13 | 28.35 |
| VIII | 25.21 | 25.19 | 18.41 |
| IX | 15.90 | 13.74 | 15.23 |
| X | 11.58 | 13.21 | 12.90 |
| XI | 8.12 | 9.52 | 8.30 |
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Tests | 39 | 42 | 17 |
| Avg(1st Inn) score | 329 | 347 | 334 |
| >400 score(1st Inn) | 23 | 29 | 12 |
| Avg No. of overs(1st Inn) | 105 | 109 | 104 |
List of centuries and fifties for each batting position year wise.
| Test Centuries | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| I | 5 | 12 | 4 |
| II | 12 | 12 | 4 |
| III | 15 | 16 | 6 |
| IV | 12 | 20 | 3 |
| V | 12 | 15 | 4 |
| VI | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| VII | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| VIII | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| IX | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| X | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| XI | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 70 | 88 | 30 |
| Test fifties | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| I | 25 | 19 | 5 |
| II | 19 | 25 | 5 |
| III | 31 | 21 | 5 |
| IV | 33 | 15 | 8 |
| V | 24 | 27 | 7 |
| VI | 32 | 24 | 6 |
| VII | 19 | 21 | 5 |
| VIII | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| IX | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| X | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| XI | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 195 | 169 | 46 |
All data is updated and processed at end of March 2013.
