How do judge the performance of a bowler in an ODI match? Simple…by taking into account the number of runs he conceded and/or the wickets he took. But consider that 2 bowlers have exactly the same figure in an ODI match. Can one say that both of them have performed equally well? Almost never…. Let us consider the following scenarios: Scenario 1: Consider that a bowler bowls the first over of the match conceding 8 runs for no wicket. At the end of the 49th over the batting team is 280/4. The same bowler bowls the last over of the game conceding 8 runs again for no wickets. The statistics are same for both the overs. Can you say that the bowler’s performance in the first over was same as his performance in the last over? Scenario 2: Consider a bowler bowls the first over of the match conceding 8 runs for two wickets. At the end of the 49th over the batting team is 130/8. The same bowler bowls the last over of the game conceding 8 runs again for two wickets. Again…the statistics are same for both the overs. Can you say that the bowler’s performance in the first over was same as his performance in the last over? Now let me explain both the scenarios. In scenario 1, in the first over of the inning, the game had just started and batting team had to keep wickets in hand and score at a compromising speed. At this moment of time, conceding 8 runs an over without taking any wicket is too costly. Whereas in the last over of the game, the batting team had to score quick runs and not worry about the wicket. At this moment of the game, the bowler’s priority is not to concede too many runs. Hence the bowler’s performance is better in the last over than the first over. In scenario 2, in the first over of the inning, the game had just started and batting team had to keep wickets in hand and score at a compromising speed. At this stage of the game taking 2 wickets in the over does a huge damage to the batting team. Whereas in the last over of the game, the batting team had to score quick runs and not worry about losing wickets. At this moment of the game, the bowler’s priority is not to concede too many runs. Hence 2 wickets doesn’t account for as much as the first couple of wickets. However, considering that the batting side was 130/8 in 49 overs, 8 runs in the last over seems too costly. Hence the bowler’s performance is much better in the first over than the last over. Can we say that a bowler’s performance is directly proportional to the damage he has done to the batting team? Taking a wicket in the first over of the inning does significantly more damage to the batting team than taking a wicket in the last over of the inning. One has to understand that the bowling performance of the bowler depends not just upon the number of runs he conceded and wickets taken, but also upon the stage of the game in which he was bowling. For further reading on importance of the wicket refer to our first article where we see how Sri Lanka capitalized at the death over of the match by keeping wickets intact. facebook/photo.php?fbid=360627377392729&set=a.360626270726173.1073741825.360330807422386&type=1&theater
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 15:34:08 +0000
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