Towards fairer measures of player performance in one-day cricket

Abstract

Traditionally, evaluation of individual player performances in one-day cricket has been based on measures such as batting and bowling averages, and strike and economy rates. It is recognized, within the game of cricket, that such measures have severe limitations in assessing the true performances and abilities of players. Whenever a player's performance statistics are quoted, there is nearly always some verbal qualification that is necessary in order to place the statistics into context. Such comments include the stage of an innings a player usually bats or bowls, as this significantly affects a player's opportunity for scoring runs or taking wickets. Further, traditional measures do not allow the comparison of the skills of batting and bowling as they are based on incompatible scales. This paper uses the well-established Duckworth/Lewis methodology to create alternative measures of player performance. These measures, it is argued, have the potential to reflect better the performances of players having regard for the stages of innings that runs are scored or conceded and wickets taken or lost. The proposed measures could impact in evaluating player performance for a particular match, a series of matches, or in the longer term over players' careers. Further, the methodology enables an objective measure to be created that compares and combines the performances of batsmen and bowlers and of a player's all-round ability. Data from international matches are used to illustrate the methodology and how it compares with existing measures.

Keywords:

• sports statistics
• cricket
• modelling

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge, with thanks, the assistance received in preparing this paper. In particular thanks are due to his colleague Frank Duckworth for valuable comments on the draft manuscript. Further thanks are expressed also for the comments of the anonymous referees that have led to improvements in the presentation of the paper. Finally, additional thanks are due to Champion Data (Australia) and the Press Association (Sports) for the provision, in electronic form, of the ball-by-ball details of matches that have been absolutely essential for undertaking the analysis summarized in this paper.