Player Statistics and Performance Analysis

In this lesson you will learn where player statistics come from. Every figure in a player's record is built from verified scorecards: runs, balls faced, dismissals, not outs, overs, runs conceded and wickets. If the scorecards are wrong, the statistics will be wrong, so always work from the final, verified versions. Statistics are usually collected per competition and per season, so make sure you know which matches are included, for example whether a total covers only league matches or also the Winter Cup and the Pat McDonald Tournament. Be clear about this whenever you publish figures, so readers know exactly what they are looking at.

• Statistics are built from verified scorecards
• Wrong scorecards mean wrong statistics
• Know which competitions and seasons are included
• State clearly what figures cover

In this lesson you will calculate a batting average. A batting average is the total runs scored divided by the number of times the batter was dismissed. Not out innings add to the runs but do not add to the dismissals. For example, a batter who scored three hundred and twenty runs in ten innings, with two not outs, has been dismissed eight times, so the average is three hundred and twenty divided by eight, which is forty point zero zero. If a batter has never been dismissed, the average cannot be calculated and is usually shown as a dash. Remember that retired hurt is treated as not out for these purposes.

• Average = runs divided by dismissals
• Not outs add runs but not dismissals
• 320 runs, 10 innings, 2 not out = 40.00
• No dismissals: average shown as a dash

In this lesson you will calculate a batting strike rate, one of the most important measures in T20 cricket. Strike rate is the runs scored per one hundred balls faced: divide runs by balls faced and multiply by one hundred. A batter who scores forty-five from thirty balls has a strike rate of one hundred and fifty. Remember that balls faced include no balls but not wides. Strike rate shows how quickly a batter scores, while average shows how many runs they score before being dismissed. In T20 cricket both matter, and a balanced view considers them together rather than either one alone.

• Strike rate = runs / balls faced x 100
• 45 from 30 balls = 150.00
• Balls faced include no balls, not wides
• Consider strike rate and average together

In this lesson you will calculate the three main bowling measures. Bowling average is runs conceded divided by wickets taken. Bowling strike rate is balls bowled divided by wickets taken, showing how often a bowler takes a wicket. Economy rate is runs conceded per over. For example, a bowler who has bowled sixteen overs, or ninety-six balls, conceding one hundred and twenty-eight runs and taking eight wickets, has an average of sixteen point zero zero, a strike rate of twelve point zero and an economy rate of eight point zero zero. Always convert partial overs to balls before calculating, as you learned in earlier modules.

• Bowling average = runs conceded / wickets
• Bowling strike rate = balls bowled / wickets
• Economy = runs conceded / overs
• Convert partial overs to balls first

In this lesson you will learn how best performances are presented. A batter's highest score is shown with an asterisk if they were not out, such as eighty-seven not out written as eighty-seven asterisk. Best bowling figures in an innings are ranked first by most wickets, then by fewest runs conceded, so four for eighteen is better than four for twenty-five, and both are better than three for ten. You can also record milestones such as fifties and five-wicket hauls, catches, and wicketkeeping dismissals. Keep a clear record of which match each best performance came from, including the opponent and date, so it can be verified later.

• Highest score: asterisk for not out
• Best bowling: most wickets, then fewest runs
• 4-18 beats 4-25, which beats 3-10
• Record the match each best came from

In this lesson you will learn measures that give extra insight in T20 cricket. Dot ball percentage shows the share of legal balls from which no runs were scored; for bowlers, a high figure is valuable, and for batters, a lower one usually is. Boundary percentage shows the share of a batter's runs scored in fours and sixes. Phase statistics split performances into the powerplay, the middle overs and the final overs, showing where a player contributes most. These measures need ball-by-ball data, which digital scoring makes much easier to collect. Use them to add detail, not to replace the basic statistics everyone understands.

• Dot ball percentage for batters and bowlers
• Boundary percentage of a batter's runs
• Phase statistics: powerplay, middle, final overs
• Need ball-by-ball data to calculate

In this final lesson you will learn to interpret statistics responsibly. Small samples can mislead: a batter with one innings of fifty not out has no average, and a bowler with one over and one wicket has a strike rate of six. Use minimum qualifications, such as a set number of innings or overs, for any rankings, and state them clearly. Consider context: the pitch, the opposition, the batting position and the match situation all affect figures. Remember that statistics describe performance; they do not tell the full story of a player's value. Present figures accurately, kindly and without commentary that could embarrass players, especially juniors.

• Small samples can mislead
• Use and state minimum qualifications
• Consider pitch, opposition and situation
• Present figures accurately and kindly