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Benaud's Batting vs Hadlee's Batting

The better batsman?


  • Total voters
    20

Swamp Witch Hattie

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Benaud is leading this poll because his supporters have longer names:

Benaud Hadlee batting.JPG

I should vote for Hadlee to help him out but I won't because I think they're very close and I'm not sure which one is better.
 

Swamp Witch Hattie

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Hadlee's test batting:

Hadlee batting test cricket.JPG

Benaud's test batting:

Benaud batting test cricket.JPG

Not taking their different eras into account:

Hadlee's average/Benaud's average: 27.16/24.45 = 1.111 (!)

Hadlee's average is 11.1% better

Hadlee's runs per match (RPM): 3124/86 = 36.3

Benaud's RPM: 2201/63 = 34.9

36.3/34.9 = 1.040

Hadlee's RPM is 4.0% better

Hadlee's runs per innings (RPI): 3124/134 = 23.3

Benaud's RPI: 2201/97 = 22.7

23.3/22.7 = 1.026

Hadlee's RPI is 2.6% better

Trying to take their different eras into account
:

Test batting during Hadlee's time (02 Feb 1973 to 05 Jul 1990):

Global test batting Hadlee's era.JPG

Average: 30.48

The RPM calculation using the 438 from the image is invalid as one match encompasses many players. If we assume that each match is associated with exactly 22 players then 438 x 22 should give the effective total number of matches for these calculations. If there's some subtlety to do with cricket knowledge or just plain logic that I've missed here, please let me know (I've only just noticed that the wickets are 1 yard apart for each player in the match!). Alternatively, we could add up all the numbers of matches for the 536 players that the image mentions for the time period. If these 536 players include 12th men or substitute fielders, etc. then since these players don't get caps (I think) then there would be a number of zeros in the summation. Anyway, proceeding:

RPM: 396549/(438 x 22) = 41.2

RPI: 396549/15043 = 26.4

Test batting during Benaud's time (25 Jan 1952 to 07 Feb 1964):

Global test batting Benaud's era.JPG

Average: 28.72

RPM: 183707/(209 x 22) = 40.0

RPI: 183707/7347 = 25.0

Hadlee's average as a % of global average during his time:

27.16/30.48 = 89.1%

Hadlee's RPM as a % of global RPM during his time:

36.3/41.2 = 88.1%

Hadlee's RPI as a % of global RPI during his time:

23.3/26.4 = 88.3%

Benaud's average as a % of global average during his time:

24.45/28.72 = 85.1%

Benaud's RPM as a % of global RPM during his time:

34.9/40.0 = 87.3%

Benaud's RPI as a % of global RPI during his time:

22.7/25.0 = 90.8%

All of these percentages being less than 100% indicates to me that Hadlee and Benaud were bowling all rounders at test level.

Hadlee's average (%)/Benaud's average (%) = 89.1%/85.1% = 1.047

Hadlee's era-adjusted average is 4.7% better

Hadlee's RPM (%)/Benaud's RPM (%) = 88.1%/87.3% = 1.009

Hadlee's era-adjusted RPM is 0.9% better

Benaud's RPI (%)/Hadlee's RPI (%) = 90.8%/88.3% = 1.028

Benaud's era-adjusted RPI is 2.8% better

Hadlee's higher percentage of NOs may be a factor in some of these differences (19/134 = 14.2% cf. Benaud's 7/97 = 7.2%). Batting to dismissal may increase the number of runs but decrease the average.

These two are hard to split on the basis of this limited analysis (I lack the knowledge to do it as thoroughly as it requires). Benaud not putting Hadlee into his World XI of the 20th century was the tie-breaker for me.
 

reyrey

U19 Captain
Last edited:

Swamp Witch Hattie

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
I am a bit confused with this part. I don't think all 22 batsmen play in all of those tests. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)
For each test match, there would be two playing XI's so 22 players altogether and each player would be credited with a test match whether or not they bat in that particular match. As I mentioned in my post, I might be missing something here but it seems to work out with the subsequent calculations.
 

sayon basak

International Debutant
For each test match, there would be two playing XI's so 22 players altogether and each player would be credited with a test match whether or not they bat in that particular match. As I mentioned in my post, I might be missing something here but it seems to work out with the subsequent calculations.
Yeah I think it wouldn't make any major changes if any. After all Hadlee leads in almost All the RPI Stats you mentioned above. Thanks for your insight.
 

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