You seriously underestimate the support function. A team has frontline bats and bowlers.
A bowling AR will often add a shitload more partnership runs, even if they dont score particularly heavily themselves. A 40 from a number 7 or 8 will frequently add 100 to the team score, which, as often as not, swings a game.
A batting AR sending down 10 or 15 overs for a wicket or 2 gives the frontliners extra legs for the innings, match, and series. When a genuine part timer bowls these and gets the piss knocked out of them, momentum changes.
In a reasonably strong team, you 100% want consistently good supporting performances from a.secondary discipline rather than flashes of occasional brilliance stuck between lots of junk.
