Definitive proof that not outs don't inflate batting averages

[Bolo]

The outlier of course is Bevan, who had more not outs batting first where his strike rate was 13 higher than in the second innings. Not sure what to make of that, especially given he has a lower average in the first innings than the second.

My guess is that era and location makes a big difference too. Batting first is an advantage in Australia and England but a disadvantage in India where the dew sets in.

It's attributable to a number of factors, but at the end of the day a higher number of 1st innings NOs than second almost certainly means a batsman isn't pushing hard enough for runs in the 1st innings.

If you are remaining unbeaten very frequently in the 1st innings having faced a reasonable number of balls, you are almost certainly not taking enough chances and failing to maximise team score.

I'm sure there are a number of other exceptions as well. What I'm talking about is a pattern, not a rule.

 

[srbhkshk]

Difference between Bevan and Dhoni, Dhoni was powerful. in his prime and could destroy attacks at the back end of the innings with brutal six hitting. They played in different times, Bevan played on worse wickets with a soft and discoloured ball at times but look at the difference in sixes hit per game it says a lot when Dhoni's still only managing a 87.56 S/R in the eras he's played in despite his power and his high (running) speed between the wickets.

Dhoni has 826 sixes off 12303 balls.

Bevan 21 off 9320.

Dhoni can be destructive and be destructive sooner (less so now, he's past his best). But so often he'd rather stat pad the average first.

Personally I think Dhoni marginally plays for himself more than the win at all times. The reason he still manages to win games is he's ****ing good at batting and has played for a very good team at times, but that's besides the point. He should be less selfish in his general all round play, most players are playing full tilt for the win always.

The main thing is first innings in particular Dhoni has batted like a snail with wickets in hand at times and his career SR is well under par for a finisher in this era. The older he's got the more average happy he's become.

If I captained Dhoni I'd have pushed him a lot harder to score quicker and be more destructive sooner.

Honestly I think you are going overboard with the stats-pad theory, Dhoni had a method which used to work for him when he was in his prime, it stopped working for him once he got older but he wasn't flexible enough to change it.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Clearly. I was mostly riffing on what John said.

Bevan wasn't as slow as his headline stats say. I think if he was born a decade later his strike rate would have improved by a good 10+, given the general strike rate improvements on offer.

Not being a power hitter would have hurt him but he'd probably have batted 4 for longer in a more modern side. Basically being a better Michael Clarke.

Michael Hussey wasn't a power hitter either. Until he was. Hussey was just a discount Bevan before he came into the international side around 2005-06 and he fit into the changed landscape of ODI cricket in the middle-order by transforming into a guy that hit sixes for fun. There's no reason to think Bevan couldn't have done the same.

 

[Migara]

Can we make a distinction between batting first and second?

 

[Victor Ian]

No