Joe Root is number one

[Coronis]

Not sure if it was mentioned elsewhere, but Joe Root to Number 1 in the list of all time scorers in 4th innings, going past Tendulkar.

But the name that grabs me from this list is the one with the highest average.....Boycott at 58.76!!

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Makes sense re: Boycott. Openers inherently have the best chance at a complete innings (or an interrupted not out innings with a decent score) to increase their average in a 4th innings.

That’s why it never made any sense when someone (can’t recall who tbh) kept bringing up Graeme Smith’s performance in the 4th innings, like it should be good.

You look at some of the openers there

Smith 1611 @ 51.96
Gavaskar 1398 @ 58.25
Greenidge 1383 @ 53.19
Hayden 1287 @ 49.50
Boycott 1234 @ 58.76

Sehwag the biggest odd one out amongst the real quality openers

901 @ 31.06

 

[Johan]

Makes sense re: Boycott. Openers inherently have the best chance at a complete innings (or an interrupted not out innings with a decent score) to increase their average in a 4th innings.

That’s why it never made any sense when someone (can’t recall who tbh) kept bringing up Graeme Smith’s performance in the 4th innings, like it should be good.

You look at some of the openers there

Smith 1611 @ 51.96
Gavaskar 1398 @ 58.25
Greenidge 1383 @ 53.19
Hayden 1287 @ 49.50
Boycott 1234 @ 58.76

Sehwag the biggest odd one out amongst the real quality openers

901 @ 31.06

You know what they say

 

[Molehill]

Makes sense re: Boycott. Openers inherently have the best chance at a complete innings (or an interrupted not out innings with a decent score) to increase their average in a 4th innings.

That’s why it never made any sense when someone (can’t recall who tbh) kept bringing up Graeme Smith’s performance in the 4th innings, like it should be good.

You look at some of the openers there

Smith 1611 @ 51.96
Gavaskar 1398 @ 58.25
Greenidge 1383 @ 53.19
Hayden 1287 @ 49.50
Boycott 1234 @ 58.76

Sehwag the biggest odd one out amongst the real quality openers

901 @ 31.06

I guess another factor could be that 4th innings pitches generally favour spinners. So there could be some 'easier' runs available against the new ball for the openers before the spinners take over. Having said that, for Boycott and Gavaskar to have such good averages show they were obviously hanging around for lengthy periods too.

 

[Johan]

Funnily, you expect someone like Sehwag to have a high 4th inning average, potentially the greatest player of spin and all, but I'm guessing he just didn't have the patience to grind out the pacers.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Funnily, you expect someone like Sehwag to have a high 4th inning average, potentially the greatest player of spin and all.

His average is even worse in the third innings (like 29)

 

[Johan]

His average is even worse in the third innings (like 29)

always knew Chef and big Haydos were better than him and Smith.

 

[Coronis]

His average is even worse in the third innings (like 29)

Maybe he was one of the greatest players of spin - but only in the first two innings when the ball didn’t really turn.

Myth busted.

 

[Daemon]

Did you know beforehand on what SENPAI means when you wrote this? Senpai means senior in Japanese.

Haha yes

 

[GirthQuake]

4th (and 3rd to an Xtent) inning runs = statpad runs

 

[Johan]

4th (and 3rd to an Xtent) inning runs = statpad runs