Zimbabwe Cricket Stats Quiz

[Jemisi]

I was sure of our spin wizards, but on checking, realized Jarvis Senior makes it too. May be his son can join him this season. Also, I realized that I was wrong about a couple of others. So, lets see if this work helps me with a 0.5, or at least helps someone else to get the first part of 0.5...

Zimbos with 3 10 wicket hauls: Paul Strang, Ray Price, Graeme Cremer, Malcolm Jarvis

Spin wizards and Jarvis senior is indeed enough for a 0.5!

[Jemisi]

Adding to CrimsonAvenger's four, I'll include Peter Rawson.

But also Joe Partridge & Percy Mansell (who has 5 ten wicket hauls). Are they included?

Peter Rawson completes the set.

It may be harsh to exclude Mansell and Partridge in particular. Lines have to be drawn somewhere unfortunately and international status for a team is what I use. So they count as a South African born in Rhodesia and a South African born in England. I will make a list of ins and outs that can be added to as we go if it helps.

I am happy for people asking quiz questions to use different criteria to mine, just stipulate the differences up front in the question so that people don't waste time searching places fruitlessly. For example you could have a criteria that just includes anyone who has played for Rhodesia at any stage etc.

Scores - cricket_22001 gets off the mark.

CrimsonAvenger: 4.5
foreignfield : 4
rusty17 : 2
MidWest Rhinos, eugene : 1
cricket_22001 : 0.5

Time for some international stats...

14. Twenty-two Zimbabweans have passed 50 at least 10 times in internationals (Test,ODI, T20I combined). Which player has the highest proportion of century partnerships to go with them? For example, Neil Johnson has twenty 50+ scores and he participated in 5 century stands for a ratio of 0.25.

Since that leaves 21 names to guess at I am going to give 2 free guesses each and then if you guess correctly on the third try it will only be worth half a point.

[CrimsonAvenger]

14. Twenty-two Zimbabweans have passed 50 at least 10 times in internationals (Test,ODI, T20I combined). Which player has the highest proportion of century partnerships to go with them? For example, Neil Johnson has twenty 50+ scores and he participated in 5 century stands for a ratio of 0.25.

You, sir, are awesome!

Two things that are "statsguru-able", but what you are expecting out of this question is not derivable in a straightforward manner after that, unless:
1. One is ready to painstakingly look at each row and manually calculate (124 * 2 + 22 rows) - There are 124 century stands for Zim across formats.
2. Use some quick data munging / scripting tools to arrive at the results

Having spent (a delightful) half an hour on this question with approach 2, I'm now ready to rightfully claim a point for this answer

First things first, this is a great stat. Shows how much "a decently successful batsman" for Zimbabwe in terms of personal milestones of 10+ scores of 50+, has contributed to the team's cause of building century stands.

And the best, with a ratio of 0.9231, is Craig Brian Wishart, with 12 century stands while having 13 50+ scores.

Carlisle, Ebrahim, Grant Flower and Hamilton Masakadza round out the top 5.

Unsurprisingly, right at the bottom of the list is Sean Williams. He has 30 50+ scores, but only 7 century stands. This question actually made me articulate to myself, the frustrations we face with Williams.

Here's the calculated full list:

Stats_14.png (54.2 KiB) Viewed 2522 times

[foreignfield]

That's a stunning stat, and Wishard is a suprising name to come out on top.

Another way of looking at it is of course that he might have scored runs only if the going was easy

[Kriterion_BD]

Im not sure thats a very meaningful ratio...what does it measure?

Like wides bowled per empty seat at the MCG might yield interesting numbers, but what does it mean?

[Jemisi]

14. Twenty-two Zimbabweans have passed 50 at least 10 times in internationals (Test,ODI, T20I combined). Which player has the highest proportion of century partnerships to go with them? For example, Neil Johnson has twenty 50+ scores and he participated in 5 century stands for a ratio of 0.25.

You, sir, are awesome!

Two things that are "statsguru-able", but what you are expecting out of this question is not derivable in a straightforward manner after that, unless:
1. One is ready to painstakingly look at each row and manually calculate (124 * 2 + 22 rows) - There are 124 century stands for Zim across formats.
2. Use some quick data munging / scripting tools to arrive at the results

Having spent (a delightful) half an hour on this question with approach 2, I'm now ready to rightfully claim a point for this answer

First things first, this is a great stat. Shows how much "a decently successful batsman" for Zimbabwe in terms of personal milestones of 10+ scores of 50+, has contributed to the team's cause of building century stands.

And the best, with a ratio of 0.9231, is Craig Brian Wishart, with 12 century stands while having 13 50+ scores.

Carlisle, Ebrahim, Grant Flower and Hamilton Masakadza round out the top 5.

Unsurprisingly, right at the bottom of the list is Sean Williams. He has 30 50+ scores, but only 7 century stands. This question actually made me articulate to myself, the frustrations we face with Williams.

Here's the calculated full list:

Stats_14.png

Beautiful work Crimson. Can I begin by saying how much I love that you have gone to the fourth decimal place in your results.

It is indeed Wishart. I thought it might take a bit longer for someone to guess him. Grant Flower was my prediction for an early guess for this question.

You took the guesswork out of it.

A very worthy way to open up the lead at the top.

CrimsonAvenger: 5.5
foreignfield : 4
rusty17 : 2
MidWest Rhinos, eugene : 1
cricket_22001 : 0.5

Although by my calculations there are 206 century stands by Zimbabweans - 79 in Tests, 124 in ODIs and 3 in T20s.

[Jemisi]

That's a stunning stat, and Wishard is a suprising name to come out on top.

Another way of looking at it is of course that he might have scored runs only if the going was easy

Im not sure thats a very meaningful ratio...what does it measure?

Like wides bowled per empty seat at the MCG might yield interesting numbers, but what does it mean?

Kriterion, I always enjoy your input. I have reflected on this stat for a while now and my thoughts include some of what foreignfield and Crimson have suggested.

If you look at the top of the tree, I think Wishart, Carlisle and Ebrahim are likely making runs when the going is easier. Early in his career Ebrahim actually had a ratio above 1, when he was managing to hang around for a partnership with a 30 or 40 odd. If you look at more important stats like innings per 50 and innings per century they don't have great numbers. If you look at the bottom of the table you have three of our more enigmatic batsmen. Chigs, Johnson and Williams. They are capable of hitting a quick score whilst everyone else is failing, but their stickability is somewhat lacking and their individualism seems apparent. I think the meaningful range is those with the 45-70 ratios. Capable of scoring when no one else is but also consistently able to build partnerships with others. The Flowers, Hami and Campbell are all in this bracket.

Honourable mention to Streak as well, whose ratio is quite good considering his place in the order.

I would also now like to know the relationship between wides and empty seats. I am sure bowling coaches are yet to consider this factor.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Beautiful work Crimson. Can I begin by saying how much I love that you have gone to the fourth decimal place in your results.

Thank you

Grant Flower was my prediction for an early guess for this question.

Yes, my assumption was that it would be GF or Hamilton or Carlisle (first two being equal contributors mostly while Carlisle a bit of parasitical in scoring less, but being part of big stands). Good to see all three of them in top 5. But indeed it was a real surprise to see Wishart right up the top.

Although by my calculations there are 206 century stands by Zimbabweans - 79 in Tests, 124 in ODIs and 3 in T20s.

Yeah, 124 unique combination of players forming partnerships, not 124 century stands. I was wrong there.

Another way of looking at it is of course that he might have scored runs only if the going was easy

Yeah, could be, the guy at the other end was making it easy for them. But although it is believable in cases of Carlisle and Ebrahim, I would have not expected that for Wishart. Yeah, batting paradises may be.

Chigs, Johnson and Williams. They are capable of hitting a quick score whilst everyone else is failing, but their stickability is somewhat lacking and their individualism seems apparent. I think the meaningful range is those with the 45-70 ratios.

Agree. Just as a comparison, Indian legends Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar have this ratio at 0.7461 and 0.7008 respectively.

Honourable mention to Streak as well, whose ratio is quite good considering his place in the order.

Absolutely. This is where an argument for Chigs and Williams playing more with the lower order and hence less century stands would fail, because Streak knuckled down and delivered partnerships with lesser players when it mattered.

Even as a standalone number, just 7 hundred partnerships for Williams through his career is simply appalling.

Overall, I think if we consider this ratio and the percentage contribution of these players in the century stands, we could be onto something...

[Jemisi]

Whatever Dravid's ratio is is meaningful. I rate him higher than almost any other player.

And yes, % contribution to the stands would flesh things out well.

[Kriterion_BD]

Kriterion, I always enjoy your input. I have reflected on this stat for a while now and my thoughts include some of what foreignfield and Crimson have suggested.

If you look at the top of the tree, I think Wishart, Carlisle and Ebrahim are likely making runs when the going is easier. Early in his career Ebrahim actually had a ratio above 1, when he was managing to hang around for a partnership with a 30 or 40 odd. If you look at more important stats like innings per 50 and innings per century they don't have great numbers. If you look at the bottom of the table you have three of our more enigmatic batsmen. Chigs, Johnson and Williams. They are capable of hitting a quick score whilst everyone else is failing, but their stickability is somewhat lacking and their individualism seems apparent. I think the meaningful range is those with the 45-70 ratios. Capable of scoring when no one else is but also consistently able to build partnerships with others. The Flowers, Hami and Campbell are all in this bracket.

Honourable mention to Streak as well, whose ratio is quite good considering his place in the order.

I would also now like to know the relationship between wides and empty seats. I am sure bowling coaches are yet to consider this factor.

Is the 50+ their career total or only 50 fifty plus scores in 100+ run partnerships?

If its the former, then the two quantities are not really related except by random chance (like red underwear and snowy weather outside, lol). If its the latter, it would only seem to highlight that individual's contribution within the partnership, but then a better index would % of runs scored in a 100+ partnership (ie if Taylor and Hami put on 150 and Taylor scored 84 of those his % would be 56%).

So I'm still a bit befuddled.