Statistics and Good Performances

Statistics and Good Performances

The following statistics are recorded:

Batsmen:

number of runs scored, time spent batting, number of balls faced, how out (and by which bowler and catcher if appropriate).

Bowlers:

number of overs bowled, number of maidens bowled, number of wickets taken, number of runs conceded (i.e., scored off his bowling).

Team:

extras, total runs, wickets fallen, overs bowled, total at each fall of wicket.

A single innings scorecard might look like this:

Australia - 1st Innings
M. Taylor      c Richardson  b Snell      12
M. Slater      lbw Donald                 57
D. Boon        b de Villiers              68
M. Waugh       not out                   184
A. Border      c Rhodes  b Donald          0
S. Waugh       c Snell  b de Villiers     34
I. Healy       c Snell  b de Villiers      6
S. Warne       run out                    35
M. Hughes      st Richardson  b Cronje    10
C. McDermott   b de Villiers              41
G. McGrath     lbw de Villiers             9
       Extras                             16
       Total   141 overs          10 for 472

Bowling - South Africa
                 O   M   R   W
A. Donald       40   5  106  2
F. de Villiers  37   7   85  5
R. Snell        32   3  126  1
C. Simons       15   0   82  0
H. Cronje       17   2   73  1
FOW: 25, 99, 164, 164, 225, 238, 315, 345, 446, 472

The abbreviations are:
b bowled by
c caught by
st stumped by
O  overs
M  maidens
R  runs
W  wickets
FOW  fall of wicket

The team score is usually given as "(number of wickets) for (number of runs)" in Australia. In England, New Zealand, and some other countries it is given as "(number of runs) for (number of wickets)". Bowling figures are sometimes printed in shortened form, for example: Donald 40-5-106-2, de Villiers 37-7-85-5, etc.
The partnership scores can be seen from the differences between successive fall of wicket scores.
Good performances are considered to be:

• A batsman scoring 50, or 100, or multiples thereof.
• A partnership adding 50, or 100, or multiples thereof.
• A bowler taking five wickets in a single innings.
• A bowler taking ten wickets in a two innings match. (This is an excellent performance and a relatively rare feat.)
• A bowler taking a hat trick, i.e., three wickets in three successive balls (perhaps in different overs). This is even more rare.

Each of these tasks is usually greeted with enthusiastic applause from the spectators. The crowd also usually applauds significant events such as: any wicket falling, a six, a four, a good over from a bowler (one that the batsmen have great difficulty playing safely), a good athletic effort from a fielder to gather the ball, the innings total reaching a multiple of 50.
The number of runs scored in an innings average about 3 per over for a first class match, and 4 per over in a one-day match. The variation in these numbers can be quite large, differences of up to one run per over being not uncommon. In a first class match, a captain makes his decision on declaring the innings closed based on the remaining time in the match and the size of his team's lead. He will try to allow as much time as possible to bowl the opposition out, while ensuring they do not have enough time to score enough runs to win.
Over a single player's career, the two most important statistics are:

Batting Average:

The aggregate number of runs scored divided by the number of times the batsman has been out. The higher, the better.

Bowling Average:

The aggregate runs scored against a bowler divided by the number of wickets taken. The lower, the better.

Each of these averages is kept separately for Test cricket, first class cricket in general, and one-day cricket. A batting average above 30 is very good, 40 excellent, and 50 is legendary. Mention must be made of the Australian batsman Sir Donald Bradman, whose career average was a record 99.94, far and away the greatest batsman ever to play the game. A bowling average below 25 is considered excellent.