Where there is a Will, there is a way

The art of tailender batting

One of the many wonderful things about the game of cricket is that it often challenges players to do things that they are not very good at. We all enjoy it when a part-time bowler takes a wicket, or two, or six or a below average fielder takes a great catch; but this situation manifests itself most regularly when players who are in the team because they can bowl well have to bat even though they are not very good at batting. The not-very-good batter provides substantial content for statisticians, with categories like “More Wickets Than Runs” or “He’s got all his ducks in a row” chortles. But who gets the bigger cheer when raising their bat for their fifty: Brain Lara or Glenn McGrath? Success is all the more enjoyable when it is unexpected. Batting average is the primary measure of batting achievement (or strike-rate in T20 hitting). But, like most things in life, it is not perfect. What if instead, of measuring an individual’s runs scored, especially by tailenders, we measure the runs scored by the team while they are at the crease? After all, a number 11 who can at least stay in while a better batter is scoring runs at the other end is surely better than one who just has a slog and gets out?

Which bring me to Will O’Rourke.