Association of Cricket Officials Issue 32 | Page 11

Moneyball and Cricket
Michael Lewis’ book, later turned into a Hollywood blockbuster
starring Brad Pitt, might refer to baseball; however, the theories
behind the selection of players that took Oakland Athletics
to the longest winning streak in American League history has
started to cross into cricket. Companies around the world are
analysing the ever-increasing amount of data available to help
selectors, captains and players make better decisions.
West Indies famous win in the last over against England in the
2016 World Cup T20 Final might seem to some as just slogging,
as Ben Stokes’ last over was sent to all parts of the ground. Yet
the work done off the field before the game had given them
the confidence to deliver in Kolkata. Other sides had a higher
‘activity rate’ (scoring from a higher percentage of balls), yet
the West Indies knew they hit more boundaries. They calculated,
therefore, that it was better to take a risk to hit a boundary than
hit a quick single – increasing their boundary percentage.
Carlos Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels celebrate victory in
the 2016 T20 World Cup Final.
Carlos Brathwaite knew from the data and fields set that
England are good yorker bowlers at the death, aimed at
the crease because of the shape of the ground. This shaped
Braithwaite’s approach and with 19 needed off the last over,
resulted in him leading his country to victory with four
consecutive sixes.
Should Scorers Record Dropped
Catches?
In a tweet, Test Match Special’s Alison Mitchell asked whether
dropped catches should be recorded against batters’ scores.
Over the winter Glen Maxwell (right) scored a match-winning
103* to see his side home against England, being dropped
twice along the way.
‘Stunning from Roy on the long-on boundary’ was how
ESPNcricinfo described the heroic efforts of England’s opening
batsman as he managed to throw the ball back into the field,
where Cr