In October 2020 the ACS created a Statistics Logistics sub-group drawn from the ACS committee, members of the Association, and members of the scoring and umpiring community, to discuss and advise the ACS General Committee on the recording or calculation of cricket statistics, assist in the preparation of guidance to statisticians, inform trainee umpires/scorers, and answer enquiries.
In July, the group compiled a document of advice on how to handle statistics for the ECB’s new short-format tournament The Hundred.
Previously, the group answered an initial batch of 17 questions (see below) and produced a short narrative explaining how they reached their decision, drawing on playing conditions and match regulations, as well as considering statisticians’ preferences and scoring software.
The sub-group’s responsibility has not only been to look at what does happen, but what should happen, allowing the ACS to recommend potential changes to current practice to make it more sensible, or to ensure consistency in its application.
While focusing on the contemporary game, the sub-group have been mindful that the application of their advice to matches in the past will be difficult, particularly in the absence of full match details and ball-by-ball data. Therefore it is not intended to over-rule any past decisions, especially regarding the status of a game, its result or the scores.
If you have any questions you would like the sub-group to consider, please send an email to secretary@acscricket.com
First batch of responses to statistical questions (PDF document) including
- When should a match be regarded as beginning?
- Should wides and/or no-balls count as balls faced by a batter/delivered by a bowler?
- Should catches/dismissals by a substitute fielder count in career records?
- Should dot balls, rather than maiden overs, be used for bowling analyses in T20 matches and The Hundred?
- If an umpire miscounts an over, should the missing or extra balls be taken into account in the bowler’s statistics?