Sunday, May 25, 2008

The IPL Test Centurions

Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor, Ricky Ponting, and Shiv Chanderpaul all had short stints in the Indian Premier League and all 4 hit test centuries during the last week.

Brendan McCullum who also appeared in the IPL made a run a ball 97 in last week's 1st test between New Zealand and England.

McCullum has a test strike rate of 65.07. He is still topping the IPL strike rate table, during which he scored at a rate of 204.34. His 97 came of 97 balls - 34.93 more than his career strike rate.

Oram's 101 in the 2nd innings of the same test was scored at a strike rate of 83.47, which is 32.48 more than his career strike rate of 50.99. His rate of scoring in the IPL was 150.00.

Taylor's unbeaten 154 in the 1st innings of the ongoing 2nd test between New Zealand and England came at a strike rate of 87.50. That is 29.02 more than his career strike rate of 58.48. His IPL strike rate was 183.95.

To put things into perspective, Micheal Vaughan scored 106 in the same test in which McCullum and Oram played these innings. Vaughan, who did not play in the IPL, scored at a rate of 49.53 runs per 100 balls.

Ricky Ponting and Shiv Chanderpaul had relatively less successful IPL stints than the New Zealanders mentioned above. They hardly got going and managed strike rates of 73.58 and 80.64 respectively.

Ponting's 158 in the ongoing 1st test between Australia and the Windies came at a strike rate of 70.53 (12 more than career SR), while Chanderpaul's 118 in the same test came at a strike rate of 42.75 (almost similar to career SR).

Out of the 5 test centurions and near test centurion that appeared in the IPL, only 1 scored at a strike rate less than his career strike rate. The other managed to score well above their career strike rates.

Is this a trend that will be more apparent going forward? Or is it just a one off coincidence?

Or maybe its just something about the Kiwis. They managed scoring rates that were faster by 30 runs or more than their career strike rates.

Have the Kiwis started playing more aggressive cricket? Or has the IPL had an impact on them?

I know it is too early to speak about how the IPL or 20-20 cricket has affected scoring rates in test matches but the trend above could go on to be an indicator of the times ahead.

Whoever thought that 20-20 cricket and leagues would kill test cricket. Think again.

I think it will make test cricket more exciting!

Make your pitch on this post...



Labels: , , , , , , , , ,


6 Pitched:

  1. Anonymous said...
     

    Great stuff.. There seems to be a genuine correlation.. IPL has changed the way a batsman approaches his innings..It will spill over even more into test cricket and even more in 50 overs cricket in due time..

  2. Q said...
     

    I believe the correlation will become more apparent as more IPL cricketers play test cricket over the next year or so.

  3. Anonymous said...
     

    Taylor and Oram have always been the type of player who scores more quickly once they’re set.

    So my guess is that all of their scores over 50 would be at a higher SR than their career average.

    And Prince Brendan made a conscious decision at the start of the season to bat like that whatever’s going on.

  4. Q said...
     

    Thats an interestng observation LB, I'll check that out. Though Taylor has played too few innings but I'm sure there's a pattern.

    Despite that, 30 runs over career SR for 3 batsmen in the same test series, right after the IPL - coincidence?

  5. Anonymous said...
     

    What is definitely not a coincidence is the way Taylor played at Lords!!

    I don't know, I've just got a feeling all of Oram's centuries have been a bit like that

  6. Q said...
     

    I did some research LB. Oram has 5 test centuries.

    PRE-IPL:
    119* vs SA in 2004. SR = 55.09
    126* vs Aus in 2004. SR = 70.78
    133 vs SA in 2006. SR = 78.69
    117 vs Bang in 2008. SR = 70.48

    POST-IPL
    101 vs Eng in 2008. SR = 83.47.

    He also has:
    97 vs Pak (03) at a SR of 61.39.
    74 vs SL (03) at a SR of 41.34.
    90 vs SA (04) at 67.16.

Post a Comment