Comparative performance scoring (cricket)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Comparative Performance Scoring is a statistical method that seeks to equate historic batting with modern batting, by attempting to remove the disparity in actual scores caused by prevailing pitch conditions. This disparity was evident until about 1900 when pitch preparation methods began to improve generally. Essentially, it computes each batsman's score in terms of a prospective match total worth 1000 (i.e., the batsman's runs per mille) and the results are accumulated as per actual scores to give an overall season performance. The method is very useful for comparing historic batsmen with modern batsmen in terms of runs per mille of each match's total; therefore it assumes that standards of batsmanship at the highest level have remained consistent since first-class (i.e., county standard) teams were originally formed. Obviously, exceptional players like W G Grace and Don Bradman will always "buck the trend". The method has a limitation in that it cannot usefully be applied to matches which are reduced to minimal play by bad weather, etc.

It should be noted that comparative performance scoring is only used to provide an illustration of each batsman's merit and should not be taken too literally.

Source: quarterly journals of the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.