Harbhajan Singh defies his series bowling average
On the first day of the second Test between India and South Africa, we were being fed series bowling averages. Harbhajan Singh’s was really bad. He was in dire form was the insinuation.
To be fair to Harbhajan, South Africa had only had one innings in the series up until that point, so his series bowling average was basically meaningless. He promptly proved as much by bowling a wicket maiden and then taking two wickets in his following over. In South Africa’s second innings, he took 5-59 off 48.3 overs on a pitch that wasn’t even spinning that much.
The campaign for statistically significant sample sizes to be used in cricket coverage starts here! Who’s with us?
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About as good as he has ever bowled. He was the only one who actually believed India could win while his team mates were choking on Amla’s beard hairs.
IRL I bat on about statistical sample sizes all the time.
I’m off duty here, so I’m afraid I’m not with you KC.
Why let facts and statistical sample sizes get in the way of a good whinge, heuristic, bias, rant or tantrum?
There’s a 19/20 chance I agree witht this post. Error bars probably ought to be included in most things, give or take about 5% of things.
I trust that makes my position clear to within a 95% confidence interval.
Harbhi has been bowling like shit for close to a year now. Unfortunately for SA, he found his mojo when it really mattered.
And statistics in cricket is a joke, with or without appreciable sample sizes.
Harbhajan was brilliant. He deserved Man of the Match. No offense to Amla, but it was pretty much a batting wicket – 7 hundreds were scored. Harbhajan won the game for us.
Quite right, Cower.
Did you know that, in any case, 68.43% of all statistics are made up?
One statistic about Bhajji, 355 Test wickets.. How many off spinners have taken more?
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/archives/2010/02/the_best_bowler_across_years_a.php#more
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/archives/2010/01/_sachin_tendulkar_on_top.php#more
Nathan Hauritz had a series batting average of 74 at one stage.
Harbhajan singh is the supreme cricketer in the cricket world after Anil kumble.