Scientific study proves Bradman is the greatest batsman

[SachDan]

HERE'S a newsflash: Don Bradman was the greatest-ever batsmen. And by a handsome margin, if you go by the standard statistical measure of average runs per innings. But what about the many variables that batting averages alone don't account for? Different pitches, conditions, situations, technology. Different eras. Were Bradman's contributions as valuable as his average suggests? What about other batsmen? How does Douglas Jardine, who averaged 48, compare to Adam Gilchrist, who averaged 47? Can you put a value on Steve Waugh's or Allan Border's performances, given their respective reputations for performing well at crucial times? After 133 years of Test cricket, we might finally have new (if slightly complicated) tables ranking cricket's top batsmen. The academic study utilised formulas economists use to measure inequality. ''It's a bit sophisticated but most economics students could do it,'' says one of the paper's authors, John Mangan of the University of Queensland. ''It's just never been applied to cricket.'' The study was conducted several years ago but has just been published in the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. Mangan says he and Vani Borooah, of the University of Ulster, wanted to demonstrate new ways of assessing batsmen. They primarily sought to compare batsmen from different eras, with an emphasis on rating Bradman against the rest. They concluded that Bradman was, in every category they tested, the greatest of all. Meantime, others, including some of the game's biggest names, didn't fare so well. ''We started with the standard batting averages up to 2006 and introduced a whole list of different variants, including who they were playing against, what the conditions were and what the game situation was,'' Mangan says. They also looked at contributions to the overall score, performances at home and away and performances in first and second innings. ''For example, in the paper we talk about Gilchrist, who was a great batsman but often came in at No.7, either having to get quick runs or survive,'' Mangan says. ''You'd expect that his average suffered in some way. We believe our method corrects for some of those problems.'' There are two tables by Mangan and Borooah that stand out. The first uses the ''Gini Coefficient'' to combine batting average with scoring consistency. The results alter the list of highest averaging batsmen, with the likes of Graeme Pollock, George Headley, Everton Weekes, Walter Hammond and Garfield Sobers all moving down. Among those who moved up were Denis Compton, Steve Waugh, Andy Flower and Gilchrist. Another interesting table compares the percentage of runs each batsman contributed to team totals. The researchers found that the three highest contributors to their teams' scores were Bradman, with 25 per cent, Headley (22 per cent), and Brian Lara (19 per cent). Other big movers up the list in this category were Sunil Gavaskar, Compton, Neil Harvey, Doug Walters and Viv Richards. Those moving down included Jardine, Eddie Paynter, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis. Of course, Mangan's tables cannot provide a definitive ranking of cricket's finest batsmen. Some performances can never be quantified. Cricket, after all, is an art. Certainly, many batsmen do not regard their biggest innings to be their finest. However, Mangan makes some conclusions from his investigation. ''What we found overall was that the backs-to-the-wall batsmen fared well,'' he says. Measurements shifted around the rankings of the world's elite batsmen. Except for one. ''It's remarkable, but Bradman was the only batsman who was virtually unchanged in every category,'' Mangan says. ''We tried to bring Bradman down a bit - he is a New South Welshman after all. But we couldn't do it, no matter what we brought in - first innings, second innings, wet, dry, in India, in England. Whatever we did, Bradman seemed to be the default best performer.''

Link No mention of Sachin or a game-changer like Viru !

[gaurav92]

There are various ways to evaluate a statistical figure.I may use any method favouring Sachin if i want to show him as the superior one.

[thevortex]

Just goes to show how cold and dry numbers fall short of defining greatness in sport or for that matter art.

[b555]

ok

[Rajan]

// ''We started with the standard batting averages up to 2006 and introduced a whole list of different variants, including who they were playing against, what the conditions were and what the game situation was,'' Mangan says.// i dont really know how relevant is this in mid- 2010.... i think we are witnessing a superb sachin -Mark 4 ( initial 4 years, then his regal 6-7 years, then injury affected slump, and the born again cricketer 2007 onwards )... so, i think if the same parameters are applied today, we would get a higher ranking for Sachin and Sehwag. having said that who is the highest ranked Pakistani batsman?

[Cricketics]

Thats why scientist can never make the amount of money a cricketer make. To hell with their theory.

[Desi Cartman]

in b4 BossBhai publishes his theory and facts on TOI :finger:

[Sachinism]

No Sachin/Sehwag Meh flawed study lol

[SachinTheGr8st]

There is only one greatest batsman in cricket who carried expectations of over 1 billion people for past 20 YEARS the only cricketer who has most runs in tests & odis the only cricketer who scored most centuries in tests & odis the only cricketer who has faced different bowlers all over the world and that Cricketer is our Own Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar :--D

[Jersey #10]

To hell with this theory, I don't buy it. May be if you show me the whole case of study I might be forced to think about it but convincing me that someone else is better than Sachin is next to impossible.

[don_corleone840]

Kambli at 11 th position:hysterical::hysterical: no point in continuing this thread for such a stupid list.sachin is miles ahead of any player ever hold bat.

[akshayxyz]

Sachin will never do enough to get 'scientific' recognition. However, he can change his name to - "Don Bradman Sr."

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Desi Cartman]

:headshake:

come on m4te ! Pwn them :giggle:

[anbuchelvan]

Link No mention of Sachin or a game-changer like Viru !

I can show you the calculations that I am better than Don Bradman.Cricket is played on the field,not with paper and pencils.

[Sid]

:hysterical::hysterical:,kambli ranked with sachin at 11,are they talking only about school crickets performances