WORLD OF SCIENCE
Variables of change
DR. T. V. PADMA
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Taking the average of runs per batsman may not be the most accurate way to judge a player's performance. It is one of the tools used to judge achievement.
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A batsman's average can change a lot from one match to another. That's because the way it is calculated makes it sensitive to really high and really low numbers.
One of the other drawbacks of a batting average is, for instance, that you can't always tell how consistent a batsman is. A person who usually always scores 50 runs (a consistent and reliable batsman), could end up having the same "average" as someone who sometimes scores very high when he's in form, and scores very low when he isn't in form (an inconsistent or unreliable batsman).
Why? It's the way the average works.
It evens out
Let's say, for example, that our consistent batsman scored 50 runs in his first test, 55 in the next, 45 in the third, 52 in the fourth, 50 in the fifth, and 48 in the sixth. His average after his first six matches would then be = (50+55+45+52+50+48)/6 = 300/6 = 50.
However, if our inconsistent batsman scored just 10 runs in his first match, an excellent score of 90 runs in his second test, 95 in his third, a disappointing 5 in his fourth, 100 in his fifth, and a duck in his sixth, his average would also be 50 runs! That's because in his case, his average after the first six matches would be (10+90+95+5+100+0)/6 , which is also equal to 300/6, which gives us an average of 50 runs per match — the same as our consistent player!
So it's not the average is not always the best way to get an idea of performance — only one of the tools we use to judge achievement. Is there a way to tell how consistent a player is? There is a very simple way to get an idea of a batsman's reliability — that's by looking at another type of statistic — one that measures variation.
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