More cricket stats from the Webbs

Cricket Statisticians Janice and Paul Webb recently supplied us with their usual figures for the 2008 season but have now completed their research into every first division club’s performance – so we are delighted to use some of them for your further edification!
Firstly it is interesting to look at each club’s highest and lowest scores, plus those who have taken the most runs and wickets, with each club’s top scorers and wicket takers as another focal point.
Again we would like to thank the Webbs for compiling the stats because it really does take time and accuracy – thanks Paul and Jan!

Most Runs and Wickets

What is interesting is the fact that league champions Haverfordwest didn’t top the poll in either most runs or most wickets, whilst relegated Burton unsurprisingly came bottom in both. Cresselly were runaway leaders in the batting but only sixth in the bowling, so they know that it is this area that they need to look at. It is a similar story at Neyland, where they batted well but weren’t able to perform the same with the ball. Carew are strong all round since they are second and joint second respectively at batting and bowling whilst previous champions St Ishmaels really disappointed in the batting stakes.                                

Teams scoring most runs:
1.	Cresselly	2,499
2.	Carew	2,135
3.	Neyland	2,052
4.	Haverfordwest	1,964
5.	Llangwm	1,849
6.	Narberth	1,784
7.	Lawrenny	1,738
8.	St Ishmaels	1,731
9.	Whitland	1,677
10.	Burton	1,652
Teams taking most wickets:
1.	Llangwm	109
2.	Haverfordwest	108
3.	Carew	108
4.	St Ishmaels	104
5.	Narberth	103
6.	Cresselly	94
7.	Neyland	94
8.	Whitland	93
9.	Lawrenny	81
10.	Burton	56		Richard Harris

Highest and Lowest scores

Cresselly again top the poll in both these sections since they have the highest score of the season and the best ‘lowest score’ in the division, rattling up a huge 253 for 2 in beating neighbours Carew whilst managing 122 for 8 as their worst score. At the other end of the scale, poor old Burton managed a best score of 173 all out and worst score of 51 all out to feature at the bottom of both sections, whilst Haverfordwest came a lowly eighth with their best score but their lowest score of 99 all out was still enough to earn them a winning draw against Carew, who could only muster 89 for 7!
The number of high scores achieved is interesting since it could be down to better batting tracks, improved batting or weakened bowling, or a mixture of all three!

Highest scores:
1.	Cresselly	253 for 2
2.	Carew	250 for 5
3.	St Ishmaels	231 for 8
4.	Lawrenny	221 for 5
5.	Narberth	220 for 6
6.	Llangwm	219 for 4
7.	Neyland	217 for 7
8.	Haverfordwest	212 for 5
9.	Whitland	208 for 4
10.	Burton	173 all out
Lowest Scores:
1.	Cresselly	122 for 8
2.	Haverfordwest	99 all out
3.	Carew	98 for 7
4.	Llangwm	85 all out
5.	St Ishmaels	84 all out
6.	Narberth	80 all out
7.	Lawrenny	65 all out
8.	Neyland	60 all out
9.	Whitland	55 all out
10.	Burton	51 all out		Nick Dyer - Haverfordwest CC

Division One Averages

In our last set of stats we covered the best individual figures, based purely on most runs scored and wickets taken, so now we feature the top five in each section, based on an average – and they then change quite considerably, with Cresselly’s ‘old-timer’ Richard Harris topping the batting with an average of over 50 to enhance his claims that he is batting too low in the order, although Haverfordwest’s off-spinner Nick Dyer retains his pole position in the bowling but Tish slow bowler Andrew Pawlett could claim to be very much under-bowled!
It is also interesting to note that four of the top five bowlers are slow bowlers.