What makes for an excellent all-rounder in cricket?

What makes for an excellent all-rounder in cricket?
New Zealand players pose with the winner's trophy as they celebrate their team's victory against India at the end of their third and final Test cricket match in the Wankhede Stadium. (AFP)
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Updated 07 November 2024
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What makes for an excellent all-rounder in cricket?

What makes for an excellent all-rounder in cricket?
  • A common but numerically imperfect criterion is that the player must be good enough to be selected as either a standalone batter or bowler

Over the last two weeks, consideration of triple centurions and hat-trick takers in Test cricket has raised the issue of who has been equally good at both batting and bowling.

Such players are termed all-rounders. Whilst there are clear criteria for recording a triple hundred and a hat trick, there is an element of subjectivity in determining the most successful all-rounders.

A common but numerically imperfect criterion is that the player must be good enough to be selected as either a standalone batter or bowler. Another definition proposes that players are considered all-rounders if their batting average exceeds their bowling average.

This needs to be qualified by stipulating a minimum number of wickets taken and/or a minimum number of Test matches played. There is no universal agreement on what these numbers should be. The International Cricket Council’s index ranks only those currently playing.

In the absence of official qualification criteria, analysts have applied both a minimum number of wickets taken and a minimum number of runs scored. One such combination is scoring 3,000 runs and taking 400 wickets.

This reveals six players — Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Stuart Broad, Shaun Pollock, Shane Warne and Ravichandran Ashwin. If the criteria are relaxed to 3,000 runs and 300 wickets a further four players are revealed — Ian Botham, Daniel Vettori, Imran Khan and Ravindra Jadeja.

Those who are steeped in Test cricket will recognize that these arbitrary criteria have generated a group of players whose main strength is in bowling.

All but one, Vettori, average less than 30 runs per wicket with the ball. Hadlee has the best average at 22.21, followed by Khan with 22.81. However, Khan has a superior batting average of 37.69 compared with Hadlee’s 27.16. Jadeja has the next best batting average of 35.16.

Is a batting average in the mid-to-late thirties sufficient on its own to earn a place in a Test team for a reasonable length of time? There have been many examples to suggest so.

Two will suffice. Derek Randall played 47 matches for England with a batting average of 33.37, whilst Mike Brearley played 39 matches at 22.88. In each case there was a reason for their selection. Brearley was an intelligent, empathetic, clear-thinking captain whilst Randall was a potential match-winner and brilliant fielder.

There will be similar examples from other countries. Selection at particular times will reflect the needs of the team, the style played, ground conditions and the depth of talent available.

Given the examples provided above, it does not seem unreasonable to assume that a player with a batting average of 35 could be regarded as worthy of a place in that team for batting alone. On this basis both Khan and Jadeja can be categorized as all-rounders.

A batting average between 30 and 35 becomes more contentious. Botham averaged 33.54, Pollock 32.31 and Dev 31.05. It would be a brave person who suggests that Botham was not an all-rounder. Apart from taking 120 catches, Botham’s galvanizing dynamism on and off the field would surely have seen him selected solely for his batting. Similar cases can be made for Dev and Pollock.

If a batting average of 30 is accepted, then what is the equivalent for bowling? Since the first Test match in 1877, there have been 101 bowlers who have a career average below 30 runs conceded for every wicket taken. The top six all played between the end of the 19th and the early 20th centuries. Their averages were in a range of 10.7 and 18.6. Over the last 60 years, the top 10 bowling averages have been in the early 20s.

A broader assessment of what constitutes a “good” bowling average can be based on those achieved by the 39 bowlers who have taken over 300 Test match wickets. All bar six of them have averages below 30, whilst the group has an overall average of 30.28. Hence, it may be assumed that a bowling average below 30 is a mark of success.

This assumption is challenged by returning to an earlier criterion used for defining an all-rounder, where the batting average exceeds the bowling average. A search for the highest differential — 20 — reveals two names, Jacques Kallis of South Africa and Gary Sobers of the West Indies.

In 166 matches between 1995 and 2013, Kallis scored 13,289 runs at an average of 55.37, took 292 wickets and claimed 200 catches. Sobers scored 8,032 runs at 57.78, took 235 wickets and 109 catches between 1954 and 1974. These statistics speak of glittering all-round careers.

Sobers added extra spice by being able to bowl both seam and spin, had outstanding charisma and was captain for seven years. Kallis was a much more reserved player but his quick bowling was often delivered as first change, which placed huge physical demands upon him.

Yet, neither fit other criteria. They did not reach 300 wickets or achieve a bowling average below 30, Kallis recording 32.65 and Sobers 34.03. Should that disqualify them from being genuine all-rounders? Their cases do illustrate the dangers of adopting only statistical criteria. There are many other examples.

In July 2024, Ben Stokes joined Sobers and Kallis as only the third player to reach 6,000 runs, at 35.27, and take 200 wickets, at 32.21. In 79 Tests, Andrew Flintoff averaged 32 with the bat and 33 with the ball. His modest returns did not do justice to the effect that his uplifting presence and charisma had on crowds and team-mates.

Keith Miller of Australia had a similar iconic status post-1945. In 55 Tests, he scored almost 3,000 runs at 37 and took 170 wickets at 23, an all-round performance to rank with the best. Shakib Al-Hasan scored 4,609 runs at 37.77 and took 246 wickets at 31.72 in an outstanding career for Bangladesh.

Attempts to instill statistical criteria eliminate the galvanizing effects which all-round performance can have on crowds and on the outcome of a match. Whilst a batting average of 35 or more and a bowling average of below 30 seem to be sound criteria, notable exceptions exist.

On this basis, my partly subjective choice for top all-rounders embraces Sobers, Kallis, Miller, Botham, Stokes and Khan. In their respective ways, each has a celebrated place in sport beyond mere statistics.


Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad suffer shock stumble

Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad suffer shock stumble
Updated 7 sec ago
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Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad suffer shock stumble

Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad suffer shock stumble
  • The victory, in the first round of games as the league restarts after a month’s break, means that the champions are ahead of their Jeddah rivals

RIYADH: Al-Hilal won 5-0 win at Al-Orubah on Saturday to go top of the Saudi Pro League above Al-Ittihad who were held to a surprise 1-1 draw at Al-Feiha.

The victory, in the first round of games as the league restarts after a month’s break, means that the champions are ahead of their Jeddah rivals on goal difference after 14 games of the season.

There was little doubt as to the outcome of the game once Ruben Neves, who returned to the Al-Hilal starting eleven after a lengthy injury lay-off, put the Riyadh giants ahead after just 16 minutes from the penalty spot.

It was one-way traffic but the Blues had to wait until three minutes after the restart to extend their lead against the newly-promoted team.  Central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi has come under fire for a number of mistakes at the back but the Saudi Arabian international made no mistake as he headed home from a left-sided Sergej Milinkovic-Savic cross.

Al-Hilal kept coming. Renan Lodi made it three midway through the second half and then Marcos Leonardo added two more in quick succession to cap a perfect display for coach Jorge Jesus.

It got even better shortly after as Al-Ittihad were held to a 1-1 draw by the struggling Al-Feiha in what was a dramatic game. 

It has been a frustrating afternoon for the Tigers who arrived looking for a tenth successive league victory but they had only themselves to blame as they missed two penalties in the second half –the first from Karim Benzema and the second by Houssem Aouar.

They were left to rue those wasted opportunities in the first minute of injury time, as Fashion Sakala struck to put Al-Feiha in sight of what would have been just a second win of the season. 

The celebrations did not last long however as just two minutes later, Fawaz Al-Sqoor equalised to earn Al-Ittihad a point that may be disappointing on the night but could end up being crucial.

There was also a surprise defeat for Al-Qadsia who would have moved to within six points of the top had they beaten Al-Taawoun. Instead, however, they crashed to a 3-0 home defeat.

Al-Nassr stay third after their 3-1 win over Al-Okhdood while Al-Ahli are in fifth after a 3-2 win over Al-Shabab, their fifth successive league victory.


Penalty king Kane sends Bayern past Gladbach

Penalty king Kane sends Bayern past Gladbach
Updated 23 min 47 sec ago
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Penalty king Kane sends Bayern past Gladbach

Penalty king Kane sends Bayern past Gladbach
  • Musiala’s replacement, veteran Thomas Mueller, had an early chance midway through the first half but blasted at Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas from point-blank range
  • Kane has now converted 26 successive penalties for club and country since his miss against France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup

BERLIN: A second-half penalty from Harry Kane gave Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, restoring their four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Friday drew them within a point of league leaders Bayern, who went into Saturday’s clash without the ill Jamal Musiala.
Musiala’s replacement, veteran Thomas Mueller, had an early chance midway through the first half but blasted at Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas from point-blank range.
Gladbach were toothless in attack but frustrated Bayern, who were unable to turn their dominance into clear goalscoring chances.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Michael Olize was felled in the box by Gladbach’s Lukas Ullrich, bringing Kane to the spot.
The England captain, who had been largely anonymous for much of the night, sent the ball low to the right and into the net.
Kane has now converted 26 successive penalties for club and country since his miss against France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
“We had many, many good chances,” Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich told Sky Germany.
“But we made it a bit too exciting at the end as we could’ve decided things earlier.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: “We’re happy with the 1-0 even if we could’ve scored a goal or two more.”
A first-half goal from Omar Marmoush took Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-0 win at St. Pauli amid growing speculation that the Egypt star is on the brink of a move to Manchester City.
Before the game, Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed “a club had got in contact” about Marmoush, with Sky Germany saying the forward had already agreed personal terms with the English champions.
Marmoush was on target in the 32nd minute against his former club, calmly turning inside the box before firing a shot into the top corner.
The goal was Marmoush’s 14th in 16 Bundesliga games this season, one behind Kane. The 25-year-old also has eight league assists.
“We did plenty to keep a clean sheet today,” said Frankfurt captain Kevin Trapp as his team stayed in third place.
Elsewhere, Freiburg leapfrogged Borussia Dortmund into sixth with a 3-2 home win over Holstein Kiel highlighted by a stunning free-kick from captain Christian Guenter.
Kiel’s Nicolai Remberg unwittingly diverted an Eren Dinkci cross into his own net on 23 minutes, before Guenter sent an excellent dipping shot into the top corner from wide on the right-hand side.
Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo added a third although Kiel’s Phil Harres made the home side sweat with two goals in the final five minutes.
Union Berlin’s miserable week went from bad to worse, going down 2-0 with 10 men at Heidenheim just days after a German Football Association (DFB) sports court punished them for unruly behavior by their fans.
The DFB court decided Union’s 1-1 home draw with Bochum in December should be considered a 2-0 win for the away side after a home fan threw a lighter at the head of the visiting goalkeeper.
Union president Dirk Zingler slammed the decision pre-match as an “unfair scandal,” saying the court was trying to make a “political example” of the club who have appealed the punishment.
Bayern loanee Frans Kraetzig gave the hosts the lead on the counter after 17 minutes in his first Heidenheim game before Union’s Tom Rothe was red carded for a last-man foul.
Adrian Beck sealed the win with seven minutes remaining, giving his side a first win since September.
Mainz climbed past RB Leipzig into fourth with a 2-0 home with over lowly Bochum, with Germany forward Jonathan Burkardt scoring in each half.
A 29th-minute Mohamed Amoura goal took Wolfsburg to a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim.


Marmoush fires Frankfurt to victory amid Man City link

Marmoush fires Frankfurt to victory amid Man City link
Updated 11 January 2025
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Marmoush fires Frankfurt to victory amid Man City link

Marmoush fires Frankfurt to victory amid Man City link
  • Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed “a club had got in contact” about Marmoush
  • Marmoush was on target in the 32nd minute against his former club, calmly turning inside the box before firing a shot into the top corner to give Frankfurt the lead

BERLIN: A first-half goal from Omar Marmoush took Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-0 Bundesliga win at St. Pauli on Saturday amid growing speculation that the Egyptian star is on the brink of a move to Manchester City.
Before the game, Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed “a club had got in contact” about Marmoush, with Sky Germany saying the forward had already agreed personal terms with the struggling English champions.
Marmoush was on target in the 32nd minute against his former club, calmly turning inside the box before firing a shot into the top corner to give Frankfurt the lead.
The goal was Marmoush’s 14th in 16 Bundesliga games this season, taking him level with Harry Kane at the top of the scoring charts. The 25-year-old also has eight league assists.
Victory kept Frankfurt in third place, six points behind leaders Bayern who visit Borussia Moenchengladbach later Saturday.


Elsewhere, Freiburg leapfrogged Borussia Dortmund into sixth with a 3-2 home win over Holstein Kiel highlighted by a stunning free-kick from captain Christian Guenter.
Kiel’s Nicolai Remberg unwittingly diverted an Eren Dinkci cross into his own net on 23 minutes, before Guenter sent an excellent dipping shot into the top corner from wide on the right-hand side.
Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo added a third although Kiel’s Phil Harres made the home side sweat with two goals in the final five minutes.
Union Berlin’s miserable week went from bad to worse, going down 2-0 with 10 men at Heidenheim just days after a German FA (DFB) sports court punished them for unruly behavior by their fans.
The DFB court decided Union’s 1-1 home draw with Bochum in December should be considered a 2-0 win for the away side after a home fan threw a lighter at the head of the visiting goalkeeper.
Union president Dirk Zingler slammed the decision pre-match as an “unfair scandal,” saying the court was trying to make a “political example” of the club who have appealed the decision.
Bayern Munich loanee Frans Kraetzig gave the hosts the lead on the counter after 17 minutes in his first Heidenheim game before Union’s Tom Rothe was red carded for a last-man foul.
Adrian Beck sealed the result with seven minutes remaining, giving his side a first win since September.
Mainz climbed past RB Leipzig into fourth with a 2-0 home with over lowly Bochum, with Germany forward Jonathan Burkardt scoring in each half.
A 29th-minute Mohamed Amoura goal took Wolfsburg to a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim.
Later Saturday, Bayern can restore their four-point lead at the top of the table from second-placed Bayer Leverkusen when they travel to Gladbach.


Shami returns to India squad for England T20s after year absence

Shami returns to India squad for England T20s after year absence
Updated 11 January 2025
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Shami returns to India squad for England T20s after year absence

Shami returns to India squad for England T20s after year absence
  • Shami, 34, last played for India in the 50-over World Cup final in November 2023
  • Shami, who underwent heel surgery, was expected to join India in Australia in December but missed the 3-1 Test series loss

NEW DELHI: Fast bowler Mohammed Shami on Saturday returned to India’s squad for the upcoming T20 international series against England after more than a year’s break due to injury.
Shami, 34, last played for India in the 50-over World Cup final in November 2023 and recently participated in a few domestic matches to mark his return to competitive cricket.
Shami, who underwent heel surgery, was expected to join India in Australia in December but missed the 3-1 Test series loss.
He is part of a 15-member squad for the five T20 matches against England starting January 22 in Kolkata.
White-ball star Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team with spin bowler Axar Patel as his deputy.
Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is missing with doubts over his participation in the following three ODI matches with the touring England team due to an injury he suffered in the final Australia Test.
India are yet to announce the squad for the ODI Champions Trophy starting next month with the deadline to announce the provisional squad for the tournament on Sunday.
India T20 squad to face England: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).


New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series

New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series
Updated 11 January 2025
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New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series

New-look Pakistan squad announced for West Indies Test series
  • Pakistan will host West Indies for the first time in 19 years, with both Tests held in Multan
  • Shan Masood is retained as skipper despite Pakistan losing both the Tests in South Africa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan selectors Saturday recalled opener Imam-ul-Haq in a new look squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies starting next week.
The 29-year old Imam has played 24 Tests for Pakistan but was dropped over poor form after a 3-0 defeat in Australia early last year.
The selectors have also named three uncapped players in opener Muhammad Hurraira, wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir and pacer Kashif Ali on the back of their good performances in domestic matches.
Pakistan will host the visitors for the first time in 19 years, with both Tests held in Multan, starting from January 17 and January 25.
Shan Masood is retained as skipper despite Pakistan losing both the Tests in South Africa last week.
Besides Masood, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, and Salman Ali Agha kept their places from the South Africa series.
Off-spinner Sajid Khan and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed have been recalled to partner with left-arm spinner Noman Ali.
Noman and Sajid took 29 wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 win over England last year.
Injured opener Saim Ayub is also left out of the Pakistan squad for the West Indies Tests.
Squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha.