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[SOULMAN1012]

My opening first wicket average was 39 rounded up last year for our first wicket. Which when you put my league average for last season 48.6 and my partner 29.8 is about right.

[Gingerbusiness]

Was this thread started by Alistair Cook??

If so, ALOT more than you are currently scoring!

Anything that sees the shine off the new ball so 3 and 4 can come in and do the business is very useful.

[ProCricketer1982]

My league avg was only 36.29 so a bit less than the opening stand avg. the two guys I opened with were 32.78 and 28.5

[Mtown Don]

Just checked the figures for our 1st team (Dorset 1): 574 @ 41. Would imagine that is average or slightly above

[thecord]

Ours for last year was 24.25 would think if we could average 40 next year that would be good as we only settled on an opening pair about halfway through this season. Having said that we still won our league with that relatively low avg 1st wicket so it's obviously not the be all and end all.

[Mtown Don]

Definitely agree, a lot of other strategic factors to consider on this topic. For example:

- Are the openers  the best batters in the side or are they there to shield guns in the middle order from the new ball?
- Are the openers all or nothing players or consistent starters?
- Is the game plan to exploit fielding restrictions or set a base?
- Do local pitches seam early?

All will define what is expected of the opening partnership. As a rule of thumb, I think anything over 30 for no loss after 10 overs of a 50-over innings is a good start. By that point, factors such as conditions and opposition strength become more clear and the game plan will form/adjust accordingly


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[joeljonno]

This is more what I had in my head but it seems other teams have higher standards.  I always think teams should target 250+ rather than 200 though, just to put the oppos under pressure from the off.

It's all to do with the WITT (wickets in the tent) theory, to balance runs scored without losing wickets.

Sometimes a lower score after 20 overs, but with more wickets left is a better foundation. It's a difficult one to balance.

Agree that 250 would be a better target, but in our league, 200 is often a winning score because of the bowler friendly tracks. It's all relative.

[RossViper]

Those numbers are for test matches!


I would say in league cricket between 40-50 overs then over 30 is ok, over 40 good, and anything over 45 would be very good. Clearly the average overs to get there is important too,

If I was captain though what I would want to see was the average quailty of your performances. Last season our openers where hopeless, they got out cheaply against good opo, and scored slowly aghast the bad ones... I don't care what the average is in this case!

[joeljonno]

Those numbers are for test matches!


I would say in league cricket between 40-50 overs then over 30 is ok, over 40 good, and anything over 45 would be very good. Clearly the average overs to get there is important too,

If I was captain though what I would want to see was the average quailty of your performances. Last season our openers where hopeless, they got out cheaply against good opo, and scored slowly aghast the bad ones... I don't care what the average is in this case!

I'd look at more for opening pair, but the question should be whether the openers put you in the position to win/score big? Average isn't the be all and end all.

Sounds like in your case, they didn't.

[uknsaunders]

I think anywhere between 30-50 is a good average number.

You have to consider the standard and the pitch in assessing a number. If you play 3s on a park pitch with the ball doing everything then 30 is pretty good. If you play 2's on a belter where 250 is par then below 40 might be disappointing. What also happens in reality is you have partnerships of 11,4,75 to get to an average of 30. What I would also be looking at is how many times you crossed 20 for example ie. got a start.

For me it's also about doing a job. ie. if you score 36 off 12 overs and both new ball bowlers are replaced then that might be more useful than being 41-1 off 8 with the opening bowlers tales up. I was captain of a 3rd XI of youngsters a few years back who would score 120-4 in 20 overs or be 60-4 in 15 overs and it's immensely frustrating to have to dig in for the last 20 overs because you've lost too many wickets!. Might be the Boycott in my but grinding out 60-70 in 20 overs or even 100 in 30 consumes far more of the oppo's bowling resources than being 70-2 off 14. Getting a flyer can be pulled back but having your best bowlers virtually bowl out doesn't give you many options. As long as you have the players to kick-on then a steady consistent base is best.