Ranking the Auxiliary skills in test cricket

[kyear2]

Which of the auxiliary skills have been more impactful, important or determinative to results in test cricket over the century.
Let's rank them, slip cordons, lower order batting and relief / 5th bowling.

Lower order batting can bail out the occasional batting collapse or help form the key partnership in tests that can save or even win matches. They're generally less reliable, but a good no. 8 or 9 can add potentially crucial batting depth to a team.

Cordons has been crucial to the fortunes of the dominant teams and bowlers for the entirety of the modern game. Catches win matches, especially those who can convert if not create half chances, while dropped catches can be costly and turn series.

Relief bowling is the only role built into the construction of lineups and is essential for the maintenance and flow of the rotation. Their role may vary from keeping it tight to breaking key partnerships.

To be clear we're taking about all rounder level of lower order batting, anything over an average of 20. All rounder level relief bowlers, anything over a wpm of one, and elite slip cordons.

I have no idea how this will go, and really interested in how the neutrals will vote.

Hoping against hope it remains civil.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

No love for fine leg

 

[ataraxia]

Is this throughout history? That's quite a different question, given how large slip cordons are relatively recent inventions and how the 4.5 bowler layout has also only really been widely accepted for the past 50 years.

 

[ataraxia]

Hang on is this meant to be #8 vs. 5th bowler vs. the whole slip cordon? Does it include gully?

 

[reyrey]

Which of the auxiliary skills have been more impactful, important or determinative to results in test cricket over the century.
Let's rank them, slip cordons, lower order batting and relief / 5th bowling.

Lower order batting can bail out the occasional batting collapse or help form the key partnership in tests that can save or even win matches. They're generally less reliable, but a good no. 8 or 9 can add potentially crucial batting depth to a team.

Cordons has been crucial to the fortunes of the dominant teams and bowlers for the entirety of the modern game. Catches win matches, especially those who can convert if not create half chances, while dropped catches can be costly and turn series.

Relief bowling is the only role built into the construction of lineups and is essential for the maintenance and flow of the rotation. Their role may vary from keeping it tight to breaking key partnerships.

To be clear we're taking about all rounder level of lower order batting, anything over an average of 20. All rounder level relief bowlers, anything over a wpm, and elite slip cordons.

I have no idea how this will go, and really interested in how the neutrals will vote.

Hoping against hope it remains civil.

I would add that the 5th bowler gives a team more flexibility and safety in bowling selections.

Assuming the 5th bowler is a pacer, having the 5th bowler allows the team to always pick a spinner. Pitch on day 1 might look like you won't need a spinner for that Test, but you can pick him anyway just in case and still have plenty of pacers.

It also allows the team to pick 2 spinners when it might be needed without feeling under cooked in the pace department. Similar ideas can be applied if the 5th bowler is a spinner

 

[kyear2]

Is this throughout history? That's quite a different question, given how large slip cordons are relatively recent inventions and how the 4.5 bowler layout has also only really been widely accepted for the past 50 years.

I said the last century, but can really be the post WW2, from the 70's or just how the game is played today.

 

[kyear2]

I would add that the 5th bowler gives a team more flexibility and safety in bowling selections.

Assuming the 5th bowler is a pacer, having the 5th bowler allows the team to always pick a spinner. Pitch on day 1 might look like you won't need a spinner for that Test, but you can pick him anyway just in case and still have plenty of pacers.

It also allows the team to pick 2 spinners when it might be needed without feeling under cooked in the pace department. Similar ideas can be applied if the 5th bowler is a spinner

Agreed, I did go more indepth in another thread, but wanted it open to the forum as much as possible here.

It does though, even a guy possessing Hammond's bowling skills can easily be a third seamer, allowing two spinners of required on a turning deck. Hence from that perspective, as I've pointed out precisely, while their role is more passive, and somewhat completed by them just completing overs and not being taken to the cleaners, allowing for the flow of the rotation, it still is relatively passive compared to the others, though just as important from that perspective. Over the course of a series the 5th bowler will have a role to play, even if the active impact is likely less.

 

[ataraxia]

I said the last century, but can really be the post WW2, from the 70's or just how the game is played today.

Well if you're asking all four questions you won't get very accurate answers. What about my other question?

 

[kyear2]

Well if you're asking all four questions you won't get very accurate answers. What about my other question?

Over the past 50 year, which has been more impactful for teams in the service of wins.

It can be what ever you prefer

 

[ataraxia]

Over the past 50 year, which has been more impactful for teams in the service of wins.

It can be what ever you prefer

I love it when all the options are meaningless.

 

[kyear2]

I love it when all the options are meaningless.

You can decide to vote or not to, entirely up to you. But I see you've already decided so that's your point.

The questions were clear.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

1. Reading the conditions and making the right decision with selection and decisions at the toss

 

[Thala_0710]

1. Reading the conditions and making the right decision with selection and decisions at the toss

So basically captaincy

 

[ataraxia]

You can decide to vote or not to, entirely up to you. But I see you've already decided so that's your point.

The questions were clear.

I cast my vote thinking this was meant to be historical. Then I changed my vote realising this was meant to be 21st century. Then I changed my vote realising that this was asking a different question to what I thought. Then I realised that it could mean a range of things and the thread creator offered no clarification so I gave up.

I do not cope well with fuzzy questions.

 

[the big bambino]

Hard to pick between catching and lower order batting with both beating 5th bowler. My perception is the 5th bowler is mostly needed as a filler while lower order runs have been conspicuously valuable. Inclined to favour catches win matches option. A team taking its chances would have less need for a genuine 5th bowler and could fill that place with a genuine batsman.

 

[subshakerz]

It has to be slips.

I don't see how bowlers can take wickets behind the stumps if an entire slip cordon is missing and you only have 8 fielders in the field.

 

[kevinw]

I would agree with slip fielding but good fielding generally makes a huge difference. Rhodes or Penney were worth another 10-20 runs with their fielding and I'd want to avoid selecting anyone who was a complete mug in the field.

 

[kyear2]

I cast my vote thinking this was meant to be historical. Then I changed my vote realising this was meant to be 21st century. Then I changed my vote realising that this was asking a different question to what I thought. Then I realised that it could mean a range of things and the thread creator offered no clarification so I gave up.

I do not cope well with fuzzy questions.

I would say modern cricket, that's how I envision it, anywhere from the 70's to now.

While the gully is part of the cordon, it's not factored as much into this.

Hope I've answered your questions.

 

[subshakerz]

I would say modern cricket, that's how I envision it, anywhere from the 70's to now.

While the gully is part of the cordon, it's not factored as much into this.

Hope I've answered your questions.

Are you referring to the entire cordon?

 

[ankitj]

It has to be slips.

I don't see how bowlers can take wickets behind the stumps if an entire slip cordon is missing and you only have 8 fielders in the field.

When we say slip cordon is least important we are not thinking of a scenario where there is no slip cordon. We are thinking of the next best slip cordon we can assemble. Basically the opportunity cost of selecting someone with slightly poorer catching (and better part time batting or bowling for the sake of this comparison)