Damn lies and statistics

Statistics eh? Can't live without 'em, certainly not if you're a cricket fan.

Everything is judged. Economy rates, scoring rates, runs per over, wickets per match, catches per career - there can be few sports more blanket-covered with them. And we all love them, quote them and, in many cases, collect them. In fact, probably the only people who don't like statistics are Chris Eubank and Sean Connery, though that's mainly because they struggle with the pronunciation (I'd love to hear Connery talk about the season's Sussex statistics....)

In recent days the admirable Neville Scott, over on Cricinfo, has published a range of figures pertaining to the 2012 season. They made interesting reading and can be seen in full on the website. Suffice to say that Derbyshire did pretty well over the campaign, which probably didn't need a full statistical analysis to work out but is nonetheless reinforced.

There were four sets of figures, the first showing that we had better fortune than anyone in our division with the weather. No one can deny that and some fans of northern neighbours are still sobbing into their beer over the injustice of it all. Yet no one can 'fix' the weather and that's the way the cookie crumbles. There have been plenty of matches over the years where we have been saved by the weather, just as there have been plenty where we were robbed. This was OUR year and all any side can do is play to potential when the rain allows them to do so. Derbyshire did and got their just reward. If one wished to be especially churlish (and risk being deemed an anorak) it was payback for 1935, when we would have won the championship but for uncommon bad weather, as well as a couple of years in the 1950's when we couldn't get on the pitch while Surrey did.

The second statistic related to how teams batted and bowled. It revealed that Derbyshire "only" outbatted their opponents by 31 runs per match, "being dwarfed by the records of Yorkshire and Kent".

Fair enough, but in a rain-ruined summer, isn't half the battle knowing when you have enough runs and then allowing time to bowl out the opposition? It is fine and dandy to score 500 and bowl out the other side for 250, but not when the game then ends in a draw. I bet Yorkshire are still miffed at not declaring earlier at Headingley, when they could have taken an extra couple of wickets of our wickets on the third evening instead of pressing on for more points. That extra batting point could have been vital, but the sixteen for the win would have been much more so. I'm happy to credit Messrs Krikken and Madsen for some well-timed declarations and run chases.

Then there were the figures for runs and wickets taken by players born and raised overseas, which highlighted Middlesex, Sussex and Somerset as the major beneficiaries. Of course, you want your overseas batsmen contributing to enable success and Guptill, Khawaja and Madsen all had their share of moments for Derbyshire. I'm not so sure what these figures proved, to be fair, because all counties make decisions on players based on talent and budget, less than the country of origin. Derbyshire have made a move away from Kolpaks in favour of local talent and it has been a major factor in the change in fortunes. Yet if Chris Gayle or AB de Villiers got in touch tomorrow and said they fancied the County Ground on a Kolpak deal, I hope we wouldn't say no. Not that it is likely to happen, but in such a circumstance you could always forego the overseas role if push came to shove, or keep a short term deal up your sleeve for the end of the season if titles were at stake and money permitted.

Lastly came the statistics showing that Derbyshire had the most settled side in the country. One could again attribute this to luck, but one has also to pay credit to the physio and conditioning staff for keeping players fit through a long and gruelling campaign, as well as to the players for maintaining a high standard through the close season to September. Nor should the decisions of captain and coach be overlooked. When fans are clamouring for changes, it is easy to make knee-jerk decisions that disrupt the harmony and balance of the side more than is often appreciated by the less discerning fan.

Here's one final statistic for you, this time my own. In 2012, Derbyshire got more on and off the pitch decisions right than any other county in division two. From their choice of overseas players to players who were released and engaged; from their pre-season tour to their resting of key players when they needed it; from decisions to bat or bowl to players who made up the final eleven; from bowling changes to fielding changes.

That's why Derbyshire finished top of the pile. Consistency in approach, on and off the pitch, enabled them to see off counties who had too many distractions in the background. A united committee and innovative marketing team allowed a close-knit dressing room to flourish and reap the ultimate reward, all neatly orchestrated by a chairman and Head of Cricket who sang from the same hymn sheet and got the basics right for most of the time.

It was, as Mr Connery might say, shimply shenshational...