Country-wise look at dismissals in Tests

This data-centric analysis is a follow-up to my previous article on Test Dismissals across the ages. It was clear from the beginning that a follow-up analysis by country would complete the analysis. The comments are minimal due to number of tables, and I expect the readers to come out with their own views.

Even within the country division, multiple analyses are possible. The first is "by country" from the batting point of view which analyses how batsmen from each country lost their wickets. The second one is "by country" but from the bowling/fielding point of view analysing how the wickets were captured. The final one is "by country" based on location of these Tests. Each one will offer some insights.

In view of the number of tables (18, to start with), I have restricted the third analysis, "by location" only to the three bowler-centric dismissals which are likely to be influenced by the type of pitches: Lbw, Bowled and Caught by wicketkeeper. The other three dismissals, viz., Ct by other fielders, Run outs and Stumped, relate less to the type of pitches and more to fielding. Yet we are left with 15 tables, each shown by dismissal type.

LBW dismissals

Lbw: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	6.02	9.88	15.70	10.70	11.86	14.55	13.61	16.02	13.67	12.23%
Bangladesh								18.69	14.09	16.82%
England	6.52	12.45	12.02	12.00	13.86	17.81	15.15	16.16	18.62	13.57%
India		15.56	10.65	9.01	9.95	15.45	13.19	14.74	16.08	13.04%
New Zealand		14.85	12.66	13.19	11.14	16.07	17.10	20.57	17.76	15.77%
Pakistan			10.82	10.23	11.10	14.50	18.00	16.10	20.88	15.06%
South Africa	6.74	11.79	14.25	11.32	11.94	12.50	16.65	15.60	16.77	13.62%
Sri Lanka						14.52	14.23	14.77	16.03	14.88%
West Indies		15.10	13.59	13.04	11.12	17.56	19.76	19.74	22.84	16.98%
Zimbabwe						11.36	20.27	19.58	21.33	19.71%
Lbw: Dismissals %
Australia	6.18	11.54	11.96	9.40	12.13	15.12	17.80	18.08	14.95	13.08%
Bangladesh								16.83	19.55	18.09%
England	5.85	12.51	13.48	11.77	9.69	15.03	14.30	16.86	18.69	12.68%
India		16.28	16.21	13.32	13.69	15.31	19.30	19.69	20.89	17.04%
New Zealand		5.59	8.68	9.46	12.80	12.98	15.57	14.36	15.25	12.94%
Pakistan			12.86	8.99	10.98	20.74	22.29	18.51	22.66	18.36%
South Africa	8.67	14.04	12.98	14.40	11.25	15.62	14.87	13.18	11.58	12.92%
Sri Lanka						20.11	14.00	20.96	23.27	19.75%
West Indies		10.34	12.30	12.44	12.42	15.15	11.83	14.94	12.43	13.28%
Zimbabwe						3.03	14.98	15.97	13.79	15.03%
Lbw: In Country %
Australia	5.71	11.71	13.94	8.55	10.00	12.90	14.22	15.18	11.98	11.37%
Bangladesh							13.33	19.47	17.40	18.38%
England	6.99	11.07	12.71	12.35	13.25	16.90	14.73	17.49	17.41	13.67%
India		19.00	13.64	11.39	13.31	17.01	19.86	16.73	20.39	15.98%
New Zealand		8.11	10.38	10.84	10.27	14.64	14.55	17.57	15.46	13.70%
Pakistan			11.23	9.56	11.92	21.11	23.35	19.54	11.70	18.18%
South Africa	6.73	14.32	12.67	12.05	11.56	17.05	15.30	12.41	13.04	12.49%
Sri Lanka						15.40	13.01	19.08	21.31	17.86%
West Indies		14.18	13.77	14.70	11.42	14.32	17.82	16.71	19.88	15.41%
Zimbabwe						7.79	15.28	17.25	18.87	16.06%
U.A.E.								26.72	32.00	30.18%

New Zealand batsmen of the recent period of 2000-2006, have been out Lbw over 20% of all dismissals, a figure which is way above the rest of the periods. Maybe a sign of the struggles the Kiwis have faced in recent times. Pakistani batsmen over the most recent period have been out Lbw over 20%. And look at the post-Lara West Indians. They have been out Lbw over 22%. During recent times, Australian batsmen have been out Lbw only 13.6%.

Now for the bowling dismissals. Pakistan has been the leaders in this mode of dismissal during the recent few periods. They have exceeded 20% during three of the four periods and are well above the 20% mark. The influence of Imran, Akram, Younis, Saqlain, Akhtar et al, can be seen. During the past two periods Sri Lanka has also been comfortably above the 20% mark: a certain influence of Murali. Recently India have also been well above the 20% mark. Look at South Africa. Fairly low Lbw % during the past two periods. The recent drop in Australia's % of Lbw dismissals is noteworthy.

Pakistan stands out in the in-country Lbw dismissals. During two periods between 1980 and 1999, well over 20% of the dismissals in Pakistan were of this kind. I would give the major credit to the bowlers and a minor reason could be the often-referred-to situation of home umpires. India also came close to 20% during the 1990s. Sri Lankans, during the most recent period, part of it without Murali, have comfortably gone past 21%. Note the low Lbw dismissal % in Australia and South Africa during recent times.

Bowled dismissals

Bowled: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	33.56	29.23	25.54	25.91	21.23	20.41	17.20	14.10	16.96	23.01%
Bangladesh								14.14	16.47	15.09%
England	36.75	26.65	26.74	24.30	19.59	20.75	18.78	17.41	17.11	23.85%
India		25.19	31.39	25.40	22.23	17.98	17.22	17.32	17.75	21.12%
New Zealand		32.67	27.97	26.11	19.76	16.92	15.70	17.46	17.89	20.09%
Pakistan			29.22	27.14	17.50	17.02	13.56	13.95	15.18	17.61%
South Africa	42.59	35.26	28.50	24.49	19.40	25.00	18.44	19.52	18.18	26.08%
Sri Lanka						18.52	15.69	15.72	15.77	16.29%
West Indies		22.92	28.01	22.78	23.10	18.26	15.20	16.90	15.38	19.72%
Zimbabwe						25.00	15.45	16.34	17.33	16.29%
Bowled: Dismissals %
Australia	37.78	28.04	28.08	20.95	17.84	16.38	15.72	15.48	16.32	21.95%
Bangladesh								16.35	18.44	17.31%
England	35.47	30.64	29.63	25.97	22.53	17.57	14.39	16.24	18.36	24.54%
India		26.74	21.80	25.20	19.44	19.02	16.77	13.59	17.69	18.77%
New Zealand		30.07	31.27	26.43	18.28	19.82	13.44	15.09	12.11	18.82%
Pakistan			29.92	32.70	22.26	21.83	21.67	20.23	18.98	22.46%>
South Africa	36.17	28.09	23.55	23.00	22.50	15.62	19.57	16.38	15.41	21.62%
Sri Lanka						15.37	16.29	17.02	16.22	16.39%
West Indies		21.72	29.90	25.36	23.13	21.25	15.92	18.03	16.80	21.43%
Zimbabwe						12.12	13.29	14.07	27.59	14.39%
Bowled: In Country %
Australia	34.12	25.33	28.31	21.16	18.87	16.42	16.10	15.03	16.15	21.57%
Bangladesh							13.33	15.07	18.13	16.41%
England	37.57	31.29	27.74	25.91	21.71	20.44	17.45	17.17	18.02	24.38%
India		15.00	26.44	27.50	20.63	20.23	17.21	15.73	23.07	21.44%
New Zealand		35.68	34.99	27.26	18.46	18.51	15.43	16.76	12.77	19.87%
Pakistan			27.97	28.96	20.98	19.86	20.05	15.84	25.53	20.93%
South Africa	39.80	31.55	25.22	17.12	21.09	18.18	18.06	16.18	13.40	22.88%
Sri Lanka						15.40	17.05	18.52	15.45	16.93%
West Indies		22.01	27.80	26.04	23.23	20.16	15.69	16.29	13.62	20.00%
Zimbabwe						19.48	9.38	14.52	24.53	13.45%
U.A.E.								22.14	18.80	19.95%

The only batsmen dismissal figure over 20%, of the bowled variety, during recent times has been England during the 1980s. I cannot get a handle on this.

Look at the string of 20+ % values by Pakistani bowlers, barring a slight drop during the last period. I think this can again be attributed to the range of incisive fast bowlers Pakistan possessed.

Same thing is true of Pakistan, the country. Glad to note that these are direct bowler-centric dismissals. The only comparable number is by the West Indian bowlers during the 1980s. It is a surprise that the bowled dismissal figure is below 14% in South Africa.

Caught by Wicket-keeper

CtWk: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	9.80	12.63	12.87	14.43	16.69	18.95	21.03	18.04	17.37	15.73%
Bangladesh								18.46	17.83	18.20%
England	7.18	10.29	15.75	17.79	17.47	18.66	19.78	20.74	18.81	15.82%
India		10.37	12.67	15.36	17.97	20.88	14.03	18.76	17.35	17.03%
New Zealand		7.92	11.72	14.49	19.02	18.55	19.30	18.30	17.37	16.95%
Pakistan			13.20	15.24	18.78	17.75	19.20	17.85	18.39	17.62%
South Africa	7.68	8.72	13.62	17.70	23.88	15.62	20.56	17.83	18.05	15.14%
Sri Lanka						19.56	19.59	18.84	18.13	19.01%
West Indies		9.38	12.17	15.70	13.90	16.24	17.16	16.39	14.57	15.04%
Zimbabwe						15.91	16.11	15.82	9.33	15.62%
CtWk: Dismissals %
Australia	7.05	9.02	16.20	18.44	21.71	19.92	18.42	20.05	21.06	16.81%
Bangladesh								18.75	13.41	16.28%
England	9.42	11.04	11.55	15.75	16.31	18.92	23.15	17.96	14.89	14.85%
India		9.30	11.44	9.76	11.29	16.18	15.20	13.76	16.62	13.72%
New Zealand		10.49	15.38	17.29	18.65	19.12	17.92	19.34	20.03	18.28%
Pakistan			15.75	10.90	18.40	16.03	14.45	17.94	19.83	16.52%
South Africa	7.86	10.34	13.82	18.80	18.75	31.25	22.41	21.61	16.75	17.17%
Sri Lanka						20.11	12.65	15.00	12.50	14.71%
West Indies		11.03	13.26	17.75	16.46	19.39	22.83	19.28	20.77	18.31%
Zimbabwe						18.18	21.31	18.25	17.24	19.52%
CtWk: In Country %
Australia	8.47	11.38	13.77	16.79	20.80	21.04	20.62	19.87	20.33	16.91%
Bangladesh							6.67	16.48	16.67	16.32%
England	8.26	11.13	13.54	17.13	18.11	17.84	22.50	19.57	17.48	16.00%
India		12.00	11.60	12.04	12.74	14.84	11.55	15.32	13.73	13.18%
New Zealand		7.57	11.96	14.45	19.58	21.44	21.12	19.75	22.13	18.95%
Pakistan			16.08	12.02	15.28	15.56	14.38	17.57	19.15	15.56%
South Africa	7.96	8.50	15.59	22.41	21.09	22.73	22.43	22.09	18.45	17.01%
Sri Lanka						20.60	14.74	15.34	14.32	15.73%
West Indies		8.21	12.28	16.61	14.07	19.09	18.68	17.54	17.75	16.46%
Zimbabwe						16.88	19.62	17.10	14.15	17.89%
U.A.E.								13.74	14.40	14.17%

England during the years just after turn of the millennium, India during the 1980s and South Africa, immediately after their return are the only cases where a team has lost more than a fifth of the wickets to catches behind by the keeper. Of course I am aware that it has not been possible to separate the catches taken by slip fielders. In this regard, only Sri Lankans appear to have a slightly more pronounced weakness than others.

Now for the bowlers. The period 1993-99 has been the best period for bowlers in inducing edges to the wicket-keeper. England, South Africa and West Indies had 22-plus % figures for the keeper-catches during this period. South Africa continued with 21.6% during the next period. Look at Australia's figures of 21-plus % during the last period.

If anyone is asked which country would have had the highest % of keeper-catches, there would be quite a few answers, with England or New Zealand as candidates for the first amongst equals. Well, the figures seem to confirm this except that New Zealand is way ahead of the others with nearly 19%. And they have been consistent over the past 30 years. Australia also had similar figures over the same period. Indians, with their predominantly spin attacks, have been below 14% overall.

Run Out dismissals

Run Outs: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	4.84	4.58	3.41	4.61	3.95	3.58	3.34	3.77	3.08	3.94%
Bangladesh								2.22	3.06	2.56%
England	3.49	3.19	2.22	3.47	3.32	2.27	2.55	2.43	2.65	2.84%
India		0.74	4.37	3.46	3.25	3.84	3.89	4.40	3.14	3.71%
New Zealand		3.47	3.28	3.00	2.23	3.33	3.60	3.47	2.70	3.15%
Pakistan			6.06	2.71	3.98	3.91	3.25	4.20	3.50	3.89%
South Africa	3.23	3.07	4.12	6.17	4.48	4.69	2.79	3.30	2.82	3.50%
Sri Lanka						3.41	4.38	3.79	4.07	3.92%
West Indies		4.17	5.56	5.19	4.17	3.07	4.34	3.35	2.10	3.86%
Zimbabwe						2.27	3.82	4.41	2.67	4.02%
Run Outs: Dismissals %
Australia	3.64	3.34	2.73	4.21	3.29	2.13	2.77	3.05	2.73	3.06%
Bangladesh								6.25	3.91	5.17%
England	4.18	3.57	3.53	3.99	2.82	4.16	2.50	3.56	2.73	3.54%
India		2.33	4.63	5.01	4.91	3.31	3.26	3.05	2.14	3.63%
New Zealand		6.29	4.71	4.57	3.66	3.42	4.60	3.41	3.29	3.93%
Pakistan			4.20	2.45	3.56	3.41	2.99	3.53	3.26	3.35%
South Africa	4.26	2.01	2.96	3.40	2.50	4.69	3.62	2.65	2.59	3.03%
Sri Lanka						3.61	4.71	3.77	4.26	4.07%
West Indies		6.21	5.20	3.50	3.74	3.05	3.56	3.67	3.01	3.72%
Zimbabwe						6.06	4.85	3.99	5.17	4.49%

Run Outs for the batting team reflects, in general, a lack of communication and not so athletic batsmen. It is no wonder that India and Pakistan are ranked high on this table with % of run outs in excess of 3.7% during the recent times. These days, Sri Lankans too have caught this bug.

High Run Outs dismissals % values indicate an above-average fielding ability. New Zealand, during the 1990s and England, during the 1980s are examples. However look at Bangladesh's figures. They have averaged 5.2%. It is probably due to the liberties which the batsmen of the opposing teams took as well as a surprisingly athletic ability of the young cricketing nation. Recently Sri Lanka has been quite good. India has the lowest figures amongst all teams, during recent years.

Stumping dismissals

Stumpings: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	3.27	1.83	2.55	2.55	1.68	1.95	1.63	2.19	1.95	2.21%
Bangladesh								2.22	2.55	2.35%
England	3.59	4.03	2.64	1.74	1.70	0.76	1.55	1.80	1.23	2.18%
India		5.19	2.02	2.31	1.73	1.09	1.53	1.72	1.86	1.78%
New Zealand		5.45	4.38	1.31	1.49	0.60	1.50	0.96	1.80	1.70%
Pakistan			4.98	1.25	1.28	1.47	1.74	1.95	1.75	1.89%
South Africa	3.10	4.42	3.88	1.23	2.99	1.56	2.01	0.98	1.41	2.41%
Sri Lanka						1.33	1.58	1.80	1.05	1.48%
West Indies		4.95	4.26	1.77	1.50	1.74	1.19	1.82	1.28	2.06%
Zimbabwe							1.00	1.69	2.67	1.41%
Stumpings: Dismissals %
Australia	3.70	5.86	3.18	1.79	1.32	0.66	1.94	2.16	0.73	2.31%
Bangladesh								2.40	2.79	2.58%
England	2.83	3.05	2.73	1.56	1.11	0.92	1.43	1.10	1.16	1.87%
India		1.16	6.13	3.03	3.13	2.60	1.69	2.18	2.33	2.86%
New Zealand		4.20	2.73	1.47	1.65	0.88	0.71	1.22	0.90	1.29%
Pakistan			3.15	2.18	2.08	2.73	2.48	2.39	1.98	2.44%
South Africa	4.42	3.24	2.54	1.20	0.00	0.00	0.39	1.01	1.03	1.68%
Sri Lanka						1.33	3.63	2.68	4.12	3.02%
West Indies		2.41	2.97	1.81	1.11	0.40	0.73	1.09	0.82	1.22%
Zimbabwe						3.03	0.84	1.52	1.72	1.28%

Not so surprisingly, South African batsmen lead the stumpings wickets % with 2-plus value. What about New Zealand batsmen having a stumpings % below 1.00 during the 2000-06 period? Possibly due to fewer spinners travelling to New Zealand.

Look at the drop of stumpings % of Australian bowlers during the pre and post Warne-retirement periods. 2.16% dropped to 0.73%. Indians have been quite good. However the real high numbers rest with the Sri Lankan bowlers. 3.6% during the Murali reign and 4.12%, even after his retirement. The lowest figure is 0.4% by the pace-dominant West Indian bowling line-ups of the 1980s.

Caught by others

CtOth: Batsmen Out %	1877	1920	1946	1960	1970	1980	1993	2000	2007	All
	1914	1939	1959	1969	1979	1992	1999	2006	2012	Tests
Australia	40.99	39.71	37.84	38.86	42.31	38.76	41.89	43.43	45.94	40.96%
Bangladesh								42.17	43.80	42.84%
England	41.25	41.16	38.46	39.48	43.14	37.80	39.26	39.60	40.17	39.97%
India		41.48	36.66	42.73	41.12	38.22	48.33	41.63	43.14	41.30%
New Zealand		33.66	38.12	40.73	44.73	42.48	42.00	38.04	40.41	40.80%
Pakistan			33.77	41.13	45.23	43.40	42.84	44.29	39.56	42.22%
South Africa	35.71	34.77	34.38	37.86	35.82	37.50	37.77	41.35	41.10	37.74%
Sri Lanka						39.70	41.61	43.56	43.63	42.31%
West Indies		41.15	34.28	40.51	43.96	40.91	40.72	40.50	41.61	40.49%
Zimbabwe						45.45	41.86	40.60	45.33	41.49%
CtOth: Dismissals %
Australia	40.38	39.50	36.34	43.96	42.18	44.81	42.52	40.10	43.12	41.48%
Bangladesh								36.06	39.94	37.86%
England	40.90	36.94	37.81	39.98	45.51	42.27	42.90	42.49	42.68	41.00%
India		43.02	36.78	40.37	44.51	40.81	40.53	45.73	38.97	41.39%
New Zealand		42.66	35.48	38.50	43.33	41.05	46.11	44.77	46.64	42.74%
Pakistan			33.07	40.87	41.25	32.40	33.95	35.02	32.44	34.82%
South Africa	37.48	41.82	41.61	37.60	45.00	32.81	37.96	44.38	51.29	42.38%
Sri Lanka						36.24	46.16	39.73	38.30	40.31%
West Indies		44.48	32.98	37.68	40.20	38.16	42.41	40.48	44.26	39.44%
Zimbabwe						54.55	43.46	44.68	29.31	43.63%

No great insights can be drawn from this amorphic collection of dismissals. The catch could be a diving effort in the first slip or a skier at long-off. Let me leave the readers to draw whatever insights they want to.

The only outlier is South Africa, which is the only country to exceed 50%. This, they did during the most recent period. Possibly many slip catches have been taken due to the presence of Steyn, Philander, Kallis et al in the bowling line-up. Look at the low values for Pakistan. Their bowlers believed in hitting the stumps, pads or toes.