First impressions - Part II

In last week's column, the List featured the best performers when facing an opposition for the first time. This week, we look at the reverse - how different countries have performed while playing opposition players for the first time.

England's fledgling batsmen, Alastair Cook and Owais Shah, averaged 63 and 61 in the recently concluded Test series in India and Collingwood, in his first series against India, averaged 68. This instance is consistent with how batsmen have fared in their first outings against India for they have always had one of the weaker attacks.

England's bowlers have the best overall record against batsmen they've never played before but in the last ten years their average runs conceded has been 30.90 (sixth place) much higher than the overall figure of 25.55.

Averages of opposing top 7 batsmen when playing a country for the first time - Tests

Team	Num	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100
Bangladesh	105	128	6648	222*	59.89	22
Zimbabwe	170	242	9078	380	42.61	25
India	498	811	25818	246*	35.51	48
New Zealand	471	739	22982	310*	34.71	52
ICC World XI	7	14	485	111	34.64	1
Sri Lanka	271	438	14060	219	34.46	31
South Africa	430	712	20891	226	31.27	33
Pakistan	411	679	19499	309	31.00	29
West Indies	518	901	24380	337	29.16	38
Australia	670	1162	30215	287	27.36	39
England	732	1254	30388	277	25.55	43

Given that Sri Lanka entered the Test fraternity as late as 1982, they have a better record than most in this regard. Overall, they have the second best batting record and in the last ten years their bowlers average 28.36 against first-time opposition and their batters score at 42.41 against bowlers they are facing for the first time.

Averages of opposing top 7 batsmen when playing a country for the first time since 1996 - Tests

Team	Num	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100
Bangladesh	105	128	6648	222*	59.89	22
Zimbabwe	124	177	6617	380	41.35	19
ICC World XI	7	14	485	111	34.64	1
India	124	210	6440	163	33.54	12
South Africa	129	229	6623	214	31.24	10
England	123	198	5779	277	30.90	11
New Zealand	112	185	5200	149*	30.23	10
West Indies	120	202	5693	221	30.12	11
Pakistan	102	176	4819	309	29.20	4
Sri Lanka	136	243	6666	160	28.36	15
Australia	136	250	6170	152	25.81	8

Predictably, Australia have been overwhelmingly dominant against rookie opposition batsmen and bowlers. Over the last decade, the Australian attack has conceded 25.81 to new opposition batsmen and has battered bowlers for 54.96 per wicket.

Averages of opposing bowlers when playing a country for the first time - Tests

Team	Num	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	5
ICC World XI	5	290	16	5/43	18.12	1
Bangladesh	82	5686	299	7/53	19.01	20
Zimbabwe	126	10421	395	8/71	26.38	17
New Zealand	377	31485	1110	7/32	28.36	41
South Africa	326	28597	928	9/57	30.81	40
West Indies	353	32381	1043	8/87	31.04	49
India	374	33196	1045	8/64	31.76	40
Pakistan	337	31447	963	8/52	32.65	35
England	567	49341	1509	8/43	32.69	72
Sri Lanka	210	18904	566	8/58	33.39	21
Australia	496	48127	1223	7/80	39.35	51

Averages of opposing bowlers when playing a country for the first time since 1996 - Tests

Team	Num	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	5
ICC World XI	5	290	16	5/43	18.12	1
Bangladesh	82	5686	299	7/53	19.01	20
Zimbabwe	94	7908	308	6/33	25.67	12
West Indies	85	7113	211	7/12	33.71	5
India	111	11000	324	8/64	33.95	13
New Zealand	99	9428	274	7/63	34.40	13
England	104	9039	252	8/164	35.86	5
Pakistan	94	9470	255	6/33	37.13	9
Sri Lanka	105	9544	225	5/36	42.41	5
South Africa	102	9471	198	7/84	47.83	5
Australia	108	11103	202	5/67	54.96	5