Numbers Game

A year for lower-order batting heroics

Jul 18, 2014: Lower-order partnership stats have remained remarkably constant over the last five decades, but there's been a huge leap in the first seven months of 2014

Numbers Game

India's opening conundrum

Jul 11, 2014: In the last three-and-half-years, India's opening combinations have averaged 18 per partnership overseas, with only one 50-plus stand in 35 attempts

Numbers Game

The Sri Lankan challenge

Jul 4, 2014: South Africa have a superb overseas record in the last few years, but in Sri Lanka their batsmen and spinners have struggled

Numbers Game

SL's seam attack, and NZ's wicketkeeper

Jun 27, 2014: Sri Lanka's seamers took 17 wickets at Headingley, their best haul in a Test outside Asia, while BJ Watling is proving to be a huge asset with the bat for New Zealand

Numbers Game

From pretty player to match-winner

Jun 20, 2014: The second half of Ian Bell's Test career has been a lot more fulfilling than his first, but he still needs to iron out his inconsistencies

Numbers Game

Debutants and their smashing starts

Jun 13, 2014: Mark Craig's haul of 8 for 188 was the best by a New Zealander on debut, and made him the tenth debutant to win the MoM award since 2011

Numbers Game

Much more than a short-format batsman

Jun 6, 2014: Brian Lara and Garry Sobers are the only West Indians with more 150-plus scores in Tests than Chris Gayle, who'll play his 100th match on Sunday, against New Zealand

Numbers Game

Chasing glory in the IPL

May 30, 2014: Teams batting second have had more success than ever before this season, while batsmen have taken power-hitting to a new high in the slog overs

Numbers Game

Ian Bell's No. 4 challenge

May 23, 2014: Before Pietersen came along, England had struggled for prolific No. 4 Test batsmen since the mid-1970s. Can Bell step up to the plate?

Numbers Game

An IPL of two halves

May 16, 2014: The bowlers, especially the quicker ones, enjoyed the first leg in the UAE. During the India leg, though, the balance has shifted in favour of the batsmen

Numbers Game

English challenge for Sri Lanka's seamers

May 9, 2014: England is generally a pretty good venue for seam and swing bowling, but Sri Lanka's pace attack has always struggled there

ICC team rankings

The battle for the top Test spot

May 2, 2014: While Australia have a great recent record, the ICC's ranking system doesn't take into account South Africa's superior overseas performances

IPL 2014

The Maxwell phenomenon

Apr 25, 2014: Glenn Maxwell has been outstanding in the T20 format, combining perfectly the art of low dot-ball and high boundary percentage

IPL 2014

Crunch time for Sehwag and Gambhir

Apr 18, 2014: The former Indian openers haven't been shining lately, but the IPL presents an opportunity for them to show their class

Narine weaves his T20 magic

Apr 11, 2014: The West Indies offspinner didn't take too many wickets in the 2014 World T20 but he still made a significant impact with his economy rate

Are the last five overs more productive in this World T20?

Apr 4, 2014: A look at the scoring patterns in this tournament, and a comparison with previous editions of the World Twenty20

Umar Akmal's limited-overs exploits

Mar 28, 2014: The ability to play strokes all round the wicket against different types of bowlers makes him a high-value player in T20s and ODIs

Spin in T20s, and the top batsmen against it

Mar 21, 2014: With the World T20 being held in Bangladesh, spin, and the batsmen who handle it the best, could well be the key for all teams

The best batsman across formats?

Mar 14, 2014: Over the last five years, AB de Villiers has been the only batsman to average more than 60 in both Tests and ODIs

The Warner effect, and Johnson v Steyn

Mar 7, 2014: A look at the key aspects that ensured a 2-1 series result for Australia in South Africa