Dilshan's innings a close third

This analysis will be done at suitable points during the World Cup 2015 so that the readers can see the way the Performance tables evolve. As more matches get played the top performance mosaic changes and readers can identify with what happened in the past few days. The qualifying bar for inclusion moves higher as more matches get played.

Three matches were played since the last report was prepared. Two of these resulted in last over cliff-hangers and the two losing teams could as well have won the matches. The fact that these four teams are the associate teams should throw big questions on ICC's self-limiting exclusive strategy for the next World Cup. But it is unlikely that this policy would be changed since money rules. The third match was yet another of these 3xx-2xx matches of which this World Cup has already seen six.

Top Batting performances in WC 2015: in 17 matches played so far

SNo	Rating Pts	Year	ODI#	Batsman	For	Vs	Runs	Balls
1	572	2015	3612	CH Gayle	West Indies	Zim	215	147
2	460	2015	3610	S Dhawan	India	Saf	137	146
3	460	2015	3615	TM Dilshan	Sri Lanka	Bng	161*	146
4	397	2015	3601	DA Miller	South Africa	Zim	138*	92
5	389	2015	3613	Shaiman Anwar	U.A.E.	Ire	106	83
6	386	2015	3600	JWA Taylor	England	Aus	98*	90
7	370	2015	3600	AJ Finch	Australia	Eng	135	128
8	363	2015	3607	BB McCullum	New Zealand	Eng	77	25
9	351	2015	3614	Samiullah Shenwari	Afghanistan	Sco	96	147
10	345	2015	3611	MM Ali	England	Sco	128	107

The table is becoming quite tight now. So much so, Kumar Sangakkara's lovely hundred could not even find a place in the top ten. Tillakaratne Dilshan's huge innings got into the table in the third position, with 460 rating pts: Dead-heated with Shikhar Dhawan. Shaiman Anwar's beautifully crafted 106 came in at the fifth position. It is clear that this innings is identical to that of Sangakkara. However Anwar came in to bat at a disastrous situation and scored most of his runs in the company of low order batsmen. If UAE had won, this could easily be in the top three.

I am indeed very happy that Samiullah Shenwari's brave innings found a place in the top ten. The slow rate of scoring was more than made up by the over 100 runs scored for the eighth and ninth wickets. However this could very well leave the table next time around.

Top Bowling performances in WC 2015: in 17 matches played so far

SNo	Rating Pts	Year	ODI#	Bowler	For	Vs	Analysis
1	606	2015	3607	TG Southee	New Zealand	Eng	9.0 - 0 - 33 - 7
2	452	2015	3600	MR Marsh	Australia	Eng	9.0 - 0 - 33 - 5
3	429	2015	3602	Sohail Khan	Pakistan	Ind	10.0 - 0 - 55 - 5
4	321	2015	3608	JE Taylor	West Indies	Pak	7.0 - 1 - 15 - 3
5	311	2015	3600	ST Finn	England	Aus	10.0 - 0 - 71 - 5
6	286	2015	3602	Mohammed Shami	India	Pak	9.0 - 1 - 35 - 4
7	266	2015	3614	Shapoor Zadran	Afghanistan	Sco	10.0 - 1 - 38 - 4
8	258	2015	3614	Dawlat Zadran	Afghanistan	Sco	10.0 - 1 - 29 - 3
9	249	2015	3614	RD Berrington	Scotland	Afg	10.0 - 0 - 40 - 4
10	242	2015	3611	JH Davey	Scotland	Eng	10.0 - 0 - 68 - 4

Three bowling performances from the close Afghanistan-Scotland encounter found their places in the lower half of the table. It is clear that top quality bowling performances are at a premium in this batting-dominated World Cup. But these are all in for short reigns.

Top Player performances in WC 2015: in 17 matches played so far

SNo	Rating Pts	Year	ODI#	Player	For	Vs	Runs	Balls	Analysis
1	700	2015	3612	CH Gayle	West Indies	Zim	215	147	6.0-0-35-2
2	579	2015	3615	TM Dilshan	Sri Lanka	Bng	161*	146	8.0-0-35-2
3	504	2015	3600	MR Marsh	Australia	Eng	23	20	9.0-0-33-5
4	434	2015	3611	MM Ali	England	Sco	128	107	10.0-0-47-2
5	353	2015	3608	AD Russell	West Indies	Pak	42*	13	8.0-2-33-3
6	317	2015	3614	RD Berrington	Scotland	Afg	25	46	10.0-0-40-4
7	298	2015	3606	SC Williams	Zimbabwe	Uae	76*	65	8.0-0-43-2
8	298	2015	3613	Amjad Javed	U.A.E.	Ire	42	35	10.0-0-60-3
9	281	2015	3599	CJ Anderson	New Zealand	Slk	75	46	3.1-0-18-2
10	258	2015	3614	AC Evans	Scotland	Afg	28	37	10.0-1-30-2

Dilshan, like Gayle, followed up his mammoth batting effort with a very useful bowling stint. This gave him another 119 rating pts and got him into the second place. Richie Berrington and Alasdair Evans also got in with useful all-round performances in the match lost to Afghanistan. Similarly Amjad Javed with his excellent low order 40 and three wickets, also gets in. However note how fast the rating points drop off. From 700 at the top to 300 at the sixth place.

Top Team performances in WC 2015: in 17 matches played so far

SNo	Rating Pts	Year	ODI#	Team	Own score	Vs	Other score
1	713	2015	3607	New Zealand	125 for 2 in 12.2	Eng	123 for 10 in 33.2
2	691	2015	3610	India	307 for 7 in 50.0	Saf	177 for 10 in 40.2
3	664	2015	3608	West Indies	310 for 6 in 50.0	Pak	160 for 10 in 39.0
4	640	2015	3605	Bangladesh	267 for 10 in 50.0	Afg	162 for 10 in 42.5
5	626	2015	3611	England	303 for 8 in 50.0	Sco	184 for 10 in 42.2
6	626	2015	3615	Sri Lanka	332 for 1 in 50.0	Bng	240 for 10 in 47.0
7	598	2015	3612	West Indies	372 for 2 in 50.0	Zim	289 for 10 in 44.3
8	596	2015	3600	Australia	342 for 9 in 50.0	Eng	231 for 10 in 41.5
9	596	2015	3599	New Zealand	331 for 6 in 50.0	Slk	233 for 10 in 46.1
10	592	2015	3602	India	300 for 7 in 50.0	Pak	224 for 10 in 47.0

Sri Lanka's comfortable win over Bangladesh enters the table in the sixth place. Ireland got 509 rating pts for their close win over UAE, which secured 446 rating pts.

A brief introduction into the methodology of Performance Analysis.

The Batting Performance Ratings analysis takes into account the Runs scored, Balls faced, Next highest score (if this is the highest score), % of Team score, Innings status at entry, Bowling quality, Pitch information, Team strengths, Target score in front, Match location, Result and Match importance. These parameters are given appropriate weights. The calculations are done in such a way that Rating points of 1000 would be allotted to a mind-blowing and match-winning score of 200 in 150 balls in a WC final.

The Bowling Performance Ratings analysis takes into account the Wickets captured, Quality of batsmen dismissed, Scores at which batsmen were dismissed, Bowling accuracy, Batting quality, Pitch information, Team strengths, Target being defended, Match location, Result and Match importance. The calculations are done in such a way that Rating points of 1000 would be allotted to a magnificent and match-winning analysis of 10-2-15-6 in a WC final.

The Player Performance Ratings analysis takes into account the Batting Rating points, Bowling Rating points and the Fielding Rating points, which is a combination of catches and stumpings. There are minimum criteria for batting and bowling stints to ensure that these are genuinely all-round performances.

The Team Performance Ratings analysis takes into account the Result, Margin of win, Resources utilized, Team strengths, Match location and Match importance. The calculations are done in such a way that Rating points of 1000 would be allotted to an overwhelming win by 150 runs or 8 wickets in a WC final.