Sinistrality

asia exile · Subject: Sinistrality Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:34 am

And now for something completely different…

7-10% (or 10%-13% depending on the study) of the adult population is left handed and in cricket in particular this is proven to be a distinct advantage for batsmen, and presumably left arm bowlers although unlike the former there isn’t much supporting evidence http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3191380.stm & http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/sports/02iht-CRICKET.1.6952894.html - the fact that they have ‘stickability’ because dextral handed opposing players appear to struggle to mentally adjust and work them out even at the highest levels of the game (because we are also apparently rather slow ‘linear sequential thinkers’). Lefties have greater spatial ability, can multi-task more readily, have more testosterone (hence are more aggressive) and most exhibit some form of ambidexterity (see also Ronnie O’Sullivan) – bad news altogether for 90% i.e. the rest of us. Based on experience right handers bowling with the wrong hand will inevitably result in horrible donkey droppers – not to be repeated.

It also appears, but not conclusively, that having a RHB / LHB combination in the middle is just a nuisance factor for the opposition captain and awkward for the bowler rather than providing a statistical advantage – although I expect somebody, somewhere has done this research. So why do counties i.e. the highest competitive level of the domestic game, persist with left handed batsmen if this is the case? Is it just an urban myth or do they bring more to the table? Seems like the major difference is that their stance allows them a longer period to get settled – but isn’t this only true of openers – if you are LHB and you follow an LHB in the order and vice versa the bowlers will already be probing the right line?

Wheeling out the 2009 PCA stuff again - the highest ranked batsmen, 3 of the top 5, 8 of the top 10 and 10 of the top 20 MVP batsmen last year 2009 were left handed, of which only one is known to bowl with a left handed action.

The highest ranked bowler was solely right handed and only one of the top five bowled left handed although two bat left handed. Two of the top 10 and 5 of the top 20 MVP bowlers are left arm bowlers.

The highest ranked all-rounder was solely left handed. Three of the top five all-rounders are left handed bats. Five of the top 10 and 8 of the top 20 MVP all rounders are left handed bats, seven of which are also left handed bowlers.

Wicket keepers are a much smaller sample so the data is less reliable but 5 of them were left handed bats and 2 of the top 5 wicketkeeper batsmen were left handed.

Again captains are a small unreliable sample, of the 18 regular captains last year, 7 were left handed bats but only two left arm action bowlers. It is difficult to say who was more successful / had the sharper minds - but Boje, Langer, Yardy and Westwood were there or thereabouts particularly in the shorter formats where faster (if not greater) mental dexterity is arguably required.

When you look at current county squads the 1 in 10 left to right ratio in the general population goes out of the window

Derby have 8 left handed bats in the squad, 5 of which bowl with left arm actions
Durham have 9 and 1
Essex have 7 and 3
Glam have 7 and 5
Gloucs have 6 and 5
Hants have 7 and 5
Kent have 4 and 2
Lancs have 9 and 6
Leics 3 and 3
Middx 8 and 3
N’hants 6 and 5
Notts 7 and 6
Somerset 4 and 4
Surrey 8 and 3
Sussex 6 and 4
Warks 8 and 5
Worcs 8 and 5
Yorks 6 and 1

The current England squad have 5 and 2 - suprisingly low

Of the 423 players who made a least a single appearance for their first xi last year 114 were left hand bats (27%), however only 53 of the total (12.5%) were left arm action bowlers. Of the 309 RHB’s just 16 bowled with left arm actions (5%), whereas 67 (59%) of the LHB’s are ambidextrous.

Of the 209 recognised county batsmen last year 85 (41%) are LHB’s. Of the 53 recognised openers 30 were left LHB (57%). Of twenty eight number 3 batsmen used, all but 3 (11%) were right handed - is this just a convention? The ratio for all rounders (which to increase the sample I would suggest have at least 20 MVP batting and at least 20 MVP bowling points) is 28 of 87 (32%) with 3 out of 10 batting all-rounders LHB (and 2 ambidextrous) and similarly 3 out of 10 bowling all-rounders LHB (and 2 ambidextrous).

Of the 30 OSP’s used, 13 were LHB’s (43%) and 5 (17%) left arm bowlers - 6 were ambidextrous.

Durham have the equal largest number of left handed batsmen but importantly won the CC with 8 ambidextrous regular players - maybe that is more of a well kept secret than the conveyor belt of quicks. In our fixture last year, from memory, 5 of the top 7 and 1 or 2 bowlers were left handed. Looking at Hampshire they could and do easily field a completely left handed top 6 - but is that an advantage? Leics who finished bottom of the pile have just three left handed bats 2 of which are wicket keepers. When the game was played for fun didn’t left handers used to play right, like beards vs moustaches, smokers vs non-smokers etc.? What are the most sinistral players to be on the field for a test?

Looking at the value of left handers and ambidexterity of the 35 players released by all counties in the off-season just 8 (23%) were LHB’s and only one an opener. Six were LHB/RA bowl and just one was RHB/LA Bowl. Even if they are underperforming compared to their peers counties like to hang on to them, particularly if they bowl one way and bat another. Perhaps they are judged on very good hand : eye coordination in the nets?

Too late for us but if you think your kids might have a future as a professional cricketer you’ll need to develop a mental and physical training programme to mould them into left handed, ambidextrous, opening bat. You’ll probably have social services round though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-handedness

grinner · Subject: Re: Sinistrality Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:09 pm

Congrats on starting a topic that I had to look up the meaning of (Even though I am one)

I would guess there are similar unusual rates of left 'handedness' in the top tennis players over the years.

_________________
Alex Higgins R.I.P.
Thanks for all my memories of a sporting legend.

Serchers · Subject: Re: Sinistrality Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:02 pm

7-10% (or 10%-13% depending on the study) of the adult population is left handed and in cricket in particular this is proven to be a distinct advantage for batsmen, and presumably left arm bowlers

This is very true. I've seen a few right handed guys try to bowl left armers and they were completely useless.

WBB · Subject: Re: Sinistrality Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:19 pm