We are blessed to be able to watch two opening batsmen who average close to 50 in Test cricket; Alastair Cook (46.0) and David Warner (47.4).
What is perhaps unusual is that both do it in entirely different ways. Cook knows his limitations and has perfected the art of playing within them. Warner plays like he has not heard of limitations. Most cricket fans have strong views as to who they would prefer in their team.
The perception is that Cook’s style leads to more protection for the middle order, a crucial part of opening the batting, while Warner has more upside when things go well. I was curious to see if this was actually the case.
I’ve defined protecting the middle order as getting to 30 runs. Anything less than that is considered a failure. A century is considered a success.
Looking at Cook’s career, he has failed (scored less than 30 in an innings) 53 per cent of the time compared to Warner’s 51 per cent. Therefore Cook and Warner have failed approximately half of the time over their careers.
Warner scores a hundred 15 per cent of the time; Cook 11 per cent.
Every cricket fan knows that Warner has not been successful playing away from home, though. Warner averages only 37 away, whereas Cook has a marginally higher average away than at home.
The statistics reveal the reason Warner struggles away from home is not his rate of failure but the fact he has not capitalised on starts.
Away from home Warner fails 57 per cent of the time, which is not too different to Cook’s 54 per cent. Cook scores a hundred or more 14 per cent of the time away from home; double Warner’s seven per cent.
At home Warner fails 46 per cent of the time and scores a hundred nearly once every four innings. Cook fails 52 per cent of the time and scores a hundred once in every 11 innings.
Summarising the above, both Cook and Warner get to 30 runs about half the time, regardless of whether it is home or away. In the sense of getting their teams off to a good start, both are about as reliable as each other.
The differences come from how much they capitalise on their starts. If Warner gets a start in Australia he is very likely to score a hundred, but it is rare for him to tonne up away. Cook is more likely to convert a start into a century away from home than in England.
Of course one factor to consider is Warner scores runs about one and a half times faster than Cook. Cook, therefore, soaks up more balls for the same amount of runs scored.
You could mount the argument that a 30 from Cook offers more protection to the middle order because it is likely to have taken longer and therefore taken more shine off the ball.
Likewise, a couple of thumping boundaries from Warner could take more shine off the ball than 30 carefully placed glides through point from Cook.
The psychological impact of an aggressive opening batsman flaying the opposition’s strike bowlers is another factor to consider. Similarly, a relentlessly disciplined opening batsman can wear down an opposition team.
I have tried to steer clear of these unquantifiable issues. Take the numbers as they are. Perhaps they do not change your original view as to you would prefer in your team – maybe they reveal the two are not so different.
Barmyfarmer
Guest
Another scratchy knock from cook...if only he had a decent technique, discipline to fight it out against top bowling attacks, the ability to score runs anywhere in the world and stack up more runs during his career to date than any other opening batsmen in history. Sadly we will have to make do with unreliable Alistair.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
'If Cook has done so much better, why does Warner have a better overall average?' Because it's much easier to be an opening batsman in Australia than England.
Savage
Roar Rookie
Pujara may have stats of "Home track bully" but he is FAR from "Flat Track Bully".he's easily been India's most consistent batsmen(on SC) even on most Difficult pitches of Sub continent.To me,He is BEST player in the Sub Continent conditions
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I wrote a story a few months ago that showed that, statistically, Warner was the biggest "home track bully" of any of the top 10 ranked Test batsmen, apart from Pujara: http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/david-warner-has-been-exposed-as-a-hometrack-bully/news-story/06bd7dd732f205bc7c38324e8c14f592
Joe MacDougall
Roar Rookie
There's no doubt Warner's 'Flat Track Bully' label is well-deserved. Unfortunately in this day and age those flat track bullies are still able to score a huge amount of runs, particularly in Australia, because of the lack of world class seamers round the world these days. To compare Warner and Cook is nigh on impossible, they are such different players, and it is pretty obvious who you would want walking out for you at the top of the order if the pitch had any hint of difficulty to it - Ali Cook every time. However, give me a road to bat on, and I'd send Warner out there, and he'll win you the game.
DavSA
Guest
Sorry The Fatman but I agree with Ouch ..Nope !
DavSA
Guest
James and Brasstax taking stats over the last 13 tests are is hardly irrelevant . It goes to recent form which arguably can be more important than a full spectrum . Hashim Amla for example has a test average of over 50 but if his last 13 tests are reviewed I think it would not exceed 30 runs .
rahul singh
Guest
have a reality check, dear English.... Cook has been an ordianry batsman ever since 2013. He cant be axed because England doesnt have a good opener/s. His days are numbered. He'll be gone by 2020
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
No need to get so distressed James. Cook and Warner have played 13 Tests against each other - comparing their stats in those 13 matches is not the be all and end all just an interesting addition to the discussion.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I agree, as I mentioned in my comment above, but softening up the new ball actually happens faster when you hit it. So a batsman who is hitting a higher percentage of balls, and hitting them hard, will actually soften up the new ball a lot quicker than a batsman who just lets a lot of balls go through. (The more grass on the pitch and outfield to protect the ball, the more this is the case. So in green, seaming conditions where the ball doesn't deteriorate as much, more aggressive batting will make an even bigger difference to the ball as the ball just banging into the pitch doesn't do as much to it). So it's a bit of both. Of course, there's more than just the new ball. First morning of a test it may be that there's a bit of movement in the pitch early on that goes away as the Sun is on it for a couple of hours. And the opening bowlers are freshest in the morning session. Get past the opening spells, get onto the lesser bowlers and/or into subsequent spells where bowlers start to tire a bit. Of course, being aggressive can help that too. Bowlers can tend to get frustrated and emotionally exhausted if they are getting smashed around. But usually only if it lasts. If you smash them around and have a little cameo but then they get you, they usually get the energy back.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I don't see any issue with Ronan's stat of Warner v Cook in matches they've played against each other, because, while this article is comparing overall stats, it's being brought up ahead of an Ashes series in Australia. So while it's trying to talk broadly, it is in that context, so bringing in more specifically telling stats are reasonable. Just as doing all the comparisons purely based on tests in Australia would be reasonable, as that's what is about to happen.
Jake
Guest
"That tells us nothing," Yes it does. It tells that when they have played against each other, Warner has scored more runs. Ergo, Warner is the better player.
James
Guest
Good grief man, we know you hate England but again you are cherry picking stats. You take 13 tests as a whole over what 5 years? That tells us nothing, stats taken over that amount of time against one nation are almost useless. Not to mention no one is saying that Cook is as good as Warner in Australia or hell even that Cook is any good against Australia, the discussion is about their efficacy overall. You ignore this and pick probably Warner's best stats and probably Cook's worst. It proves nothing except you are not trying to be fair. Im not disagreeing with you im just saying the stats you offer are deliberately one eyed.
Homer Gain
Guest
They'd make a bloody good combo.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Here's a Warner v Cook stat for you ....... these are their records in the 13 Ashes Tests they've played against each other: Cook ............ 770 runs at 31 Warner ........ 1079 runs at 45
Brasstax
Guest
Nice try Ronan, but Cook would have faced at least half if not more of those attacks in difficult to bat conditions unlike Warner who would have faced them on our roads half the time. I cannot even believe we are having this conversation. Warner is a certified flag track bully while Cook scores runs in difficult conditions when most needed.
Jumbo
Guest
Balls faced would be a more reliable measure of protecting the middle order. Half the job of the openers is to soften up the new ball. I imagine, given their respective strike rates, that Cook hangs around for more balls than Warner.
amreeka
Guest
whom are you kidding... comparing cook to warner ...?
Mike Dugg
Guest
Warner has had a very average last two years and is hardly reliable. Cook is far more trusted to turn up. And without Mitch Johnson and Ryan Harris, Cook should have a good ashes
Tock
Guest
Hi Michael I enjoyed the analysis a lot of food for thought. I suspect that Warner will get better away from home in time. Confidence is everything in sport and while on the outside Warner appears confident that may not be the case when he is away from home. I suspect he just needs to believe he will succeed away. Something one or two good scores away may achieve. That said it is interesting that when he does post a good score it is often followed by a collapse and perhaps Cooks more even tempo is better from a team perspective. An other factor to consider in this upcoming series is his partnership with Renshaw. If that prospers Renshaw's more even batting temperament may well be the making of a more consistent Warner. If not we are in trouble. Finally I quite enjoy watching Cook bat, there is something simple and elegant about it, I know that's sacrilege from an Australian fan but I do love cricket and enjoy watching the various champions that have come to our shores.