Interesting piece. Yorker bowling looks like a classic high variance strategy to me (for the average bowler). Therefore the context of the situation becomes critical. For example: you are an average team defending 24 off the final 3 overs, with set batsmen at the crease, you are a heavy underdog to win, going to a heavy yorker strategy makes total sense. The downside volatility of bowlers missing their length doesn’t matter at that stage; your best/only chance to win is if the bowlers can consistently nail the yorkers.
Equally defending 40 off the final 2 overs, trying to bowl mostly yorkers is likely a bad strategy (for the average bowler).
Of course this can all be extrapolated and applied to underdog/high variance in general. Defending a low total against a strong team on a good pitch? Fire in the yorkers.
What might be interesting is to compare it to a test data set. I’d expect that your delivery % for the good length ‘metronome’ delivery might increase to 40+ but BPW for Yorkers might improve by virtue of the fact it’s a surprise deliver rather than a go to.
Irrespective, great article and really something to think about.
Interesting piece. Yorker bowling looks like a classic high variance strategy to me (for the average bowler). Therefore the context of the situation becomes critical. For example: you are an average team defending 24 off the final 3 overs, with set batsmen at the crease, you are a heavy underdog to win, going to a heavy yorker strategy makes total sense. The downside volatility of bowlers missing their length doesn’t matter at that stage; your best/only chance to win is if the bowlers can consistently nail the yorkers.
Equally defending 40 off the final 2 overs, trying to bowl mostly yorkers is likely a bad strategy (for the average bowler).
Of course this can all be extrapolated and applied to underdog/high variance in general. Defending a low total against a strong team on a good pitch? Fire in the yorkers.
What might be interesting is to compare it to a test data set. I’d expect that your delivery % for the good length ‘metronome’ delivery might increase to 40+ but BPW for Yorkers might improve by virtue of the fact it’s a surprise deliver rather than a go to.
Irrespective, great article and really something to think about.