Runs in a calendar year

From the email, Gareth - inspired by the recent exploits of Michael Clarke - asks about runs in a calendar year. For the Popped Collars, obviously the players who play most often are going to have the most runs, but it will still be interesting just to see what the numbers are.

The Popped Collars, with full stats, have existed since late 2009, so there's only 2 full years (2010, 2011) to look through at the moment - although 2012 is quickly becoming the 3rd complete year. In Test cricket, 1000 runs in a calendar year is an often discussed milestone.

A simple look at the Popped Collars stats, and it seems that 1000 is also good number to define a "good year" with the bat. It's been done 7 times in total, by 4 different players. There looks likely to be two more this year, though no one is there yet.

Year	Player	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average
2010	Xavier	56	56	1313	23.45
2011	Xavier	46	50	1231	24.62
2010	Brad	56	60	1228	20.47
2011	Andy	43	51	1167	22.88
2011	Rian	34	38	1101	28.97
2010	Andy	53	58	1055	18.19
2011	Brad	41	43	1027	23.88
2010	Julian	42	42	974	23.19
2012	Xavier	35	39	967*	24.44
2010	Rian	46	47	936	19.91
2012	Rian	32	35	931*	26.23
2010	Jake	45	48	882	18.38
2012	Brad	30	33	850*	25.09

2010 was the only year we played completely at Weston. Their policy of having double-headers rather than byes meant that people were able to pass 1000 simply by having lots of matches and innings. The three players to make 1000 that year were also the only 3 to have played 50 games in a year. And, their averages were all lower than their other complete year - it really was mostly the huge number of games that got them there.

2011 was more about big averages. That was the year we moved the Lyneham after we spent most of the year destroying teams in the low-quality Weston competition. Rian led the way with a huge average of almost 29, making over 1000 runs in the year desipte playing only 34 games. Andy helped himself to 8 extra innings that year, which got him over the line.

With a few games left in 2012, Xavier and Rian look good chances to make the mark again. The several week break when the team moved to Kaleen caused a fairly low number of matches to be played - but the quality of opposition when we arrived has boosted most people's averages in recent months to make up for it.

If you're looking for something to aim for in the last few games this year, here is each player's best previous year, and where they are up to in 2012. Try for a new record, or just try to get the next milestone (next multiple of 50 or 100 runs)

Year	Player	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	2012 Runs
2010	Xavier	56	56	1313	23.45	967
2010	Brad	56	60	1228	20.47	850
2011	Andy	43	51	1167	22.88	455
2011	Rian	34	38	1101	28.97	931
2010	Julian	42	42	974	23.19	206
2010	Jake	45	48	882	18.38	16
2010	Gareth	42	42	703	16.74	320
2011	Daniel	27	31	605	19.52	129
2011	Sanjit	35	37	604	16.32	462
2011	Matt S	18	21	232	11.05	391

Highest average for any year is by Andrew 'Crushie' Pearce, who has played for us twice this year for 54 and 42. Average 48.
Although there have been 2 instances of a player having just 1 innings against us in a year and making 52.

Most runs by opposition players unsurprisingly goes back to the days at Weston where we seemed to play the '4 Skins' and the old blokes every second week. Joel, from '4 Skins', played 9 games against us 2010! He had 11 innings and made 184 runs. The 4 Skins make up a large proportion of the high-scoring list.

Here's everyone who's done 100 in a year against us.

Note that 4 Skins is the Weston team, while Four Skins is the similarly-named Lyneham team...!

Year	Player	Team	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average
2010	Joel	4 Skins	9	11	184	16.73
2010	Rod	Pidge's Coupe	6	6	148	24.67
2011	Mick	Pidge's Coupe	5	5	135	27.00
2012	Mike	Jug Chasers	5	5	135	27.00
2010	Matt	4 Skins	5	6	126	21.00
2009	Sam	Boonies	3	3	121	40.33
2011	James	4 Skins	5	6	117	19.50
2011	Joel	4 Skins	5	5	113	22.60
2011	Dylan	4 Skins	5	5	111	22.20
2010	Lyndon	Boonies	7	11	108	9.82
2012	Southo	Four Skins	4	4	106	26.50
2011	Jeff	4 Skins	6	7	105	15.00
2010	Bren	Boonies	6	8	105	13.13
2010	Ben	4 Skins	7	7	103	14.71
2010	Dylan	4 Skins	4	5	101	20.20
2012	Aaron	Tuff Stuff	4	4	100	25.00
2012	Richo	Four Skins	4	4	100	25.00

Onwards to 2013...!