150th Post : Milestones and Cliffhangers

As I have mentioned several times in the last few weeks, the blog re-read that I've been doing has been a lead-up to another milestone on the blog. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the 150th post! It is also the final post for 2015 (I'm banking on no games next week, otherwise I'm going to break my commitment of blogs every week for the rest of the year).

The Blog Re-read: Part 8 (and Career Stats Update)

And so, we have reached the end. I have now been back and read through all of the old posts and brought you what I think are the highlights. I hope you've all come across some interesting forgotten things. If not, bad luck (and maybe you should stop wasting your time reading the blog).
So here it is, the final part of The Great Blog Re-read....

The Blog Re-read: Part 7 (and Repetitive Overs)

Random fact: despite being published to the blog in December, this post (along with most others in the "re-read" series) was written a couple of months in advance. I did this so that I could fulfill the promise I made to the team of "a blog on each game-day for the rest of the year", and so that I'd have more time to work on something different for you.
But enough about that... let's continue with the blog re-cap (and some stats about Gareth's over of singles last week).

The Blog Re-read: Part 6

Revisiting events from late 2013 and the first half of 2014, we find two milestones and one big event took place on the blog. Can you remember what they were? Or will you just jump in and read today's post to find out without even trying to think about it...

The Blog Re-read: Part 5

The search for entertaining events and blog posts from the past continues.
As well as leading in to some interesting future activities, this re-reading series is also being used to build up a list of ideas for future blogs. I've added a bunch of new ideas to the blog suggestions page, and I'll keep adding over the next few weeks. Don't forget to keep adding your own ideas there - there more suggestions, the more likely it is that the blogs will continue to be written regularly!

Today, in part five, we are working our way through most of the year 2013, up until the end of our second season at Kaleen.

The Blog Re-read: Part 4 (and Missing Games)

The next in the eight-part re-living of classic times from the past. In case you're wondering, I'm not just doing this bunch of posts because I'm being lazy (although that is part of it too) - there is a couple of interesting things to come at the end of it all. I chose to cover everything in exactly 8 posts for a reason.
Today we look through posts from the second half of 2012, along with the first classic game in 2013.

The Blog Re-read: Part 3

As the blog approaches another milestone, we continue our look back at all the great times it has provided us with in the past. With 2011 being a very lean year for posts, the next 20 (approximately) posts takes us through all of that year, and up to the middle of 2012.

The Blog Re-read: Part 2 (and Third-Dots)

Continuing to reminisce about the Popped Collars past, today I re-examine the next 18 blog posts, taking us to the end of 2010. During this time, the stats started to flow on the blog, and there will undoubtedly be a few good ones that could be re-examined. Rather than do them all in these posts, I will add them to the list on the blog suggestions page. Don't forget, you can add your own suggestions there as well!

The Blog Re-read: Part 1

Welcome everyone to a series of blogs looking back at the past posts here on PoppedStats. Over the next 8 posts I'm going to go back and read all the previous articles here, uncovering some forgotten classics, finding inspiration for future posts, and more. 

Completely random stats

Much frustration ensued this morning when we were asked to change our game-time for tonight - the third consecutive week that has happened. There are no stats on that, but I think that might be a record. Additionally, we were then told that if we didn't change, we would have no game tonight, and a double-header next week - then we were told we didn't have to change. Everyone loves the organisation at Weston.
To calm the angry hordes, here is a blog. Given that I don't have time to put together anything proper, here is a small selection of random stats.

Winning and Losing Streaks

Here we go... the first blog taken from the blog suggestions page. Don't forget that if you have an idea, get onto that page and post a comment suggesting some stats for a future blog.
Gareth has posted a few ideas to do with wins and losses - so to start with, here's a look at the winning and losing streaks of the Popped Collars.

Season 2014-15 (part 2)

Today we continue (and conclude) the write-up of our performance over the incredibly long season that recently finished. Last post discussed the team's overall performance and looked at individual batting stats - today we do the bowling stats and player contributions.

Season 2014-15 (part 1)

'Tis the end of another season. Number 11 for the Popped Collars (number 21 if you count all the predecessor teams, and number 22 if you count the side project, GG)
As always, stats for the season just gone must be blogged about, so here we go...

Mini stats

After last week's semi-final loss, I thought it was time for another end-of-season blog. But today's game is a "consolation final", and therefore still part of the previous season. So instead, here's a few random little bits and pieces that I've thought about or been asked about over the last few weeks and months.

Winning on your own

Last week's match was a comfortable win for the Popped Collars. The team posted a moderate total of 101 but defended it with little trouble, thanks mainly to Gareth producing supreme bowling figures of 7/-25. After the game, Trompf noted that Gareth's contribution of +44 was significantly more than the team's winning margin of 25. Hence the topic of today's blog.

Disgraceful

Apparently we were a week early with the use of the word "disgraceful"... here's the stats and records from the most recent game. Warning... this post contains graphic stats which some players may find disturbing. Please refrain from reading further if you do not wish to be reminded of this particular match.

(Not) Disgraceful

Last week's "word of the night" was supposed to be 'disgraceful', but after completing a 130 run demolition of It's On Like Donkey Kong there was not much disgrace going around. In fact, records tumbled, primarily during the final pair. The 'disgraceful' was originally a reference to the lack of blog posts recently - and given the existence of this one, even that can no longer have the word applied to it.

Missing Players

Tonight, it appears the Popped Collars will be down a few players. Possibly playing with only 6. The captain is confident we can do well. What do the stats think?

Just Brad

A quick one today, as I was reminded that a double-header tonight means that a blog is required (by an unwritten law of the Popped Collars and PoppedStats). So here's a couple of very very quick stats about our fearless (and apparently feared) captain, Brad.

Graphs - bowling

See the introduction to last week's post... except this time the graphs are for bowling figures.

Graphs - batting

Here they are, as requested: graphs of players' batting performances over their career. They're pretty simple, no additional information such as running average, and not even any labels on the horizontal (time) axis. The graphs include both Popped Collars and GG games.

A most unlikely victory

Last match for the Popped Collars was another one of those that will surely go down as a classic!
From a position that was seemingly hopeless, the Collars somehow managed to work back into the game against Kerwin's Mob, and pull off one of the great indoor cricket victories!

The batting quiz - answers and more questions...

For those who played along (i.e. who read) last week's "Stats Quiz" post, I will now provide the answers. If you want to go and have a stab at answering the questions before seeing the answers, go here first. For most answers I give, I will also pose a follow-up question... for those who want to keep testing their knowledge of the team/stats!

Stats Quiz (batting edition)

While we play a double-header tonight, if everyone is are getting bored (i.e. "sick of this stupid game"), here's a few Popped Collars stats-related questions. Discuss, suggest some answers, and see who knows (i.e. can guess) the most about our team, and our matches.

My guesses (made before I looked up the answers) are below the questions.
Answers available at the game...

Milestone games

Last week was Gareth's 200th match for the Popped Collars and we celebrated with a good win over a very good opposition. Presumably we were inspired by Gareth personal milestone! If a few weeks time, Sanjit will reach 200 and Xavier 250 during the same match (assuming they both play all matches between now and then). Will we be inspired on that occasion as well? Will the individual players perform well? Or will the crumble under the pressure and emotion of the situation?
The stats cannot answer these questions (yet), but they can look at how players have performed in their milestone games in the past.

5 years of stats: Behind the scenes

I didn't realise, but last week marked 5 years since this blog started!
Fortunately, someone else noticed, and at last week's match I was most honoured to be presented with a commemorative calculator.

Complete with a personalised inscription on the back.

I'm told that the Canon LS-80 is from 1982/83 (so it's the same age as me), making the calculator a wonderful and thoughtful momento of the occasion. Thanks Brad and team!