Topic: Simulated Test Cricket Championship - Chat and Trash Talk

[Prof]

As a spin-off of the "All-Time Test Cricket Draft Quarantine Edition(2020)" I will be simulating a 14-way Test Championship between the following stars of Rawk Cricket Drafting

Max_powers
Prof
Gerry
Saint Kopite
Big Dick Nick
West Ham Paul
Welsh Red
Kloppage Time
Samie
VBG
Sheer Magnetism
El Zhar
SP
Garrus
BobPaisley3

I will be running home and away fixtures for each team against every other team for five day test matches using the historic data for all drafted players, modified to acount for variations across eras.  In true cricket fashion, this is going to be a long runner (or it a damp squib that'll die out before it gets past the afternoon drinks break).

This thread is for all discussion and trash talk, the main thread will for posting the match details and headline updates.

So get your cricket whites on and enjoy the ride.

[vivabobbygraham]

Look forward to it Prof you bloody nutter. Have you slept?  Could end up being a permanent attraction

[Prof]

The main decision yet to make is:

Do I manually set the type of pitch for each home venue?  I can make the pitch characteristics occur randomly based on the region they are in (e.g. spinners' paradises more likely in Pakistan than anywhere else) or manually set these as locked in for every match as the home venue.

If we go for the manual approach, we could even create a completely fictional ground with your own preference of characteristics.

The three variables are:

How effective Spin bowlers are
How effective Pace bowlers are
The speed of the outfield

There is no differential for how fast bowlers are within the category "Fast", nor for the type of spinner.  The three categories are Fast, Medium, Spin.  The effectiveness of the bowler is determined by their career stats and influenced by the era they played in.

So... do you want random pitch conditions or customised ones for your home venue (that will be locked in place for all 13 home matches)?

Do you want to have two teams - one for home matches and one you can opt for in specific conditions (this makes me a bit more work as I'd need to upload double the number of teams and get your choice off you for each venue)?

The final option is I set all venues as a neutral/balanced pitch and we have one team each

[Prof]

Look forward to it Prof you bloody nutter. Have you slept?  Could end up being a permanent attraction

I was supposed to be camping in the garden with two of my kids last night - that was abandoned at about 2.30am - so not a lot of sleep 

[Max_powers]

The main decision yet to make is:

Do I manually set the type of pitch for each home venue?  I can make the pitch characteristics occur randomly based on the region they are in (e.g. spinners' paradises more likely in Pakistan than anywhere else) or manually set these as locked in for every match as the home venue.

If we go for the manual approach, we could even create a completely fictional ground with your own preference of characteristics.

The three variables are:

How effective Spin bowlers are
How effective Pace bowlers are
The speed of the outfield

There is no differential for how fast bowlers are within the category "Fast", nor for the type of spinner.  The three categories are Fast, Medium, Spin.  The effectiveness of the bowler is determined by their career stats and influenced by the era they played in.

So... do you want random pitch conditions or customised ones for your home venue (that will be locked in place for all 13 home matches)?

Do you want to have two teams - one for home matches and one you can opt for in specific conditions (this makes me a bit more work as I'd need to upload double the number of teams and get your choice off you for each venue)?

The final option is I set all venues as a neutral/balanced pitch and we have one team each

I think random for pitches based on the area is fine. Generally even at one venue, pitches vary in characteristic over time and match by match.

I think if it is not a big time commitment for you, we should do 4 games ( home and away for 2 match-ups) and run it parallel to the voting draft. Having 2 games per match-up also increases the chances of having a clear-cut result and not just a draw.

[Prof]

I think if it is not a big time commitment for you, we should do 4 games ( home and away for 2 match-ups) and run it parallel to the voting draft. Having 2 games per match-up also increases the chances of having a clear-cut result and not just a draw.

I was going to run it as a 14 team league.  That's 26 rounds of 7 matches (182 total) as it is.  Doubling it might be a bit much 

I thought it would keep everyone involved more than a knockout tournament (which is great for voting, but if this simulation runs a while, if people have dropped out they might lose interest).

[Max_powers]

I was going to run it as a 14 team league.  That's 26 rounds of 7 matches (182 total) as it is.  Doubling it might be a bit much 

I thought it would keep everyone involved more than a knockout tournament (which is great for voting, but if this simulation runs a while, if people have dropped out they might lose interest).

Ok yeah if you are doing a league format, it is gonna add a lot of games

[Welshred]

Are you doing points for this Prof to decide the league table?

[Prof]

Are you doing points for this Prof to decide the league table?

Was thinking just doing 2 pts for win, 1 for a draw just to allow the sorting to work.

I need to see if I can find a league table template now... unless anyone wants to volunteer for that bit 

[Prof]

I've been looking at swapping lineups for spin-friendly pitches, and it's a bit messy.  I can't see easily who to swap in an out, plus I'd need two versions of every team.

Therefore, I think it's best if we have a set 11 man team for all matches.  Does that sound OK to everyone?

If anyone wants me to swap a player out of their listed first 11, can you send me a pm with the player to remove and the player to replace please?

[Prof]

This one for chat and trash talk Nick   

[Prof]

The first two matches are up.  Enjoy 

[Welshred]

Interesting first match up there with Nick's team winning the toss and electing to field with Prof's top order absolutely cashing in. Nick's team brought it back towards the end but it really was big Curtley's bowling in the second innings which won it for him!

Elzar did brilliantly bowling VBG out so cheaply to establish a first innings lead and then punished him to set up a daunting run chase, VBG's batting much better in the second innings and did really well to get so close. That first innings collapse cost him massively!

[Prof]

I ran quite a few simulations while testing the coding. Every time I ran Prof V Nick, Prof won. Until it actually mattered! Bloody chokers! 

At least if I don't win the championship won't look rigged 

[Welshred]

Ohhhhh does that make you New Zealand?

[Crosby Nick]

 Big Curtly 7-32. Sensational spell from the big fella.

[Max_powers]

Hey, prof does your model doesn't account "experience" of the players. IE. Shane Bond may be modelled in and will likely be as strong Akram or Labuschagne might be as good as Tendulkar or Ponting.

Also some oldies may be hard to model, as the range of averages in both batting and bowling used to be much greater back in the day. Even with using some sort of correction factor based on era, it might not scale well.

Those are the only way I can see the model differing significantly from voting.

[Gerry Attrick]

I don't think it will account for the x-factor of certain players either. Stokes' average with the bat and ball isn't absolutely knock your socks off but anybody would choose him in their side in any era because of what he can do on any given day.

It will be good fun all the same though.

[Welshred]

It's just a bit of fun, lets not complicate it too much

[Samie]

Yeah that ginger lad is the second best all rounder in cricket is pretty decent aye. 

[Max_powers]

It's just a bit of fun, lets not complicate it too much

Oh yeah, I don't want prof spending any more time than he already has on it. Just pointing out how voting and simulation may end up contrasting.

[SP]

I don't think it will account for the x-factor of certain players either. Stokes' average with the bat and ball isn't absolutely knock your socks off but anybody would choose him in their side in any era because of what he can do on any given day.

It will be good fun all the same though.

WG Grace is another whose impact is decidedly not reflecting in figures...

[Crosby Nick]

WG Grace is another whose impact is decidedly not reflecting in figures...

Even the simulator is chucking at him trying to deal with a Joel Garner barrage.

[Prof]

It factors in things like fatigue for fast bowlers (it's why Nick has part time bowlers bowling overs too

Plus, it changes the pace of batsmen depending on the game state.  More likely to lose wickets at start of day etc. It's not complete, but it's a pretty model considering the limitations.

It doesn't look like it factors experience that heavily, but the adjusted stats do seem to factor that in a bit.

[Prof]

I'll try and post the rest of the first round matches later. I need any tweaks to lineups ASAP.

One first 11 for all matches. If you need to swap a player, now is the time.

[Gerry Attrick]

I may as well stick Weekes in for all games, instead of the much mocked Sydney Barnes 

So my team will be;

Boycott
Simpson
Ponting
Weekes
Sobers
Pietersen
Stokes
Watling
Lindwall
Steyn
Gibbs

[vivabobbygraham]

WG Grace is another whose impact is decidedly not reflecting in figures...

Compton got plenty of runs in the first simulation until Prof doctored the pitch for the WACA return where i was mauled

[Max_powers]

I'll try and post the rest of the first round matches later. I need any tweaks to lineups ASAP.

One first 11 for all matches. If you need to swap a player, now is the time.

Mine is

Gavaskar
Vaughan
Sangakkara
Jayawardene
Inzy
Worrell
Imran Khan
Ashwin
Nadkarni
Roberts
Morkel

if we are only doing one team. Otherwise, swap Thomson for Nadkarni when outside the sub-continent.

[Elzar]

Cracking win to start off, Freddie looks like he could be the difference maker!

[Prof]

I may as well stick Weekes in for all games, instead of the much mocked Sydney Barnes 

So my team will be;

Boycott
Simpson
Ponting
Weekes
Sobers
Pietersen
Stokes
Watling
Lindwall
Steyn
Gibbs

Updated - I think that will prove to be a good move 

[Prof]

Mine is

Gavaskar
Vaughan
Sangakkara
Jayawardene
Inzy
Worrell
Imran Khan
Ashwin
Nadkarni
Roberts
Morkel

if we are only doing one team. Otherwise, swap Thomson for Nadkarni when outside the sub-continent.

Sorted 

[Prof]

Match Three Up

https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=345265.msg17157565#msg17157565

Let me know if it works better with the spoilers 

[Crosby Nick]

Told you you were reliant on Richards and Smith Samie.

[Samie]

Good thing it's  only a simulator and not the fine people of RAWK voting.

[Gerry Attrick]

Batting collapses seem very common

[Crosby Nick]

Batting collapses seem very common

Good decision to put Weekes in.

[Saint Kopite]

Match Three Up

https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=345265.msg17157565#msg17157565

Let me know if it works better with the spoilers 

Yay!

[Gerry Attrick]

Good decision to put Weekes in.

You denigrating Sydney worked in my favour Weekes was a giant of the batting game. He played 5 tests in India and knocked in 4 centuries and a 110 average. He could play spin

[Crosby Nick]

WG Grace chipping in with a solid 10
From his two innings for SP. not that he needed it. Lord Cowdrey smashed it!

Prof — are we getting a batting and bowling averages at the end of all this?

[Gerry Attrick]

Loving your work, Prof. I would like some wins please.