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OptaPro publishes Vitality Blast preview

By: Stats Perform

Ahead of the 2019 Vitality Blast, OptaPro has published a competition preview featuring key batting and bowling insights.

The preview uses bespoke statistics derived from ball-by-ball data collected from every match during the 2018 competition to deliver performance insights with potential to inform both individual and team strategies heading into this year’s campaign.

Findings published in the review include:

– Surrey boasted an impressive powerplay batting performance, ranking first for average powerplay runs per wicket (50.3), strike rate (180.7) and runs per scoring shot (2.9).

– Despite taking the highest number of powerplay wickets (29), Somerset recorded the sixth lowest powerplay economy rate in the competition (8.7).

– Rikki Wessels (3.0) and Miles Hammond (2.9) were in the competition’s top five for runs per scoring shot, despite both recording a dot ball percentage of above 45%.

– Patrick Brown proved the toughest test for batsmen during the closing overs, where he took the joint-highest number of death wickets (14).

You can read the full season preview here

If you have any questions relating to our findings, please get in touch with us on pro@optasports.com.