Play Middlesex CCC Averages Prediction Game 2008
Do You Think I'm 60?
By Ged
March 27 2008
Once again, by popular demand, Ged presents the simple prediction game based on Middlesex players’ performance in the County Championship. Everyone can play for free and Ged offers a miniscule, cricket-related prize for the winner. Entries must be in by 10.00 a.m. Wednesday 16th April and there will be no extended deadline.
MIDDLESEX PLAYERS PREDICTION GAME 2008 Once again, by popular demand, Ged presents the simple prediction game based on Middlesex players’ performance in the County Championship. Everyone can play for free and Ged offers a miniscule, cricket-related prize for the winner. Entries must be in by 10.00 a.m. Wednesday 16th April and there will be no extended deadline.
Guess what each player’s County Championship average (batting and bowling) will be at the end of the 2008 season. For each player who has 8 or more innings (for batting) and 10 or more wickets (for bowling) your prediction will be compared with the actual average. You get an unwanted point for each run difference between your estimate and the true average.
For example, if you guess that Nick Compton will have a batting average of 45 and a bowling average of 41, and in fact he has a batting average of 42 and a bowling average of 39, you will get 3 points for his batting and 2 points for his bowling.
If you do not submit an estimate for a player who in the event does have 8 innings or takes 10 wickets, you will be awarded 40 unwanted points for each discipline you failed to estimate. However, you do not get penalised for having a guess for a player who doesn’t make the cut, so it is worth having a guess at more or less the whole squad.
The person with the lowest number of points wins a miniscule cricket-related prize. For example, James D, who won in 2005, considers his prize to be close to his most prized possession. And Warren Ladd (no relation), who won in 2006, used his prize to erase the memory of a dreadful season. Dingy Bags, who won in 2007, is still waiting for The Royal Mail to deliver his prize. But do not abandon hope, Dingy Bags, I recently received a Christmas card posted on 14 December – I kid ye not. The table below shows Ged’s attempt at prediction. If Ged wins, there’ll be a prize for 2nd place but the prize might be that much smaller, if that is possible!
| Name | 2008 Predicted CC Batting Average | 2008 Predicted CC Bowling Average |
| Ed Smith | 44 | 45 |
| Gareth Berg | 30 | 35 |
| Nick Compton | 40 | 45 |
| Dirk Nannes | 12 | 29 |
| Danny Evans | 10 | 35 |
| Steve Finn | 10 | 26 |
| Billy Godleman | 42 | 45 |
| Dan Housego | 33 | 45 |
| Ed Joyce | 48 | 45 |
| Murali Kartik | 20 | 26 |
| Shaun Levy | 31 | 45 |
| Dawid Malan | 35 | 45 |
| Eoin Morgan | 42 | 45 |
| Tim Murtagh | 25 | 30 |
| David Nash | 40 | 45 |
| Vernon Philander | 25 | 29 |
| Chris Peploe | 17 | 44 |
| Alan Richardson | 11 | 29 |
| Ben Scott | 37 | 45 |
| Owais Shah | 54 | 45 |
| Chris Silverwood | 16 | 28 |
| Andrew Strauss | 43 | 45 |
| Kabir Toor | 17 | 35 |
| Shaun Udal | 20 | 33 |
| Rob Williams | 12 | 40 |
To enter, please either submit your entry through the Message Board or you may submit in private to mtwdadmin@googlemail.com .
Remember, the deadline is 10.00 a.m. 16th April, after which no submissions will be accepted. Good luck, everyone.
The trick is to predict who is going to have an above average season and who is going to have a poor one. Also, especially with younger players, who is going to ahve a breakthrough season and who isn't.
I always find it quite tricky but fun to play.
In a day or two my entry will be submitted by PM to The Webmeister,don't want any of you lot getting a peep at it.
The template above will (in a few moments time) be changed to reflect the squad changes.
Make sure you get those entries in before the deadline - there will be no extension.
PHILANDER BAT 28 BOWL 28.
Could you amend my entry to include these GED
Just a few more days to go, folks, and a few of you regular contestants have yet to get your entries in.
Perhaps some of you are "doing a tactical - waiting to see what happens in the current MCC game and Oxford UCCE game before you submit your entries.
But do please remember that 16 April at 10.00 is a fixed deadline for this game.
And please also remember that you can submit your form whenever you like and send us changes right up until the deadline if you wish.
I'm in! I'm in!! I'm in!!!
Ed Smith 55 45
Gareth Berg 25 30
Nick Compton 45 45
Dirk Nannes 15 25
Danny Evans 15 30
Steve Finn 10 22
Billy Godleman 48 45
Dan Housego 43 45
Ed Joyce 55 45
Murali Kartik 25 25
Shaun Levy 40 45
Dawid Malan 40 45
Eoin Morgan 45 45
Tim Murtagh 30 25
David Nash 45 45
Vernon Philander 30 25
Chris Peploe 20 40
Alan Richardson 15 25
Ben Scott 40 45
Owais Shah 55 45
Chris Silverwood 20 25
Andrew Strauss 50 45
Kabir Toor 20 30
Shaun Udal 25 30
Rob Williams 10 25
Call me hopelessly optimistic if you like, or say that bunnies like me are crazy at this time of year, but I'm going to win this competition this time around and Middlesex are going to have a fantastic year.
No arguments now.
Hippity is author of top features: Hippity's Tale and Bunny Away
If all of our boys achieve along the lines you suggest we're going to be unstoppable in the CC.
Are you sure you hadn't been at the fermented carrot juice a little before you made that posting - as David_Webmaster might put it?
This competition usually attracts more optimists than pessimists.
Why don't some of the resident pessimists have a go at this competition for a change? Perhaps the more pessimistic users of the site feel that tinge of optimisim at the start of the season and thus feel inclined to stay away from this competition.
But it is only a bit of fun - go on pessimists, let's see some of your pre season thoughts for a change.
Also, I thoguht I might specialise in estimating to the nearest 5 in each case.
Ed Smith 40 45
Gareth Berg 20 40
Nick Compton 35 45
Dirk Nannes 5 30
Danny Evans 5 35
Steve Finn 5 30
Billy Godleman 40 45
Dan Housego 30 45
Ed Joyce 40 45
Murali Kartik 20 30
Shaun Levy 30 45
Dawid Malan 30 45
Eoin Morgan 40 45
Tim Murtagh 20 35
David Nash 35 45
Vernon Philander 25 35
Chris Peploe 15 45
Alan Richardson 10 30
Ben Scott 35 45
Owais Shah 45 45
Chris Silverwood 10 30
Andrew Strauss 40 45
Kabir Toor 15 35
Shaun Udal 20 35
Rob Williams 10 40
It'll prove you all to be a rum old lot if I turn out to be better at this lark than you are.
I,ve no doubt your talents are varied and many and you'll show up us load of old dodderers for what we are.
I think you'll prove to be more than a match at this lark,and demonstrate what you're really made of.
Beauty and brains are a rare combination especially on this board,I know you have an abundance of both and will be a valid contributor in future.
Let's be hearing more from you dear Daisy,I'll be hanging on every word.
Daisy only chimes in here rarely, I'm afraid, LB, although she has a browse over my shoulder at the Board more often than that.
Daisy is now doing her hair and has exiled me to the office until she's done.
Meanwhile her entry for the competition adds to an increasing assortment of contestants.
Still a few regulars have not yet entered - perhaps "competitioned out" or perhaps saving their powder until the last minute.
And it would be good to see a few more new faces having a go at this one.
10.00 a.m. on Wednesday the absolute deadline. And an hour after that the County Championship season will be underway.
Well, thick anyway.
And some are probably quite fast too.
So far only one previous champion has applied, so there's a very good chance for a new champion to emerge this year.
Will it be one of the regular contenders or one of the handful of arrivistes?
And/or will there be a small spate of dark horse entries just before the deadline, as has been the case in earlier years?
And/or will Ged ever get a life?
Suspense is at fever pitch on all these questions and more besides.
Quote:The Diamond ruled ok
Has Nick Hornby entered ?
Not yet - unless he is one of our regulars in disguise and I don't know it.
Nor has Diamond - yet.
Mr Hornby will be too busy promoting his new book and we don't want his type around here anyway , he's a gooner !!
At least 12 now, plus any dark horses that might emerge in the next 10-and-three-quarter hours.
The season approacheth.
Update after 3 matches
....but have rather let this slip since then.
I'll try to publish an "after 11 matches" update ahead of the Derby fixture - after that it'll be the final results.