ACS Overseas FIrst-Class Annual 2012

print runs and cover pricing to try to find the right balance. So the price of the Annual remains subject to possible change; but there are no plans to try readers’ patience with a further very large increase. Turning now with some relief from the grim economics of book production to the more congenial subject of first-class cricket across the globe: the fourth edition of the ACS Overseas First-Class Annual contains the full score of every first-class match played anywhere in the world during the 2011 and 2011/12 cricket seasons, excepting only matches played in England and Wales in 2011 (all of which can be found in the 2012 Wisden). The Annual maintains its format of previous years, including distinctive features such as the indication of players on first-class debut and the special treatment of full substitutes. See page 12 for general notes on the presentation of the scores. A striking characteristic of the year under review is the number of gala days enjoyed by bowlers. This is not an entirely new departure, since the 2011 edition reported on bowling triumphs such as N.Wagner’s 5 wickets in 6 balls in New Zealand, and Hyderabad’s dismissal for a paltry 21 by Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy. But the 2011/12 season suggested that this may have been the beginning of a trend. The season witnessed such startling developments as Australia’s dismissal for only 47 (having been an unprecedented 21/9 along the way); some remarkably low scoring in West Indian domestic cricket including 39 all out by the Leeward Islands, the lowest score in the Caribbean for nearly seventy years; and no fewer than 26 totals of under 75, the same number as in 2010/11 but double the 13 such totals in 2009/10. Before 2011/12, it had happened only twice since the First World War that a side had won a Test match after being dismissed for less than 100 in its first innings; but in 2011/12, South Africa and Pakistan both achieved the feat. The game must always strive for a healthy balance between bat and ball; yet over time, the trend has generally been for scores to increase. It is too soon to say for certain that we are now seeing a shift in favour of the bowlers; but in view of the high rates of scoring during the first decade of the present century, such a correction would surely be a welcome development. Every year I express my thanks to Pete Griffiths and Philip Bailey for their immense contribution to this Annual, not only in supplying scores from the CricketArchive database (www.cricketarchive.com ) but in countless other ways as well. I am aware that this year has been particularly difficult for them owing to the late go-ahead for publication, but they have as always pulled out all the stops to have the book ready on time. And I must stress that, of course, responsibility for any errors is mine not theirs. John Bryant Editor 20 Wilton Square London N1 3DL overseasannual@acscricket.com July 2012 6 Preface