ACS Overseas First-Class Annual 2018

League Tables: Key to abbreviations and point-scoring systems A regular feature of the Annual is a tabulated summary of the point-scoring systems in use in the various first-class league competitions throughout the world. It is believed that this world-wide comparison is unique to the Annual . This information is important because, although Test matches attract most attention, the great majority of first-class games worldwide are league matches played in one of the domestic competitions in the various ICC full-member nations. Games take place, therefore, in the context of a wider competition involving many teams other than the two that are directly engaged in any particular match. As the table opposite clearly shows, the various scoring systems have many features in common but there are also important differences. All systems award points first and foremost for outright wins: but a system that took account of wins alone would find it difficult to differentiate sufficiently between teams. Accordingly, all systems give weight to factors other than the outright win, and it is here that there is a basic division between two approaches. One method, familiar from the English County Championship, is to award batting and bowling bonus points. The alternative takes account instead of the first-innings lead. There are, of course, many variations of detail, and some competitions use elements of both approaches. The table on the facing page sets out the various competitions and summarizes the different types of result that are relevant to each, as shown in the league tables that appear in the introduction to each section of this Annual . It also acts as a key to the abbreviations used in the league tables at the start of each section. The number of points awarded for different types of result is shown at the top of each league table. Point-scoring systems also invariably provide for unusual results such as ties, but these are not shown unless they are relevant to the current league table. For comparison and for the sake of completeness, the English County Championship is included in the table opposite although it does not otherwise feature in the Annual . The ICC Intercontinental Cup is also included, although it is not strictly a domestic tournament. The table opposite also indicates the various tie-break systems used when teams finish level on points. These include mechanisms such as number of outright wins, head-to-head results, and calculations based on run rates or runs per wicket. Net run rate (NetRR) Runs per over for minus runs per over against Net runs per wicket (NetRpW) Runs per wicket for minus runs per wicket against Quotient (Quot) Runs per wicket for divided by runs per wicket against The table also indicates whether the competition is decided by league position alone, or by a separate final. 8