Cricket World Cup: World-beating duo adds to showdown

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson's career strike rate is 126. Andre Russell has dismissed two or more batsmen against all but Zimbabwe and Ireland. Picture / NZME.

When it comes to manufacturing runs at speed, Corey Anderson and Andre Russell are the best in the world.

The fact adds another dimension to the New Zealand-West Indies quarter-final showdown in Wellington tomorrow where the pair are set to square off as respective all-rounders.

If an all-rounder is batting by the 30th over and completes his 10-over bowling allotment, he can directly affect at least 30 per cent of a game, probably more than any player other than an ensconced opening batsman.

That makes them PMVPs (potentially most valuable players).

Anderson and Russell can make the claim to having a positive influence on their sides at this tournament.

Anderson's taken wickets in every game except the victory over England when Tim Southee cornered the market.

He's played significant innings at better than a run-a-ball against Sri Lanka (75) and Bangladesh (39) but contributed a circumspect 26 off 42 balls in a 52-run stand with Kane Williamson against Australia. Anderson has hit 21 of his 138 balls (15 per cent) at the tournament for boundaries.

Russell has dismissed two or more batsmen against all but Zimbabwe (where it didn't matter) and Ireland (where it did).

He has struggled with the bat but 42 runs off 13 balls to dominate Pakistan in the death overs hinted at the West Indies player's capability.

He's hit 13 of his 45 balls (29 per cent) for boundaries.

The likes of South Africa's AB de Villiers (career strike rate 99), Australia's Glenn Maxwell (CSR 125) and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (CSR 117) soak up the spectacular hitting headlines, but Anderson and Russell lead the way.

Russell's career strike rate is 129 and Anderson's is 126.

They form part of a new generation who have benefited from the 2012 adjustment to the powerplay law, ruling a maximum of four fielders can be outside the 30m circle at any time.

Strike rate is not the be-all and end-all but of those to score more than 50 runs at this tournament, Russell ranks fifth with 84 runs at 187 and Anderson 18th with 158 runs at 114.

Likewise, of those to bowl more than 20 overs, Anderson ranks fifth with each of his 10 wickets coming every 16 balls and Russell 20th with nine wickets coming every 29.

What they gain through the powerplay with the bat, they lose with the ball, so it's a phenomenon that Anderson has the third-best career strike rate of 24 for those to bowl more than 1000 balls.

Russell, at 58th with a figure of 33, slips on this criterium but, considering the hammering bowlers take against bigger bats and lap-banded grounds, he still has sound credentials.

These two definitely add an edge to the showdown at Wellington Regional Stadium.

Corey Anderson

Batting ODIs:

32

Innings:

28

Not outs:

5

Strike rate:

126 (2nd for those to face more than 500 balls)

Runs:

845

High score:

131*

Average:

36.73

Fours:

69

Sixes:

45

4-6 ratio:

1.53:1

Bowling Strike rate:

24.4 (3rd for those to bowl more than 1000 balls)

Wickets:

46

Best bowling:

5-63

Average:

24.73

Economy rate:

6.06

Andre Russell

Batting ODIs:

49

Innings:

41

Not outs:

9

Strike rate:

129 (2nd for those to face more than 500 balls)

Runs:

924

High score:

92*

Average:

28.87

Fours:

86

Sixes:

48

4-6 ratio:

1.79:1

Bowling Strike rate:

33.1 (58th for those to bowl more than 1000 balls)

Wickets:

62

Best bowling:

4-35

Average:

31.48

Economy rate:

5.69

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