Cricket stats give us deep joy, but can never reflect the game’s true drama

Andrew Flintoff celebrates taking the wicket of Australia’s Ricky Ponting during his incredible second-innings bowling performance at Edgbaston in 2005. The stats of his effort – 22-3-79-4 – could not even have hinted at the full story. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images

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“Statistics are like a ventriloquist’s dummy. Shove your hand far enough up them, and you can make them say whatever you like. Although only children and idiots will take any notice.”