Ex-England cricketer Caddick and Aussie legend Langer get behind numeracy campaign for nation’s cricket fans.
As the battle for the Ashes gathers pace, cricketing legends Justin Langer and Andy Caddick team up today to show off some of their best career statistics in support of Get On – the campaign helping people in England to brush up their maths skills – and encourage fans to be proud of their numbers too.
From the stats that fans recite to the Duckworth-Lewis method, cricketers and fans alike need to know their numbers. You can get caught out if you don’t, as the West Indies famously found out earlier this year, when they lost a one-day game against England because coach John Dyson miscalculated how many runs his side needed to win.
An estimated 6.8 million adults in England struggle with basic maths. Today, the Get On campaign is urging cricket fans, who think their maths could do with a brush up, to phone 0800 66 0800 for more information about FREE maths courses at their local college. Improving skills such as maths and English can open up opportunities including earning on average over £50,000 more over a working lifetime.
Former Australian cricketing legend Justin Langer said:
“We all know skills with the bat and the ball are crucial in cricket, but there’s a certain degree of mathematical skill required to keep on top of the game at hand. Against England my batting average is a respectable 50.24. I’m very proud of those numbers and I’m proud to be supporting the Get On campaign today. For aspiring cricketers out there - brushing up your maths might just give you the edge against your biggest rivals.”
Andy Caddick added:
“Against Australia in the Ashes, when it mattered most, my best bowling figures were 7 wickets for 94. In cricket pressure can really build up and mistakes have been known to happen. For cricket fans who aren’t so proud of their skills with numbers, sign up for a free Get On course this summer and make sure that your maths doesn’t catch you out.”
Paul Burnham from the Barmy Army said, "Cricket fans love stats, from being able to real out the batting averages of your favourite players to remembering key facts from matches past. With the Ashes now underway we're all going into stat overdrive. The Barmy Army is supporting Get On so that all cricket lovers can be as proud of their numbers as they are of the England team."