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  • Title: Sinister strategies succeed at the cricket World Cup.
    Author: Brooks R, Bussière LF, Jennions MD, Hunt J.
    Journal: Proc Biol Sci; 2004 Feb 07; 271 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S64-6. PubMed ID: 15101421.
    Abstract:
    Left-handers occur at unexpectedly high frequencies at top levels of many interactive sports. This may occur either because left-handed contestants are innately superior or because they enjoy a negatively frequency-dependent strategic advantage when rare relative to right-handers. We analysed the batting records from the 2003 cricket World Cup and showed that left-handed batsmen were more successful than right-handers, and that the most successful teams had close to 50% left-handed batsmen. We demonstrate that this was because left-handed batsmen have a strategic advantage over bowlers, and that this advantage is greatest over bowlers that are unaccustomed to bowling to left-handers. This provides a clear mechanism for negative frequency-dependent success of left-handed batsmen. Our results may also support a historical role for negative frequency-dependent success in fights and other contests in the maintenance of left-handedness by natural selection.
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