Mean and median, worked out
Kingsmead’s four eligible first-innings totals in 2025/26 were 86, 170, 189, 201. Their total is 646, so the mean is 646 ÷ 4 = 161.5. The two middle scores are 170 and 189: their midpoint is 179.5.
The all-out 86 is a complete innings in an eligible standard match. A separate 37/0 from four overs ended without a result and is excluded. A low score and an interrupted game are different things.
Inspect the Kingsmead match listCompare the same sample
Our all-season Newlands sample has 21 eligible first innings, with a mean of 164 and a median of 163 runs. The range is 88–232. One number cannot show that spread.
At the Wanderers the same method gives an average of 166.8 across 20 innings. This is a comparison of recorded outcomes; it does not separate the ground from the teams and match situations.
Across all six grounds, 118 of 130 source matches supply an eligible first innings. The other 12 are excluded by the published scoring rules, rather than silently treated as zero.
Explore Newlands and the WanderersStart with the competition
A ground can host internationals, domestic cricket and franchise leagues. Mixing those samples changes the question. All venue summaries on this site describe SA20, and the season filter lets you narrow that sample further.
Average and median answer different questions
The average gives every run equal weight. A very high or very low total can move it. The median describes the middle innings in the ordered sample. Looking at both is more useful than treating either as a universal “par score”.
Read the denominator
A chasing record of six wins from ten matches tells you less than the same percentage over a much larger sample. Check the exact count. Our first-innings and chasing samples can differ because a game may supply a completed first innings without an eligible decided result.
Follow the innings
A single total compresses 20 overs into one number. Powerplay, middle and death-over rates show how runs were distributed. The death-over sample contains only innings that reached those overs, so it describes a selected part of the innings population.
Compare the same period
Squads, rules and match conditions can change between seasons. Compare like-for-like seasons first, then use the longer history for perspective. A recent season gives fresher context but a smaller sample.
Look at the actual matches
Before drawing a conclusion, inspect the scores and exclusions. A ground’s historical record does not tell you who will win the next match. It helps you ask a more precise question about it.
Try a venue comparison