Editing Bowling average (section)

==Variations==
A number of factors other than purely the ability level of the bowler have an effect on a player's bowling average. Most significant among these are the different eras in which cricket has been played. The bowling average tables in Test and [[first-class cricket]] are headed by players who competed in the nineteenth century,<ref name="fc"/> a period when [[Cricket pitch|pitches]] were uncovered and some were so badly looked after that they had rocks on them. The bowlers competing in the [[Howa Bowl]], a competition played in South African during the apartheid-era, restricted to non-white players,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/44167.html |title=Player Profile: Vincent Barnes |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 January 2013}}</ref> during which time, according to [[Vincent Barnes]]: "Most of the wickets we played on were underprepared. For me, as a bowler, it was great."<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UguLotVEyu4C&pg=PA185 |title=The Blue Book: History of Western Province Cricket: 1890–2011 |last1=Odendaal |first1=Andre |last2=Reddy |first2=Krish |last3=Samson |first3=Andrew |year=2012 |publisher=Fanele |isbn=978-1-920196-40-0 |location=Johannesburg |page=185 |access-date=6 January 2013}}</ref> Other factors which provided an advantage to bowlers in that era was the lack of significant [[Cricket clothing and equipment|safety equipment]]; batting gloves and [[Helmet (cricket)|helmets]] were not worn, and batsmen had to be warier. Other variations are caused by frequent matches against stronger or weaker opposition, changes in the [[laws of cricket]] and the length of matches.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8647320/Geoffrey-Boycott-ICCs-Dream-XI-is-a-joke-it-has-no-credibility.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/8647320/Geoffrey-Boycott-ICCs-Dream-XI-is-a-joke-it-has-no-credibility.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Geoffrey Boycott: ICC's Dream XI is a joke – it has no credibility |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=19 July 2011 |last=Boycott |first=Geoffrey |author-link=Geoffrey Boycott |access-date=6 January 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>