Anchor:
a firm and stable cohesive source of support and stability
or it could just weigh you down…

So who should be the anchor?
You could look at this simply or with complexity. In my experience, most teams select the highest average bowler to be the anchor. Sounds logical, doesn’t it? I can’t argue too much with that philosophy. However, there are other considerations.

How do they bowl under pressure?
To me, this is the biggest consideration…or at least equal to high average. When it comes down to the 10th frame and they need to double to win, who do you trust the most in this scenario? Since many times the highest average bowler is placed in the anchor position, they tend to be the most experienced in this situation. Common sense would say that this person is most likely to get up there and double for the win. But, I would suggest to consider how this bowler performs under pressure. Is he/she able to handle the pressure that is placed on them by the situation. “I can’t let my teammates down…”

Consider selecting the bowler who will thrive under pressure, get up there and make a quality shot each time. That’s simply not always the bowler with the highest average.

I know that it’s always easiest to select the bowler with the high team average. It makes it less tense for teammates to pick someone based on stats rather than ability to perform under pressure.

For next season, consider this when you select your anchor.