The viability of business data mining in the sports environment: cricket match analysis as application

Abstract

Data mining can be viewed as the process of extracting previously unknown information from large databases and utilising this information to make crucial business decisions (Simoudis, 1996: 26). This paper considers the viability of using data mining tools and techniques in sports, particularly with regard to mining the sports match itself. An interpretive field study is conducted in which two research questions are answered. Firstly, can proven business data mining techniques be applied to sports games in order to discover hidden knowledge? Secondly, is such an analytical and time-consuming exercise suited to the sports world? An exploratory field study was conducted wherein match data for the South African cricket team was mined. The findings were presented to stakeholders in the South African team to determine whether such a data mining exercise is viable in the sports environment. While many data constraints exist, it was found that traditional data mining tools and techniques could be successful in highlighting unknown patterns in sports match data. However, it is questionable whether this type of data mining is viable in this industry. People in the sports world often do not have the time or the required expertise to acquire, interpret and use the results.

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol. 28(1) 2006: 109-125