James Cook U data scientists have worked how Olympic medal winning basketball teams do it. Anthony Leicht and Carl Woods, with Spanish colleague Miguel Gomez, analysed the 156 men’s basketball games played at last four Olympics. They find a combination of field goal percentage and defensive rebounds (sorry, no idea) provide the greatest probability of winning.

They are keen on game-plans by numbers at JCU. In June Dr Woods and colleagues reported that an analysis of 13 performance indicators in every game of the 2016 National Rugby League season identified the ones that won games, CMM June 23). Less money than mathsball.