Bowling Average Calculator
A bowler's average, economy rate and strike rate from runs, wickets and overs — the three numbers that describe bowling from different angles.
Bowling average is runs conceded per wicket, and unlike batting, lower is better.
How the bowling average calculator works
Bowling average is runs conceded per wicket, and unlike batting, lower is better. Economy rate is runs conceded per over, which matters most in limited-overs cricket where containing runs is half the job. Strike rate is balls per wicket, which matters most in Tests where taking twenty wickets is the whole job.
The three can disagree sharply about the same spell, and that is the point: a bowler can have a fine economy rate and a poor average by bowling tidily without taking wickets, or an excellent strike rate and a mediocre average by taking wickets expensively.
Formula: average = runs ÷ wickets; economy = runs ÷ overs; strike rate = balls ÷ wickets
Worked examples
| Inputs | Bowling average | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 900 runs, 40 wickets, 300 overs | 22.5 | 22.5 average, 3.0 economy, 45 strike rate |
| A limited-overs spell: 45 from 10 overs, 2 wickets | 22.5 | economy 4.5 |
| 10.3 overs — ten overs and three balls | 13.33 | 63 balls |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is a good bowling average?
Under 25 is excellent in Test cricket and under 20 outstanding. Lower is better, unlike batting.
What is the difference between average, economy and strike rate?
Average is runs per wicket, economy runs per over, strike rate balls per wicket. They describe cost, containment and penetration respectively.
What does 10.3 overs mean?
Ten overs and three balls — 63 balls. The figure after the point counts balls out of six, not tenths.
Which matters most?
Strike rate in Tests, where twenty wickets wins the match. Economy in limited-overs cricket, where containment does.
Why is my average undefined?
Because you have taken no wickets, and dividing by zero has no answer. The economy rate still works.
Where these figures come from
- World Handicap System — Rules of Handicapping — the score differential and handicap index formula
- International Cricket Council — Playing Conditions — over structure and run-rate definitions
- England and Wales Cricket Board — the national body for the sport these statistics most often describe here
Last checked: September 2026. Formulas follow the governing bodies where one publishes them — the World Handicap System for golf, the ICC playing conditions for cricket run rates.