Cricket Bowling Average Calculator (average, economy & strike rate)

Understanding the cricket bowling average calculator — concept and principle

Three numbers summarise a cricket bowler's record: the bowling average (runs conceded per wicket), the economy rate (runs conceded per over) and the strike rate (balls bowled per wicket). This calculator works them all out from runs conceded, wickets taken and overs bowled written in the usual overs.balls form.

1,180 runs for 44 wickets is an average of 26.82 runs per wicket.

How it is calculated

Balls = whole overs × 6 + extra balls (342.4 overs = 342 × 6 + 4)

Bowling average = runs conceded ÷ wickets

Economy rate = runs conceded ÷ balls × 6

Strike rate = balls ÷ wickets

Wickets per 20 overs bowled = wickets ÷ balls × 120

Overs are entered as overs.balls, where the digit after the point is balls (0–5), not a decimal fraction.
Runs conceded include wides and no-balls but not byes or leg byes.

The principle

Each statistic looks at a different trade-off. The average measures cost: how many runs the opposition scored for each wicket. The economy rate measures control: how hard it was to score at all. The strike rate measures penetration: how often the bowler takes a wicket. Because an over has six legal balls, overs written as 342.4 mean 342 overs and 4 balls, which is 342.67 overs as a decimal; converting to balls first avoids the common error of treating .4 as four-tenths.

Worked example

Default inputs: 1,180 runs, 44 wickets, 342.4 overs.

Balls = 342 × 6 + 4 = 2,056.
Bowling average = 1,180 ÷ 44 = 26.82.
Economy rate = 1,180 ÷ 2,056 × 6 = 3.44 runs per over.
Strike rate = 2,056 ÷ 44 = 46.7 balls per wicket.
Wickets per 20 overs bowled = 44 ÷ 2,056 × 120 = 2.57.

Each point is the calculator re-run with only “Wickets taken” changed; the gold point is the default example. Change the inputs above and this chart follows your numbers.

Wickets taken	Bowling average
11	107.27
22	53.64
33	35.76
44	26.82
55	21.45
66	17.88
88	13.41

How to read the result

For all three, lower is better. What counts as good depends on the format: in Test cricket averages in the 20s are excellent and economy rates are usually lower, while in T20 cricket economy rates are much higher and wickets matter differently. Compare bowlers within the same format and era.

Common mistakes

Treating overs.balls as a decimal (342.4 as 342.4 overs instead of 342.67).
Including byes and leg byes in runs conceded.
Comparing T20 economy rates with Test economy rates.
Calculating an average with zero wickets; it is undefined.

Keep in mind: Statistics summarise past performance and do not account for pitch conditions, opposition strength or match situation.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good bowling average?

In Test cricket an average under about 25–30 is generally considered very good; it varies by format and era.

Why is 34.4 overs not 34.4 in decimal?

The figure after the point counts balls out of six, so 34.4 overs is 34 overs and 4 balls, or about 34.67 overs.

Which matters more, economy or average?

In limited-overs cricket economy is often vital; in Tests taking wickets cheaply matters most.

Are wides counted against the bowler?

Yes, wides and no-balls are added to the bowler's runs conceded.

Sources: ICC playing conditions (six valid balls per over) and ESPNcricinfo statistical conventions for bowling average, economy and strike rate

Checked 9 Nov 2026. howzatR R package documentation (functions bowl_avg, bowl_econ, bowl_sr: runs per wicket, runs per six-ball over, balls per wicket); Wikipedia “Strike rate” (citing ESPNcricinfo records); ICC Men’s CWC League 2 Playing Conditions, clause 17.1 (6 valid balls per over).

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