Bowling · economy, average & strike rate
Bowling economy calculator
Runs an over, runs a wicket and balls a wicket, from the bowler's overs, runs and wickets. Overs go in as the scorebook writes them, so 3.4 is three overs and four balls.
The bowler
Economy7.00runs an over
Average14.00runs a wicket
Strike rate12.0balls a wicket
Figures4-0-28-2O-M-R-W
Dot balls46%11 of 24
28 runs off 4 overs is an economy of 7.00. 2 wickets: one every 12.0 balls, at 14.00 runs each.
Add up spells
Combined21.4-1-123-9O-M-R-W
Economy5.68
Average13.67
Strike rate14.4
Best3/194-0-19-3
| Spell | Figures | Economy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4-0-28-2 | 7.00 |
| 2 | 3.4-0-31-1 | 8.45 |
| 3 | 10-1-45-3 | 4.50 |
| 4 | 4-0-19-3 | 4.75 |
Three ways to measure a bowler
Economy is runs conceded per over. Like every overs sum it works in balls: 31 runs off 3.4 overs is 31 × 6 ÷ 22 balls = 8.45, not 31 ÷ 3.4 = 9.12. Bowling average is runs per wicket, so lower is better: 28 runs for 2 wickets is 14.00. Strike rate is balls per wicket: 24 balls for 2 wickets is a wicket every 12 balls.
Which runs count against the bowler? Under the playing conditions, the bowler is charged with runs off the bat, all runs from wides and the one-run penalty for each no-ball, but not byes or leg byes, even when they come off a no-ball. Wides and no-balls are not counted as balls of the over, so the overs figure already leaves them out. Wickets credited to the bowler include bowled, caught, lbw, stumped and hit wicket; run outs are not.
A maiden is an over in which the bowler concedes no runs. The adder checks that maidens never outnumber completed overs and that a spell has at most ten wickets, then totals the spells and picks the best figures: most wickets first, then fewest runs.
Economy suits limited-overs cricket, where every run matters; average and strike rate matter more over a long game, where taking wickets wins matches.
Sources
- ICC. ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Playing Conditions, clauses 17.3 (wides and no-balls are not valid balls of the over), 18.10.3 (runs debited to the bowler), 21.16 and 22.7 (no-ball and wide runs debited to the bowler). ICC playing conditions (PDF)
- MCC. Laws of Cricket, Law 17: The over. lawsofcricket.lords.org
Questions
Does a maiden have to be a full over?
Yes. A maiden is a complete over with no runs charged to the bowler. Byes and leg byes don't spoil a maiden, because they aren't the bowler's runs, but a wide or a no-ball does.
Why is economy shown when there are no wickets?
Economy only needs runs and overs. Average and strike rate divide by wickets, so they stay blank until the bowler takes one, just as scorecards show a dash.
Can I enter a whole season?
Yes. Type the season totals into the calculator, or list every spell in the adder and press Use these totals above. The adder's best figures come from the single best spell.