Find a cricket bowler’s average — the runs they concede for every wicket they take, where a lower number means a more effective bowler.
How it works
Bowling average is runs conceded divided by wickets taken: Average = Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets Taken. A bowler who concedes 300 runs while taking 15 wickets has a bowling average of 20.
What this does not include
Bowling average doesn’t account for the pace of scoring (that’s economy rate) or how many balls it took to get those wickets (that’s strike rate) — it only measures runs per wicket.
How to use this calculator
- Enter total runs conceded.
- Enter total wickets taken.
- Read off the bowling average.
A worked example
In cricket, 300 runs conceded for 15 wickets taken: bowling average = 300 ÷ 15 = 20 runs per wicket.
450 runs for 18 wickets: bowling average = 25.
What the variables mean
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Runs | Total runs conceded by the bowler |
| Wickets | Total wickets taken |
Edge cases worth knowing
For bowling average, a lower number is better — the opposite of batting average, where a higher number is the goal. It measures runs conceded per wicket, so fewer runs per wicket means a more effective bowler.
Zero wickets makes the average undefined — there’s no wicket count to divide runs by, so the calculator declines to show a result.
Is a lower or higher bowling average better?
Lower is better for a bowler — it means fewer runs conceded for each wicket taken, the opposite convention from a batting average, where higher is better.
What’s a good bowling average in cricket?
In international Test cricket, an average under 25 is generally considered excellent for a fast bowler, and under 30 is solid; standards vary by format and era.
What happens if a bowler has taken zero wickets?
The average is undefined with zero wickets taken (division by zero), so this calculator requires at least one wicket to produce a result.
