Bowling Average Calculator
Calculate cricket bowling average from runs conceded and wickets taken. Free online cricket statistic tool with results, performance ratings, and graphs.
About This Calculator
The Bowling Average Calculator helps cricket fans, players, coaches, and analysts compute a bowler's bowling average — one of the most important statistics in cricket. Simply enter the total runs conceded and total wickets taken to instantly calculate the bowling average with a performance rating. The calculator also provides interactive comparison and distribution charts for visual analysis.
The bowling average formula is: Bowling Average = Total Runs Conceded ÷ Total Wickets Taken. For example, if a bowler concedes 450 runs and takes 15 wickets, the bowling average is 450 ÷ 15 = 30.00. A lower bowling average indicates better performance, and the calculator rates performance from "Extraordinary" (under 20) to "Minimal" (above 40). The calculator handles the edge case of zero wickets by showing an infinite average.
Bowling average is one of the three primary bowling statistics in cricket alongside economy rate (runs per over) and strike rate (balls per wicket). It has been used since the early days of cricket to evaluate bowling performance and is the primary metric for comparing bowlers across eras and formats. The best Test bowling average of all time (minimum 600 balls) is 10.74 by George Lohmann, while modern greats like Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah maintain averages around 20-22.
Regional Notes
India (IN): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tracks bowling averages across all domestic tournaments including the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Indian Premier League (IPL). Indian bowling greats like Anil Kumble (Test avg 29.65), Jasprit Bumrah (Test avg ~20), and Ravichandran Ashwin (Test avg ~24) are frequently evaluated using this metric.
United Kingdom (UK): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) uses bowling averages in county cricket (County Championship, One-Day Cup, T20 Blast) and The Hundred. Historic English bowlers like George Lohmann (10.74), Sydney Barnes (16.43), and James Anderson (average ~26) set benchmarks for the statistic.
United States (US): Major League Cricket (MLC) and Minor League Cricket (MiLC) track bowling averages as the sport grows in the United States. The USA national team players' bowling averages are monitored for ICC tournament selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bowling average in cricket?
Bowling average is a cricket statistic that measures a bowler's performance by calculating the average number of runs conceded per wicket taken. It is computed by dividing the total runs conceded by the total wickets taken. A lower bowling average indicates better bowling performance. For example, a bowler who concedes 450 runs and takes 15 wickets has a bowling average of 30.00.
How do you calculate bowling average in cricket?
Bowling average is calculated using the formula: Bowling Average = Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets Taken. For example, if a bowler concedes 500 runs and takes 20 wickets, the bowling average is 500 ÷ 20 = 25.00. Simply enter the runs conceded and wickets taken into the calculator and click Calculate.
What is considered a good bowling average in cricket?
A bowling average under 30 is generally considered good in cricket. Performance is typically rated as: Under 20 (Extraordinary), 20-25 (Excellent), 25-30 (Good), 30-35 (Average), 35-40 (Below Average), and Above 40 (Minimal). The best Test bowling average of all time is 10.74 by English cricketer George Lohmann (minimum 600 balls bowled).
What is the difference between bowling average and economy rate?
Bowling average measures runs conceded per wicket taken, while economy rate measures runs conceded per over bowled. A bowler can have a low average (good) but a high economy rate if they take wickets but concede many runs per over. Conversely, a defensive bowler may have a low economy rate but a high average if they bowl economically but take few wickets. Both statistics are used together to evaluate bowling performance.
Who has the best bowling average in Test cricket history?
The best bowling average in Test cricket history (for bowlers with at least 600 balls bowled) belongs to English cricketer George Lohmann with an average of 10.74. Among modern bowlers, Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) has an average around 19, and Pat Cummins (Australia) averages around 22. In ODI cricket, the best average belongs to Mahendra Nagamootoo (West Indies) at 11.67 among bowlers with at least 50 wickets.
How does bowling average differ between Test, ODI, and T20 cricket?
Bowling averages tend to vary by format: In Test cricket, averages under 30 are excellent with top bowlers averaging 20-25. In ODI cricket, good bowlers average 25-32. In T20 cricket, averages under 25 are exceptional because bowlers have fewer overs and batsmen are more aggressive. A bowler may have different averages across formats due to different conditions, opposition, and match situations.
What happens if a bowler takes 0 wickets when calculating bowling average?
If a bowler has taken 0 wickets, the bowling average is mathematically undefined (division by zero). In cricket statistics, bowlers with 0 wickets are listed with a dash (-) or the average is shown as not applicable (N/A). The bowler needs to take at least one wicket for a meaningful bowling average to be calculated.
Is a lower bowling average always better?
Yes, a lower bowling average is always better as it means the bowler concedes fewer runs per wicket. However, bowling average should be considered alongside other metrics like economy rate, strike rate (balls per wicket), and the match context. A bowler with a low average but high economy rate might be effective in taking wickets but expensive, while a bowler with a moderate average but excellent economy rate can be valuable in limited-overs cricket.