Batting Average
Also known as: batting average in cricket, how is batting average calculated, cricket average, runs per dismissal, not out average
A cricket batting average is total runs divided by the number of times the batter was out. Not-out innings add runs but do not add a dismissal. So 300 runs in 10 innings, with 2 not outs, is an average of 37.5.
The formula is runs ÷ (innings − not outs). It is runs per dismissal, not runs per innings. A batter who is not out at the end adds their runs but no dismissal, so not outs push the average up. A batter who did not need to bat, because the innings was declared or the match was won, gets no innings at all. A batter who retires hurt is counted not out. One who retires for another reason and does not come back is counted out.
Average measures how many runs you make before getting out. It is the classic measure in Test and first-class cricket, where staying in is the job. In short formats, read it with strike rate. A high average at a slow rate may not help a T20 side. Lower-order batters often have more not outs, which can lift their average.
Averages need a decent number of innings to mean much. One big score can skew a season of six innings. Compare averages from similar levels, pitches and batting positions. For your own game, track average across a full season. Look at how you got out as well as how many.
Tips by skill level
Keep a simple log of each innings: runs, balls, and whether and how you were out. Your average and strike rate come straight from it.
Look at how you get out, not just your average. If most dismissals are the same mode, that is your next thing to work on.
Example
Over a club season a batter scores 420 runs in 14 innings and is not out three times. 420 ÷ (14 − 3) gives a batting average of 38.2.
Why it matters
Batting average is the most common way to judge a batter over time. It rewards staying in as well as scoring.
Common mistakes
- Dividing by innings played instead of times out
- Counting a retired-hurt innings as a dismissal
- Reading too much into an average from only a few innings
- Comparing averages across very different levels or formats
Frequently asked questions
How is batting average calculated in cricket?
Divide total runs by the number of times the batter was out. Not-out innings add runs but not a dismissal. For example, 300 runs with 8 dismissals is an average of 37.5.
Do not outs count in a batting average?
The runs count, but the innings does not count as a dismissal. That is why not outs raise a batter's average.
What is a good batting average in cricket?
It depends on the format, level and batting position, so there is no single figure. Compare your average with batters in similar roles in the same competition.
Sources
Related terms
- Batting Strike RateA batter's strike rate is the runs they score per 100 balls faced. Divide runs by balls faced and multiply by 100. Scoring 45 off 30 balls is a strike rate of 150. Balls faced include no balls but not wides.
- CenturyA century is a batting milestone of 100 or more runs scored by a single batter in one innings — the most celebrated individual achievement in cricket batting.
- Golden DuckA golden duck is when a batter is dismissed for zero runs on the very first ball they face in an innings — the most emphatic possible batting failure.
- Building an InningsBuild an innings in stages. Spend your first balls getting used to the pace and bounce, scoring mainly from singles and bad balls. Once you are set, widen your scoring shots and push the rate. After a milestone, reset and start again instead of relaxing.
- DeclarationA declaration is when the batting captain ends their side's innings before the team is all out. In two-innings matches it is used to leave enough time to bowl the opposition out and win. Under the current Laws a captain can declare whenever the ball is dead, except in the final innings of the match. A declared innings counts as a completed innings.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.