Bowling average
Encyclopedia
Bowling average is a statistic
measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport
of cricket
.
A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of run
s conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wicket
s taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned run average
in baseball. For fast bowlers in Test cricket
, most need to maintain an average of below about 35 to hold a place in the team. Acceptable averages for spin bowlers tend to be a little higher ranging between 35 and 40.
Career records for bowling average are usually subject to a qualification of a minimum number of balls bowled or wickets taken, to avoid including artificially high or low averages resulting from a career spanning only a few matches. Under the usual qualification of at least 2,000 balls bowled, George Lohmann
has the lowest Test bowling average, with 112 wickets taken at an average of 10.75 http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283256.html. Lohmann played in the late 19th century, when pitch conditions were far more favourable to bowlers than is currently the case. Only 11 other bowlers have averages below 20 on this basis.
In terms of assessing the effectiveness of a bowler, the average gives a useful but not a complete picture. Another useful statistic is the bowling strike rate
- the mean number of balls bowled per wicket taken, indicating a bowler's wicket-taking potency.
Bowling averages in One Day Internationals are generally somewhat lower than in Test cricket because the batsmen need to score runs more quickly which makes it easier to get them out. In one-day cricket, the bowler's economy rate - mean runs conceded per six-ball over, indicating a bowler's control - is another informative statistic.
A bowler's strike rate and economy rate combine to form their bowling average (the average being equal to the economy rate divided by six, times the strike rate), meaning that the average gives a combined indication of a bowler's potency and control without offering precise detail on either.
Several factors need to be taken into account when using the bowling average as a gauge of a bowler's quality. Pitches were not covered before the First World War and were consequently less batsman-friendly, often turning prodigiously for slow bowlers and offering erratic bounce for seamers, leading to much lower (better) bowling averages. Cricket in South Africa was invariably played on bowler-friendly, artificially matted wickets before the Second World War, similarly leading to impressive averages. Slow bowlers who have bowled in the era since covered pitches tend generally to have higher (worse) averages than their seam-bowling
counterparts: although they often have low (good) economy rates, covered pitches tend to be less responsive to spin than seam or swing or pace, leading to much higher (worse) strike rates.
Statistic
A statistic is a single measure of some attribute of a sample . It is calculated by applying a function to the values of the items comprising the sample which are known together as a set of data.More formally, statistical theory defines a statistic as a function of a sample where the function...
measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of run
Run (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen constitutes the team's score. A batsman scoring 50 or 100 runs , or any higher multiple of 50 runs, is considered a particular achievement...
s conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
s taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in baseball. For fast bowlers in Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, most need to maintain an average of below about 35 to hold a place in the team. Acceptable averages for spin bowlers tend to be a little higher ranging between 35 and 40.
Career records for bowling average are usually subject to a qualification of a minimum number of balls bowled or wickets taken, to avoid including artificially high or low averages resulting from a career spanning only a few matches. Under the usual qualification of at least 2,000 balls bowled, George Lohmann
George Lohmann
George Alfred Lohmann is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time...
has the lowest Test bowling average, with 112 wickets taken at an average of 10.75 http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283256.html. Lohmann played in the late 19th century, when pitch conditions were far more favourable to bowlers than is currently the case. Only 11 other bowlers have averages below 20 on this basis.
In terms of assessing the effectiveness of a bowler, the average gives a useful but not a complete picture. Another useful statistic is the bowling strike rate
Strike rate
Strike rate refers to two different statistics in the sport of cricket. Batting strike rate is a measure of how frequently a batsman achieves the primary goal of batting, namely scoring runs. Bowling strike rate is a measure of how frequently a bowler achieves the primary goal of bowling, namely...
- the mean number of balls bowled per wicket taken, indicating a bowler's wicket-taking potency.
Bowling averages in One Day Internationals are generally somewhat lower than in Test cricket because the batsmen need to score runs more quickly which makes it easier to get them out. In one-day cricket, the bowler's economy rate - mean runs conceded per six-ball over, indicating a bowler's control - is another informative statistic.
A bowler's strike rate and economy rate combine to form their bowling average (the average being equal to the economy rate divided by six, times the strike rate), meaning that the average gives a combined indication of a bowler's potency and control without offering precise detail on either.
Several factors need to be taken into account when using the bowling average as a gauge of a bowler's quality. Pitches were not covered before the First World War and were consequently less batsman-friendly, often turning prodigiously for slow bowlers and offering erratic bounce for seamers, leading to much lower (better) bowling averages. Cricket in South Africa was invariably played on bowler-friendly, artificially matted wickets before the Second World War, similarly leading to impressive averages. Slow bowlers who have bowled in the era since covered pitches tend generally to have higher (worse) averages than their seam-bowling
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
counterparts: although they often have low (good) economy rates, covered pitches tend to be less responsive to spin than seam or swing or pace, leading to much higher (worse) strike rates.