Batting average (cricket)

In cricket, a players' batting average is the total number of runs they have scored divided by the number of times they have been out, usually given to two decimal places. Since the number of runs a player scores and how often they get out are primarily measures of their own playing ability, and largely independent of their teammates, batting average is a good metric for an individual player's skill as a batter (although the practice of drawing comparisons between players on this basis is not without criticism[1]). The number is also simple to interpret intuitively. If all the batter's innings were completed (i.e. they were out every innings), this is the average number of runs they score per innings. If they did not complete all their innings (i.e. some innings they finished not out), this number is an estimate of the unknown average number of runs they score per innings.

Each player normally has several batting averages, with a different figure calculated for each type of match they play (first-class, one-day, Test matches, List A, T20, etc.), and a player's batting averages may be calculated for individual seasons or series, or at particular grounds, or against particular opponents, or across their whole career.

Batting average has been used to gauge cricket players' relative skills since the 18th century.

Values

International cricket career batting averages (as of 14 September 2019). Note Bradman's Test average of 99.94.

Most players have career batting averages in the range of 20 to 40. This is also the desirable range for wicket-keepers, though some fall short and make up for it with keeping skill. Until a substantial increase in scores in the 21st century due to improved bats and smaller grounds among other factors, players who sustained an average above 50 through a career were considered exceptional, and before the development of the heavy roller in the 1870s (which allowed for a flatter, safer cricket pitch) an average of 25 was considered very good.[2]

  • All-rounders who are more prominent bowlers than batsmen typically average something between 20 and 30.
  • 15 and under is typical for specialist bowlers.
  • A small number of players have averaged less than 5 for a complete career, though a player with such an average is a liability unless an exceptional bowler such as Alf Valentine, B. S. Chandrasekhar or Glenn McGrath were.

Career records for batting average are usually subject to a minimum qualification of 20 innings played or completed, in order to exclude batsmen who have not played enough games for their skill to be reliably assessed. Under this qualification, the highest Test batting average belongs to Australia's Sir Donald Bradman, with 99.94. Given that a career batting average over 50 is exceptional, and that only 4 other players have averages over 60, this is an outstanding statistic. The fact that Bradman's average is so far above that of any other cricketer has led several statisticians to argue that, statistically at least, he was the greatest athlete in any sport.[3]

Disregarding this 20 innings qualification, the highest career Test batting average is 144 by Kurtis Patterson, who scored 144 runs and was dismissed once in his two Test innings. He then fell out of the Australian squad due to a loss of form and injury.

Batting averages in One Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) cricket tend to be lower than in Test cricket because of the need to score runs more quickly. Consequently, batters tend to play riskier strokes and less emphasis is placed on building an innings in order to amass a high individual score. It should also be remembered, especially in relation to the ODI and T20I histograms above, that there were no ODI or T20I matches when Bradman played.

Interpretation

If a batter has been dismissed in every single innings, then this statistic gives exactly the average number of runs they score per innings.

However, for a batter with one or more innings which finished not out, the true mean or average number of runs they score per innings is unknown as it is not known how many runs they would have scored if they could have completed all their not out innings. In this case, this statistic is an estimate of the average number of runs they score per innings. If their scores have a geometric distribution, then this statistic is the maximum likelihood estimate of their true unknown average.[4]

Batting averages can be strongly affected by the number of not outs. For example, Phil Tufnell, who was noted for his poor batting,[5] has an apparently respectable ODI average of 15 (from 20 games), despite a highest score of only 5 not out, as he scored an overall total of 15 runs from 10 innings, but was out only once.[6]

A batter who has not been dismissed in any of the innings over which their average is being calculated does not have a batting average, as division by zero does not give a result.[7]

Leading male batting averages

Test matches

A batting average of above 50 is considered by many as a benchmark to distinguish between a good and a great batsman.[8] Highest male career batting averages in Test matches as follows:

Rank Batter Tests Innings Not
out
Runs High
Score
Average Test career
dates
1 Australia Don Bradman 52 80 10 6,996 334 99.94 1928–48
2 England Harry Brook 12 20 1 1,181 186 62.15 2022-2023
3 Australia Adam Voges 20 31 7 1,485 269* 61.87 2015–16
4 South Africa Graeme Pollock 23 41 4 2,256 274 60.97 1963–70
5 Cricket West Indies George Headley 22 40 4 2,190 270* 60.83 1930–54
6 England Herbert Sutcliffe 54 84 9 4,555 194 60.73 1924–35
7 England Eddie Paynter 20 31 5 1,540 243 59.23 1931–39
8 England Ken Barrington 82 131 15 6,806 256 58.67 1955–68
9 Cricket West Indies Everton Weekes 48 81 5 4,455 207 58.61 1948–58
10 Australia Steve Smith 102 181 22 9,320 239 58.61 2010–23
Qualification for inclusion: 20 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 31 July 2023.

First-class

Highest career batting averages in first-class cricket as follows:

Rank Batter Matches Innings N.O. Runs Highest Ave First Class career dates
1 Australia Don Bradman 234 338 43 28,067 452* 95.14 1927–49
2 India Sarfaraz Khan 39 58 10 3,559 301* 74.14 2014–23
3 India Vijay Merchant 150 234 46 13,470 359* 71.64 1929–51
4 Cricket West Indies George Headley 103 164 22 9,921 344* 69.86 1927–54
5 India Ajay Sharma 129 166 16 10,120 259* 67.46 1984–2001
6 Australia Bill Ponsford 162 235 23 13,819 437 65.18 1920–34
7 Australia Bill Woodfull 174 245 39 13,388 284 64.99 1921–34
8 Afghanistan Bahir Shah 39 65 14 3,220 303* 63.13 2017–23
9 India Shantanu Sugwekar 85 122 18 6,563 299* 63.10 1987–2002
10 Sri Lanka Pathum Nissanka 42 74 9 3,982 217 61.26 2016–22
Qualification for inclusion: 50 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 6 September 2023.

One Day Internationals

Highest career batting averages in One Day International cricket as follows:

Rank Batter ODIs Innings N.O. Runs Highest Ave ODI career dates
1 Netherlands Ryan ten Doeschate 33 32 9 1,541 119 67.00 2006–11
2 India Shubhman Gill 38 38 6 2,012 208 62.87 2019-23
3 England Dawid Malan 25 25 4 1,238 140 58.95 2019–23
4 India Virat Kohli 286 274 43 13,437 183 58.16 2008–23
5 Pakistan Babar Azam 113 110 12 5,566 158 56.79 2015–23
6 South Africa Rassie van der Dussen 54 48 10 2,073 134 54.55 2019–23
7 Australia Michael Bevan 232 196 67 6,912 108* 53.58 1994–2004
8 South Africa AB de Villiers 228 218 39 9,577 176 53.50 2005–18
9 New Zealand Daryl Mitchell 34 30 5 1,293 130 51.72 2021–23
10 England Jonathan Trott 68 65 10 2,819 137 51.25 2009–13
Qualification for inclusion: 20 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 24 October 2023

T20 Internationals

Rank Batsmen T20Is Innings N.O. Runs Highest Ave T20I career dates
1 Malawi Sami Sohail 26 22 12 725 94* 72.50 2019–23
2 India Virat Kohli 115 107 31 4,008 122* 52.73 2010–22
3 Pakistan Muhammad Rizwan 85 73 16 2,797 104* 49.07 2015–23
4 Serbia Leslie Dunbar 21 20 6 659 117 47.07 2019–23
5 India Suryakumar Yadav 53 50 10 1,841 117 46.02 2021–23
6 India Manish Pandey 39 33 17 709 79* 44.31 2015–20
7 United Arab Emirates Muhammad Waseem 32 32 2 1321 112 44.03 2021–23
8 New Zealand Devon Conway 41 38 8 1,248 99* 41.60 2016–23
9 Pakistan Babar Azam 104 98 14 3,485 122 41.48 2016–23
10 Czech Republic Sabawoon Davizi 31 31 3 1,149 115* 41.03 2019–23
Qualification for inclusion: 20 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 1 October 2023.

Leading female batting averages

Test matches

RankBatterTestsInningsNot outRunsHigh ScoreAverageTest career dates
1 Australia Denise Annetts1013381919381.901987-1992
2 Australia Ellyse Perry 11197876213*73.002008-2023
3 Australia Lorraine Hill7102499118*62.371975-1977
4 England Enid Bakewell122241,07812459.881968-1979
5 Australia Belinda Haggett1015276214458.611987-1992
6 Australia Betty Wilson1116186212757.461948-1958
7 Australia Karen Rolton142241,002209*55.661995-2009
8 New Zealand Debbie Hockley192941,301126*52.041979-1996
9 India Sandhya Agarwal132311,11019050.451984-1995
10 India Hemlata Kala710050311050.301999-2006
Qualification for inclusion: 10 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 26 June 2023.

One Day Internationals

RankBatterODIsInningsN.O.RunsHighestAve.ODI Career Dates
1 England Rachael Heyhoe Flint2320964311458.451973-1982
2 Australia Lindsay Reeler232351,034143*57.441984-1988
3 Australia Meg Lanning103102164,602152*53.512011-2023
4 Australia Bronwyn Calver34211153481*53.401991-1998
5 Australia Beth Mooney6357162,12613353.152016-2023
6 Australia Ellyse Perry136110383,682112*51.132007-2023
7 India Mithali Raj232211577,805125*50.681999-2022
8 Australia Karen Rolton141132324,814154*48.141995-2009
9 England Wendy Watson23226768107*48.001987-1993
10 Australia Belinda Clark118114124,844229*47.491991-2005
Qualification for inclusion: 20 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 10 October 2023.

T20 Internationals

RankBatterT20IsInningsN.O.RunsHighestAve.T20I Career Dates
1 Australia Tahlia McGrath3324979891*53.202021-2023
2 Germany Christina Gough3836121,030101*42.912019-2023
3 Tanzania Fatuma Kibasu363681,160127*41.422019-202398
4 Australia Beth Mooney8983202,508117*39.802016-2023
5 India Mithali Raj8984212,36497*37.522006-2019
6 Netherlands Sterre Kalis30304973126*37.422018-2023
7 Australia Meg Lanning132121283,405133*36.612010-2023
8 Scotland Kathryn Bryce3836997173*35.962018-2023
9 Cricket West Indies Stefanie Taylor117114223,2369035.172018-2023
10 Indonesia Ni Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini2925763392*33.902018-2023
Qualification for inclusion: 20 innings. Names in bold text are current players whose figures are likely to change. * denotes not out. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Last updated: 9 October 2023.

Alternatives

Alternative measures of batting effectiveness have been developed, including:

Strike rate

Strike rate measures a different concept to batting average – how quickly the batsman scores (i.e. average number of runs from 100 balls) – so it does not supplant the role of batting average. It is used particularly in limited overs matches, where the speed at which a batter scores is more important than it is in first-class cricket. Strike rate may also be used to compare a player's ability to score runs against differing types of bowling (i.e. spin, fast bowling).

Player rankings

A system of player rankings was developed to produce a better indication of players' current standings than is provided by comparing their averages.

See also

References

  1. Date, Kartikeya (29 May 2014). "The calculus of the batting average". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  2. Rae, Simon (1998). W.G. Grace: A Life. London: Faber and Faber. p. 26. ISBN 0571178553.
  3. "Sir Donald Bradman". Players and Officials. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved 27 April 2006.
  4. Das, Shubhabratha (2011). "On Generalized Geometric Distributions: Application to Modeling Scores in Cricket and Improved Estimation of Batting Average in Light of Notout Innings". Social Science Research Network. SSRN 2117199.
  5. Lister, Simon (28 July 2007). "The Jack of all rabbits". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007.
  6. "Phil Tufnell". Cricinfo.
  7. "Why did Stuart Law only play one Test for Australia?". Wisden. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2022. However, only 54 of those runs came in Australian Test whites, with Law making an unbeaten half-century in his only Test innings, meaning he finished his career without a Test average.
  8. Varghese, Mathew (12 October 2007). "A genuine matchwinner – A statistical look at Inzamam-ul-Haq's Test career". ESPNcricinfo.
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