What batting average means
Batting average estimates how many runs a batter scores for each dismissal. It is a common way to summarise scoring output across innings, but it does not show how quickly those runs were scored or the circumstances in which they were made.
Formula
Batting average = total runs scored ÷ times dismissed. The denominator is dismissals, not innings played. An innings in which a batter remains not out does not count as a dismissal.
Worked example
A player scores 240 runs and is dismissed 8 times. Divide 240 by 8 to get a batting average of 30.00. If the player had played 10 innings but remained not out twice, the dismissal count could still be eight; the correct denominator comes from the scorecard record.
Entering the numbers
Enter the total runs from the period you want to analyse and the number of times the batter was dismissed in that same period. Do not combine a career run total with dismissals from only one season. If dismissals are zero, a numeric average cannot be calculated by division; the tool reports that the value is undefined.
How to interpret the result
A higher average indicates more runs per dismissal over the selected sample. Comparisons are most useful when the format, role, playing conditions and sample size are reasonably similar. A batter's average should be read alongside strike rate, innings context and the team's needs.
Batting average versus strike rate
Average is about runs per dismissal; strike rate is about runs per 100 balls faced. A player can have a high average with a slower strike rate, or a high strike rate over a smaller number of balls. Neither figure alone tells the whole story.
Common mistakes
- Dividing runs by innings rather than dismissals.
- Counting not-out innings as dismissals.
- Mixing figures from different formats or time periods.
Related tools
Calculate a batter's Strike Rate to complement the average with a scoring-speed measure.