How is cricket economy rate calculated?

Economy rate is runs conceded divided by overs bowled, expressed in true decimal overs. For example, 32 runs in 7.4 overs (7 overs and 4 balls) is 32 divided by 7.667, which is 4.17 runs per over.

Why isn't 7.4 overs just 7.4 in the calculation?

Scorecards write overs as overs.balls, and an over has 6 balls, not 10. So 7.4 means 7 overs plus 4 of 6 balls, which is 7.667 true overs. Dividing runs by the raw 7.4 would give a slightly wrong rate.

What if the balls part is 6 or more, like 4.6?

That is invalid; 6 balls complete an over, so 4.6 should be entered as 5.0. The calculator only accepts a balls part from 0 to 5.

What is a good economy rate?

It depends heavily on the format. In T20s an economy under 7 is strong; in ODIs under 5 is strong; in Test cricket under 3 is considered tight. Pitch, opposition, and bowling role also matter.

Is economy rate the same as bowling average?

No. Bowling average is runs conceded per wicket taken, while economy rate is runs conceded per over bowled. A bowler can have a good economy rate while taking few wickets, or vice versa.

Cricket Economy Rate Calculator

Enter runs conceded and overs bowled to get a bowler's economy rate, with support for partial overs in balls.

Bowling Figures

Runs Conceded

Overs Bowled

Overs use X.Y notation, where Y is balls bowled (0-5). 7.4 = 7 overs and 4 balls.

Match Format (for rating)

Quick Examples

Enter runs conceded and overs bowled on the left to see the economy rate

Economy Rate Formula

Economy Rate = Runs Conceded ÷ True Overs Bowled

True overs convert the X.Y scorecard notation into a decimal: the balls part is out of 6, not 10. For example, 7.4 overs is 7 + 4⁄6 = 7.667 true overs.

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Summary

Economy rate measures how many runs a bowler concedes per over on average, one of the main ways to judge bowling performance alongside wickets and average. Because an over has six balls, not ten, overs bowled must be converted from the X.Y scorecard notation (7.4 = 7 overs and 4 balls) into true decimal overs before dividing runs conceded by overs bowled. Lower economy rates are better, and what counts as good varies a lot between Test cricket, ODIs, and T20s.

How it works

Enter the total runs conceded by the bowler.
Enter overs bowled using X.Y notation where Y is balls (0-5), e.g. 7.4 for 7 overs and 4 balls.
The calculator converts overs to true decimal overs (7.4 becomes 7.667, since 4 balls is two-thirds of an over).
Economy rate = runs conceded divided by true decimal overs.
Pick a match format to see how the economy rate rates against typical benchmarks for that format.

Use cases

Check a bowler's economy rate mid-innings from a live scorecard.
Compare two bowlers' economy rates in the same match.
Work out how many runs a bowler can afford in their remaining overs to stay under a target economy.
Verify a broadcast or scorecard economy rate figure.
Analyze fantasy cricket bowling performance.
Track a bowler's economy across a tournament by re-entering figures per match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu