Economy rate in cricket is the average number of runs a bowler concedes per over. It measures how well a bowler restricts scoring, and unlike most cricket stats, a lower economy rate is better.
Often shortened to just "economy", it sits alongside bowling average and strike rate as one of the three key numbers used to judge a bowler. This guide explains how to work it out, what counts as good, and why it matters.
How to Calculate Economy Rate:
Working out a bowler's economy rate is simple once you know the formula and how overs are counted.
The Economy Rate Formula:
The economy rate formula is the runs conceded divided by the overs bowled. For example, a bowler who concedes 45 runs in 9 overs has an economy rate of 5.00, meaning they give away five runs per over on average.
Counting Part-Overs:
Overs are made up of six balls, so part-overs are converted before you divide. Five overs and three balls counts as 5.5 overs, not 5.3. A bowler who concedes 33 runs in that time would read 6.00.
What Is a Good Economy Rate?
There is no single good economy rate, because scoring speeds differ hugely between formats. A figure that is excellent in T20 would be poor in a Test match.
Format | A good economy rate |
|---|---|
T20 | Under about 8 |
ODI | Under about 5 |
Test | Under about 3 |
Economy Rate in T20 Cricket:
T20 is the highest-scoring format, so the numbers run higher. Anything under eight is good in T20, and under seven is excellent, often the sign of a specialist death bowler.
Economy Rate in ODI Cricket:
In one-day internationals, a good rate is under five. The best ODI bowlers stay under 4.5 across a full spell, choking the run flow through the middle overs.
Economy Rate in Test Cricket:
Economy rate matters least in Tests, where taking wickets is the main goal. Even so, a rate under three helps a bowler build pressure over the long spells that Test cricket demands.
Economy Rate vs Bowling Average vs Strike Rate:
Bowlers are measured by three numbers that are easy to confuse. Each one answers a different question about the bowler.
Stat | What it measures | Better when |
|---|---|---|
Economy rate | Runs per over | Lower |
Bowling average | Runs per wicket | Lower |
Bowling strike rate | Balls per wicket | Lower |
In short, economy rate shows how few runs a bowler leaks, bowling average shows how many runs each wicket costs, and strike rate shows how many balls each wicket takes.
Why Economy Rate Matters in Cricket:
In limited-overs cricket, containing runs is half the battle. A low rate starves the batting side, builds pressure, and often forces the mistake that brings a wicket at the other end.
Bowling in club cricket, I came to value a tight economy as much as wickets. A run of dot balls builds real pressure, and batters often give their wicket away chasing runs that are not there.
How Bowlers Keep Their Economy Rate Low:
Economical bowling is a skill, not luck. The tidiest bowlers hit the same spot over and over, giving the batter nothing loose to drive or pull.
They also cut out extras, vary their pace, and bowl to their field. A well-aimed yorker or a hidden slower ball at the death can turn a costly over into a cheap one.
(FAQs):
Q1: What does an economy rate of 6 mean?
A: It means the bowler concedes an average of six runs per over. Over a ten-over spell at that rate, they would give away about 60 runs in total.
Q2: Do wides and no-balls affect economy rate?
A: Yes. Wides and no-balls are charged to the bowler, so they push the rate up. Byes and leg byes do not, since they are not the bowler's fault.
Q3: Can a bowler have a good economy rate but take few wickets?
A: Yes. Some bowlers specialize in containing runs rather than attacking. They keep the economy low and build pressure, even if the wickets fall at the other end.
Q4: What is the lowest economy rate possible?
A: Zero. It comes from bowling maiden overs, where no runs are conceded at all. A bowler who sends down only maidens would have an economy rate of zero.