What this calculator does
Batting strike rate is runs scored per hundred balls faced. Forty-five runs from 32 balls is a strike rate of 140.6, meaning the batter would score 140 runs if they faced a hundred balls at that rate.
It measures speed rather than volume, which makes it the defining statistic of limited-overs cricket where balls are the scarce resource. In Test cricket, where time rather than balls is the constraint, strike rate matters far less and a slow innings can be exactly what is needed.
The formula
Runs scored are divided by balls faced and multiplied by a hundred. Balls faced counts deliveries the batter received, excluding wides, which are not counted as balls faced. A strike rate of 100 means a run a ball.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Strike rate | Runs per hundred balls faced. Higher means faster scoring. |
| A run a ball | A strike rate of exactly 100, a common benchmark in one-day cricket. |
| Balls faced | Deliveries received. Wides do not count, since the batter did not have a fair chance to score. |
| Bowling strike rate | A separate and unrelated measure: balls bowled per wicket taken. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Runs scored | Runs scored by the batter. |
| Balls faced | Balls faced, excluding wides. |
When to use it
Assessing a limited-overs innings
In Twenty20 in particular, a strike rate below a hundred can cost the team more than the runs scored are worth.
Comparing two innings of the same score
Forty-five from 32 balls and 45 from 60 are very different contributions, and strike rate is what separates them.
Reading a career record
Career strike rate distinguishes an accumulator from an attacking batter, which the average alone does not show.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How does balls faced change the strike rate?
The same 45 runs scored from a range of balls faced.
Questions
What is a good batting strike rate?
It depends entirely on format. In Twenty20, above 130 is good and above 150 is excellent. In one-day cricket, around 85 to 95 is solid for an anchor and above 100 is aggressive. In Test cricket strike rate is largely secondary to occupation of the crease.
Do wides count as balls faced?
No. A wide is not a fair delivery, so the batter is not charged with facing it. Byes and leg byes do count as balls faced, even though the runs are not credited to the batter, which slightly depresses strike rate.
Is this the same as bowling strike rate?
No, and the shared name is confusing. Bowling strike rate is balls bowled per wicket taken, where lower is better. Batting strike rate is runs per hundred balls, where higher is better. They measure unrelated things.
Why does strike rate matter more in limited overs?
Because the number of balls is fixed, so every ball consumed without scoring is a lost opportunity. In Test cricket the constraint is time and wickets rather than balls, so occupying the crease has value in itself and a low strike rate can be entirely appropriate.
For a batter average, see the batting average calculator. For team scoring rate, see the net run rate calculator.