Reading Bowling Figures in Cricket Explained
How to read and interpret a bowler's figures — what 4-32 means, how overs are shown, and what each number tells you about a bowling spell.
What Do Bowling Figures Mean?
Bowling figures are expressed in the format Wickets-Runs (e.g. 4-32). The first number is the wickets taken; the second is the total runs conceded during that spell. So 4-32 means the bowler took four wickets while conceding 32 runs. On scorecards a full analysis also includes the overs bowled and sometimes maiden overs. A complete bowling line looks like: O: 10, M: 2, R: 42, W: 3 — 10 overs, 2 maidens, 42 runs, 3 wickets.
How to Read the Over Notation
Overs bowled are expressed in full overs and additional deliveries. '9.3' overs means 9 complete overs plus 3 balls — so 57 deliveries total. A bowler is credited with a complete over only when all 6 legal deliveries are bowled. Wides and no-balls are not legal deliveries and do not count toward the over total, though the runs from them are included in the bowler's figures.
Derived Statistics from Bowling Figures
| Statistic | Formula | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Bowling average | Runs ÷ Wickets | Runs given up per wicket taken |
| Economy rate | Runs ÷ Overs | Runs conceded per over |
| Strike rate | (Balls bowled) ÷ Wickets | Balls bowled per wicket |
| Maiden percentage | Maidens ÷ Overs × 100 | Percentage of dot-ball overs |
Frequently asked questions
What does 'O for' mean in bowling figures?
'O for' (e.g. 0-42) means the bowler took no wickets while conceding 42 runs. It is read as 'nought for forty-two' in commentary. A bowler with 0-20 from 4 overs was economical but wicketless; 0-60 was expensive and wicketless.
Are wide and no-ball runs added to the bowler's analysis?
Yes. Wides and no-balls bowled by a specific bowler are added to that bowler's runs column in the analysis. They are also recorded as extras in the batting scorecard, but they appear in the bowler's figures as runs conceded.