function calculateEconomyRate() {
var runs = document.getElementById('runsConceded').value;
var oversInput = document.getElementById('oversBowled').value;
var resultArea = document.getElementById('result-area');
var economyDisplay = document.getElementById('economyResult');
var breakdownDisplay = document.getElementById('calculationBreakdown');
// Reset display
resultArea.style.display = 'none';
// Validate inputs
if (runs === " || oversInput === ") {
alert('Please enter both Runs Conceded and Overs Bowled.');
return;
}
var runsVal = parseFloat(runs);
var oversVal = parseFloat(oversInput);
if (runsVal < 0 || oversVal = 6) {
alert('Invalid over input. The decimal part represents balls and cannot be 6 or greater (e.g., use 4.0 instead of 3.6).');
return;
}
// Calculate total balls to get accurate fractional overs
var totalBalls = (overInteger * 6) + overDecimal;
var mathematicalOvers = totalBalls / 6;
// Calculate Economy
var economyRate = runsVal / mathematicalOvers;
// Display results
resultArea.style.display = 'block';
economyDisplay.innerHTML = economyRate.toFixed(2);
breakdownDisplay.innerHTML = "Formula: " + runsVal + " runs / " + mathematicalOvers.toFixed(2) + " actual overs (" + totalBalls + " balls)";
}
What is an Economy Rate?
In the sport of cricket, the Economy Rate (Econ) is a measure of a bowler's efficiency. It represents the average number of runs conceded per over bowled. Along with the bowling average and strike rate, it is one of the primary statistics used to evaluate a bowler's performance, particularly in limited-overs formats like T20 and ODIs.
A lower economy rate is always better, as it indicates that the bowler is restricting the batting team's scoring opportunities. Conversely, a high economy rate suggests that the bowler is conceding runs freely.
Economy Rate Formula
The calculation is straightforward, though it requires converting cricket overs (which are base-6) into standard decimal numbers for mathematical division.
Economy Rate = Total Runs Conceded / Total Overs Bowled
Note on Partial Overs: Cricket overs are counted in sets of 6 balls. If a bowler bowls 3 overs and 3 balls, it is written as 3.3. However, mathematically, 3 balls is half an over (3/6 = 0.5). Therefore, for the calculation, 3.3 overs is converted to 3.5 mathematically.
Calculation Examples
Here are a few examples of how different bowling figures translate into an economy rate:
Scenario
Runs Conceded
Overs Bowled
Math Calculation
Economy Rate
Standard Spell
24
4.0
24 / 4
6.00
Expensive Spell
50
4.0
50 / 4
12.50
Partial Over (Wicket/Rain)
14
2.3 (2 overs, 3 balls)
14 / 2.5
5.60
Tight Spell
35
10.0
35 / 10
3.50
What is a "Good" Economy Rate?
The definition of a good economy rate depends heavily on the format of the game:
Test Match: Below 3.00 is excellent. The game is long, and batsmen play defensively, so rates are naturally lower.
ODI (One Day International): Between 4.50 and 5.50 is considered very good. Anything above 6.00 is often considered expensive unless the bowler is taking wickets.
T20 (Twenty20): Below 7.00 is exceptional. Between 7.00 and 8.00 is acceptable. In death overs (the end of the innings), even 9.00 or 10.00 can be considered decent depending on the match situation.
Why It Matters
While wickets are crucial for stopping an innings, the economy rate builds pressure. A bowler who keeps the economy rate low forces batsmen to take risks against the other bowlers, often leading to wickets falling at the other end. In tournament play, Net Run Rate (NRR) is often the tie-breaker, making every run saved by a good economy rate vital for the team's standing.