View source for Strike rate

{{Short description|Statistics in cricket}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
'''Strike rate''' refers to two different [[cricket statistics|statistics]] in the [[sport]] of [[cricket]]. '''Batting strike rate''' is a measure of how quickly a [[batsman|batter]] achieves the primary goal of [[batting (cricket)|batting]], namely scoring [[run (cricket)|runs]], measured in runs per 100 balls; higher is better. '''Bowling strike rate''' is a measure of how quickly a [[bowler (cricket)|bowler]] achieves the primary goal of [[bowling (cricket)|bowling]], namely taking [[wicket (cricket)|wickets]] (i.e. getting batters out), measured in balls per wicket; lower is better. For bowlers, [[economy rate]] is a more frequently discussed statistic.

Both strike rates are relatively new statistics, having only been invented and considered of importance after the introduction of [[One Day International]] cricket in the 1970s.{{cn|date=January 2019}}

==Batting strike rate==
[[File:CricketBattingStrikeRateHistogram.png|frame|right|International batting strike rates as of January 2004]]
Batting strike rate ('''s/r''') is defined for a batter as the average number of runs scored per 100 [[delivery (cricket)|balls]] faced. The higher the strike rate, the more effective a batter is at scoring quickly.

In [[Test cricket]], a batter's strike rate is of secondary importance  to ability to score runs without getting out. This means a Test batter's most important statistic is generally considered to be [[batting average (cricket)|batting average]], rather than strike rate.

In [[limited overs cricket]], strike rates are of considerably more importance. Since each team only faces a limited number of balls in an innings, the faster a batter scores, the more runs the team will be able to accumulate. Strike rates of over 150 are becoming common in [[Twenty20]] cricket.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/records/282920.html|title=T20I matches &#124; Batting records &#124; Highest career strike rate &#124; ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Strike rate is probably considered by most as the key factor in a batter in one day cricket. Accordingly, the batters with higher strike rates, especially in Twenty20 matches, are more valued than those with a lesser strike rate. Strike rate is also used to compare a batter’s ability to score runs against differing forms of bowling (eg spin bowling, fast bowling), often giving an indication to the bowling team as to how successfully to limit a batter's ability to score.
===Highest career strike rate (T20I)===
{{See also| List of Twenty20 International records#Highest career strike rate| label 1=Highest strike rates in T20Is| List of women's Twenty20 International records#Highest career strike rate| label 2=Highest strike rates in women's T20Is}}
{{#section-h:List_of_Twenty20_International_records|Highest career strike rate}}

===Highest career strike rate (ODI)===
{{See also| List of One Day International cricket records#Highest strike rates| label 1=Highest strike rates in ODIs| List of women's One Day International cricket records#Averages| label 2=Highest strike rates in women's ODIs}}
Men's One Day Internationals:
{{#section-h:List of One Day International cricket records|Highest strike rates}}
Women's One Day Internationals:
{{#section-h:List of women's One Day International cricket records|Highest strike rates}}

==Bowling strike rate==
Bowling strike rate is defined for a bowler as the average number of balls bowled per wicket taken. The lower the strike rate, the more effective a bowler is at taking wickets quickly.

Although introduced as a statistic complementary to the batting strike rate during the ascension of one-day cricket in the 1980s, bowling strike rates are arguably of more importance in Test cricket than One-day Internationals.<ref> [https://ngcalculator.com/batting-strike-rate-calculator Batting Strike Rate]</ref>  This is because the primary goal of a bowler in Test cricket is to take wickets, whereas in a one-day match it is often sufficient to bowl economically - giving away as few runs as possible even if this means taking fewer wickets.{{or?|date=March 2024}}

===Best career strike rate (ODI and T20I)===
{{See also|List_of_One_Day_International_cricket_records#Best_career_bowling_strike_rate|label 1=Lowest strike rates in ODIs|List_of_Twenty20_International_records#Best_career_strike_rate|label 2=Lowest strike rates in T20Is}}

===Best career strike rate (Tests)===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ style="text-align:left" | Retired players (Men)
!align="center"| Strike rate
!align="center"| Player
!align="center"| Country
!align="center"| Balls
!align="center"| [[Wicket]]s
|-
! 34.19
| [[George Lohmann ]] || {{cr|ENG|name=ENG}} || 3830 || 112
|-
! 37.73
| [[J. J. Ferris]] || {{cr|AUS|name=AUS}} / {{cr|ENG|name=ENG}} || 2302 || 61
|-
! 38.75
| [[Shane Bond]] || {{cr|NZ|name=NZ}} || 3372 || 87
|-
! 41.65
| [[Sydney Barnes]] || {{cr|ENG|name=ENG}} || 7873 || 189
|-
! 42.38
| [[Dale Steyn]] || {{cr|SA|name=RSA}} || 18608 || 439
|-
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan=5 | 
''Qualification: 2,000 balls''<br />
<small>Last updated: 27 July 2023</small><ref name="bowling">{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=bowling_strike_rate;qualmin1=2000;qualval1=balls;size=200;template=results;type=bowling|title=Test matches – Bowling records – Best career strike rate|publisher=ESPN| work=Cricinfo|access-date=26 February 2021}}</ref>
|}

{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ style="text-align:left" | Retired players (Women)
! Strike rate !! Player !! Country !! Balls !! Wickets
|-
! 38.7
| [[Julia Greenwood]] || {{crw|ENG|name=ENG}} || 1123 || 29
|-
! 42.4
| [[Betty Wilson]] || {{crw|AUS|name=AUS}} || 2885 || 68
|-
! 48.4
| [[Mary Duggan]] || {{crw|ENG|name=ENG}} || 3734 || 77
|-
! 50.4
| [[Patricia Whittaker]] || {{crw|WIN|name=WIN}} || 1260 || 25
|-
! 51.1
| [[Katherine Sciver-Brunt]] || {{crw|ENG|name=ENG}} || 2611 || 51
|-
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan=5 | 
''Qualification: 1,000 balls''<br />
<small>Last updated: 27 July 2023</small><ref>{{Cite web |title=Women Test matches {{!}} Bowling records {{!}} Best career strike rate |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/best-career-strike-rate-283907 |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>
|}
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ style="text-align:left" | Active players (Men)
!align="center"| Strike rate
!align="center"| Player
!align="center"| Country
!align="center"| Balls
!align="center"| [[Wicket]]s
|-
! 37.37
| [[Kuldeep Yadav]] || {{cr|IND}} || 2,093 || 56
|-
! 37.49
| [[Marco Jansen]] || {{cr|RSA}} || 2,362 || 63
|-
! 38.79
| [[Jayden Seales]] || {{cr|WIN}} || 2,793 || 72
|-
! 38.84
| [[Duanne Olivier]] || {{cr|RSA}} || 2,292 || 59
|-
! 39.11
| [[Kagiso Rabada]] || {{cr|RSA}} || 12,477 || 319
|-
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan=5 | 
''Qualification: 2,000 balls''<br />
<ref name="bowling" />
|}

{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ style="text-align:left" | Active players (Women)
! Strike rate !! Player !! Country !! Balls !! Wickets
|-
! 47.30
| [[Ashleigh Gardner]] || {{crw|AUS|name=AUS}} || 1088 || 23
|-
! 52.84
| [[Ellyse Perry]] || {{crw|AUS|name=AUS}} || 2061 || 39
|-
! 58.56
| [[Kate Cross]] || {{crw|ENG|name=ENG}} || 1464 || 25
|-
! 64.50
| [[Sophie Ecclestone]] || {{crw|ENG|name=ENG}} || 2064 || 32
|-
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan=5 | 
''Qualification: 1000 balls''<br />
<small>Last updated: 27 July 2023</small><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=8;filter=advanced;orderby=bowling_strike_rate;qualmin2=1000;qualval2=balls;size=200;template=results;type=bowling|title=Bowling records &#124; Women's Test matches &#124; Cricinfo Statsguru &#124; ESPNcricinfo.com|website=Cricinfo}}</ref>
|}
{{col-end}}

==References==
<references/>

{{Cricket statistics}}

[[Category:Cricket terminology]]
[[Category:Cricket records and statistics]]
[[Category:Rates]]