Batting average (cricket)

), and a player's batting averages may be calculated for individual seasons or series, or at particular grounds, or against particular opponents, or across their whole career.

Until a substantial increase in scores in the 21st century due to improved bats and smaller grounds among other factors, players who sustained an average above 50 through a career were considered exceptional, and before the development of the heavy roller in the 1870s (which allowed for a flatter, safer cricket pitch) an average of 25 was considered very good.

Under this qualification, the highest Test batting average belongs to Australia's Sir Donald Bradman, with 99.94.

The fact that Bradman's average is so far above that of any other cricketer has led several statisticians to argue that, statistically at least, he was the greatest athlete in any sport.

Consequently, batters tend to play riskier strokes and less emphasis is placed on building an innings in order to amass a high individual score.

If their scores have a geometric distribution, then this statistic is the maximum likelihood estimate of their true unknown average.