Cricket's key statistical terms

Asking rate
The average number of runs per over needed by the team batting second in order to win the match.

Batting average
Total runs scored divided by the number of times the batsman has been out.

Bowling average
Total runs conceded divided by number of wickets taken.

Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method
Used to adjust the target for the team batting second when a limited overs match is interrupted by rain, making it impossible to bowl the full quota of overs in the time available. For example, a target of 200 runs in 50 overs might be adjusted to 150 in 30 overs. The method, which is quite complicated, aims to ensure that rain interruptions don't give an advantage to either team.

Economy rate
Runs conceded per over by a bowler. In limited overs cricket, an economy rate of less than four is usually very good.

Extras
Runs not scored off the bat. The four types of extra are: byes, leg byes, no balls and wides. These extras are added to the runs scored by the individual batsmen to give the total.

Limited overs match
Match in which each team is allocated a fixed number of overs for their innings. The standard number for international games is now 50 overs.

Maiden (over)
Over in which no runs (including no-balls and wides) are conceded by the bowler.

Over
Set of six legitimate balls bowled by one bowler. (No-balls and wides are not 'legitimate' so do not count in an over.)

Over rate
Number of overs being bowled per hour. Teams are encouraged by the authorities to keep this rate as high as possible. There are sometimes fines for bowling less than 15 overs per hour over a full day.

Ratings/rankings
A statistical method of ranking the top players. Usually these involve some sort of weighted average, putting more emphasis on recent scores. The best-known of these are the PwC ratings.

Required rate: see Asking rate

Run rate
Number of runs scored by the team divided by the number of overs they have faced.

Strike rate (batting)
Number of runs per over (or alternatively runs per 100 balls) that a batsman or team is scoring. The threshold between what is regarded as slow scoring and fast scoring is usually 3 runs per over - or 50 runs per 100 balls.

Strike rate (bowling)
Average number of balls for a bowler to take a wicket. The best bowlers have strike rates of about 50 (ie, they expect on average to take a wicket every 50 balls - that is, just over 8 overs).

Target
Number of runs required to win the match by the team batting last.