How to read a cricket scorecard
A batting line reads runs, balls faced, fours, sixes and strike rate; a bowling line reads overs, maidens, runs conceded, wickets and economy. Extras are runs the batting side got without a batter scoring them, and the total is written as runs for wickets, like 142/6, with the overs beside it.
In short
- Runs for wickets142/6 is 142 runs with six batters out, and the overs sit beside it.
- Overs count in ballsThe number after the dot is balls, so 18.4 overs is eighteen overs and four balls.
- A batting lineRuns, balls faced, fours, sixes and strike rate, which is runs per hundred balls.
- A bowling lineOvers, maidens, runs conceded, wickets and economy, which is runs conceded per over.
- Extras are nobody’s runsWides, no-balls, byes and leg byes count in the total but in no batter’s runs.
- It builds itselfThe scorecard is worked out from every ball recorded, so nothing is typed in.
The total
A cricket total is written as runs for wickets: 142/6 is 142 runs with six batters out. The overs sit beside it, and the number after the dot is balls, not tenths, so 18.4 overs is eighteen overs and four balls. The run rate is runs per over, and in a chase the required rate is what the batting side needs per over from here.
- 1Runs for wicketsThe first number is runs and the second is wickets: 142/6 is 142 runs with six out.
- 2OversThe number after the dot is balls, so 1.4 is one over and four balls.
- 3The chaseThe side batting second, chasing the first innings plus one.
Batting
| Column | Means | | ------ | ----------------------------------- | | R | Runs scored | | B | Balls faced | | 4s | Fours hit | | 6s | Sixes hit | | SR | Strike rate: runs per hundred balls |
A batter with 30 from 20 balls has a strike rate of 150.
On Score My Match the card keeps to R, B and SR so a name has room on a phone. The two batters at the crease carry a star, with their fours and sixes on the line under their name, and anybody out has how they were out there instead.
Bowling
| Column | Means | | ------ | -------------------------------- | | O | Overs bowled | | M | Maidens: overs that cost no runs | | R | Runs conceded | | W | Wickets taken | | Econ | Economy: runs conceded per over |
Byes and leg byes are not the bowler's, so they never spoil a maiden; a wide or a no-ball does. Here the card shows O, R, W and Econ, with maidens and the wides and no-balls a bowler gave away on the line under their name.
Extras
Extras are runs the batting side is given without a batter scoring them: wides and no-balls, which also mean the ball is bowled again, and byes and leg byes, which the batters run when the ball did not come off the bat. They count in the total but not in any batter's runs.
On Score My Match the scorecard is worked out from every ball recorded, so none of this is typed in. Score a match and it builds itself.
Questions people ask
About read a cricket scorecard.
What is a strike rate?
Runs scored for every hundred balls faced. A batter with 30 from 20 balls has a strike rate of 150.
What is an economy rate?
Runs a bowler gives away per over. Four runs from each of three overs is an economy of 4.
Why is 12.3 overs not twelve and a third?
The number after the dot is balls, not tenths. 12.3 is twelve overs and three balls.
What counts as an extra?
Wides, no-balls, byes and leg byes: runs the batting side is given without a batter hitting them.
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