Demystifying the Cricket Scorecard
For a new cricket fan, a scorecard can look like a wall of confusing numbers and abbreviations. But once you understand its structure, it becomes one of the richest sources of information in all of sports. This guide walks you through every element of a cricket scorecard, step by step.
The Basic Structure
A standard cricket scorecard has two main sections — one for each team's innings. Each section is divided into batting and bowling tables.
Reading the Batting Section
The batting table lists each batsman and the following columns:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Batsman Name | The player who batted |
| Dismissal | How they got out (e.g., "c Smith b Cummins" = caught by Smith, bowled by Cummins) |
| R (Runs) | Total runs scored by the batsman |
| B (Balls) | Number of balls faced |
| 4s | Number of fours hit |
| 6s | Number of sixes hit |
| SR (Strike Rate) | Runs per 100 balls — measures how fast they scored |
Common Dismissal Abbreviations
- b – Bowled (ball hit the stumps directly)
- c – Caught (fielder caught the ball before it bounced)
- lbw – Leg Before Wicket (ball hit the pad, would have hit stumps)
- run out – Batsman was out of their crease when stumps were broken
- st – Stumped (wicketkeeper broke stumps while batsman left the crease)
- not out – Did not get dismissed
Reading the Bowling Section
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| O (Overs) | Number of overs bowled |
| M (Maidens) | Overs in which no runs were scored |
| R (Runs) | Total runs conceded |
| W (Wickets) | Number of wickets taken |
| Econ (Economy) | Runs given per over — lower is better |
Understanding the Team Total
At the bottom of the batting section, you'll see the team total displayed as, for example, 287/6 (48.3 ov). This means:
- 287 – Total runs scored
- 6 – Wickets lost
- 48.3 ov – Overs bowled (48 complete overs and 3 balls of the 49th)
Extras Explained
You'll also notice an "Extras" line which includes runs not credited to a batsman:
- nb – No ball (illegal delivery)
- w – Wide (ball too far from the batsman)
- b – Bye (ball missed batsman and wicketkeeper; batsmen run)
- lb – Leg bye (ball hit the body, not the bat; batsmen run)
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to get comfortable reading scorecards is to follow a live match on ESPNcricinfo or Cricbuzz while watching the game. Within a session or two, you'll be reading scorecards as naturally as checking a football league table.