Running Between the Wickets: Calling, Decision-Making, and Run Rate
How batsmen work as a pair to maximise running between the wickets — the calling system (who calls and when), how quick singles are identified, the principles of 'backing up' from the non-striker's end, what makes a run-out-prone partnership different from an elite running pair, and how efficient running contributes 20-30 runs to a typical limited-overs innings.
The Calling System
In cricket, the call for a run is the primary responsibility of the batsman who plays the ball ('the striker'). The calling convention: 'Yes' (run is available and safe), 'No' (do not run), 'Wait' (assessment needed). The striker calls for shots in front of the wicket (drives, pulls, cut shots) because they have the best view of where the ball is going and who the fielder is. The non-striker calls for shots behind the wicket — an edge to third man, a cut that goes backward of point — because the non-striker, by turning to watch the ball, can see the fielder better than the striker who is looking away from the ball. A clear call must be made immediately: any hesitation between 'yes' and 'wait' is the most common cause of run-outs, as both batsmen are mid-crease and neither is committed to running or returning.
Quick Singles: Finding Extra Runs
Quick singles — runs taken from balls where a boundary is unlikely but a single is possible if both batsmen run hard and make their ground — add 15-20 runs to a typical limited-overs innings that might otherwise have 40-50 dot balls. A quick single is possible when: the ball reaches a fielder who must bend, collect, and throw from 20-30 metres (requiring 3-4 seconds of processing — enough time for two sprinting batsmen to complete a run), or the ball goes to a gap where the fielder is arriving from 15+ metres away. Quick-single identification requires: a batsman who can immediately calculate a fielder's arrival time vs the run's completion time, and both batsmen who are in their ground facing the call with bat over the crease ready to move at the instant the call is made.
Backing Up and the Non-Striker
The non-striker 'backs up' by advancing slightly down the pitch before the ball is bowled — positioning themselves closer to the batsman's crease so that any run called immediately has a shorter distance to complete. The non-striker's movement must begin after the bowler enters their delivery stride (beginning the run-up is when backing up is legal; moving before the delivery stride is considered unfair and can result in a 'Mankad' run-out if the bowler breaks the stumps). Good backing up reduces the time needed to complete a run by 0.2-0.4 seconds — enough to convert marginal calls (where a run is risky) into safe runs. At international level, both batsmen are expected to back up consistently and optimally as a standard running skill.
Frequently asked questions
What is a run-out and who is responsible for it?
A run-out occurs when a fielder breaks the stumps with the ball before a running batsman has made their ground (grounded their bat over the crease). The batsman who is short of their crease at the moment the stumps are broken is the one dismissed. Responsibility for a run-out belongs to both batsmen: if a call of 'yes' was made and the striker ran when the non-striker didn't (or vice versa), the batsman who failed to respond to the call contributed to the confusion. If a 'yes' call was correct but both ran too slowly, the batting team bears collective responsibility. If a 'wait' became 'no' but was called too late for a batsman to return, the calling batsman bears more responsibility. In practice, post-run-out apportionment of blame is complex and partners typically acknowledge their mutual contribution to the confusion.
How do elite runners differ from average runners in terms of match impact?
Elite running pairs (notably AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis for South Africa, or Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan for India) identify runs that average batsmen leave as dot balls. The difference: their calling speed (from ball-contact to call in under 0.3 seconds vs 0.5-0.8 seconds for slower callers), their backing-up position (non-striker starting 2-3 metres further down the pitch than average), their turning speed at the far end (pivoting cleanly without losing momentum vs slowing to turn), and their understanding of fielders' capabilities (knowing which fielder can collect and throw in 2 seconds vs which needs 4 seconds). These differences convert 5-8 dot balls per 10-over period into singles, adding 5-8 runs per 10 overs — or 25-40 extra runs across a 50-over innings.
What is the 'Mankad' run-out and why is it controversial?
The 'Mankad' (now officially called 'run-out at the non-striker's end') occurs when the bowler, during their delivery stride, breaks the stumps at the non-striker's end with the ball before releasing it — if the non-striker has backed up too far and is outside their crease, they are run out. The dismissal is named after Vinoo Mankad (India) who ran out Australia's Bill Brown this way in 1947-48. It is legal under Law 38 but was considered unsporting by many cricketers who felt it violated the spirit of cricket — warning the batsman first was the accepted practice. The ICC clarified in 2022 that the Mankad is a legitimate run-out requiring no warning, moving it from the 'unfair play' section to the standard 'run-outs' section of the Laws, ending the warning-first convention.