Boundary Rules in Cricket — What Counts as a Four or Six?

In cricket, a boundary is scored when the ball reaches or crosses the boundary rope that surrounds the field of play. The method by which it crosses the boundary determines whether four or six runs are awarded — and the exact Laws can produce some counterintuitive outcomes.

When is a four scored?

Four runs are awarded when the ball reaches the boundary having been grounded (touched the surface of the field) at least once after leaving the bat. The ball rolling or bouncing to the rope = four, regardless of how many times it bounced or how far it rolled. Four runs replace any runs the batters had physically run — if they had completed two runs before the ball reached the boundary, the final score for that delivery is still four, not two plus four.

When is a six scored?

Six runs are awarded when the ball crosses the boundary without grounding inside the field of play — it clears the rope on the full. A ball that bounces on the rope or on the boundary line itself counts as four, not six. If a fielder standing inside the field catches the ball and then steps onto or over the rope while holding the ball, six runs are scored (Law 19.6). Similarly, if a fielder on the rope catches the ball and the momentum carries them over the rope, it is still six (provided the ball was not grounded before the catch).

Overthrow boundaries

If a fielder throws the ball and it reaches the boundary (either by rolling or on the full), the batting team receives the boundary value (four or six) plus any runs already completed at the time the fielder threw the ball. This is known as an overthrow boundary. The exact number of overthrow runs depends on the moment the throw was made, which can be disputed and is decided by the umpires.

Boundary vs batting runs

Boundaries score better than running equivalent runs because they are automatic and require no risk. Running three runs requires two safe crossings of the 20-metre pitch; a boundary four is immediate. In limited-overs cricket where economy matters, boundaries account for the majority of total runs. In T20 cricket, a team scoring 15+ boundaries in an innings is almost certain to reach 160+.