How to Read a Cricket Scoreboard Explained
A beginner's guide to reading a cricket scoreboard — what each number and abbreviation means in a Test, ODI, or T20 scorecard.
A cricket scoreboard can appear bewildering to newcomers but follows a logical structure. The main score is shown as runs/wickets — for example, 247/6 means the batting team has scored 247 runs and lost 6 wickets. The same score may be shown as 247-6 in some conventions. The scoreboard also shows overs bowled, the current run rate, and the required run rate if the batting team is chasing.
The Main Score Display
The primary score appears as [Runs]/[Wickets] [Overs]. For example: 'ENG 247/6 (43.2 ov)' means England have scored 247 runs, lost 6 wickets, and have faced 43 overs and 2 balls. In a Test match, the score may be followed by the innings number — 'ENG 1st innings: 247/6' indicates this is England's first innings. When a team is all out, the wickets figure shows 10: 'ENG 247/10 (92.4 ov)' — all 10 wickets have fallen.
Reading a Batting Scorecard
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Batter | Player's name |
| How Out | Method of dismissal (b = bowled, c = caught, lbw = LBW, etc.) |
| R (Runs) | Runs scored in this innings |
| B (Balls) | Balls faced in this innings |
| 4s | Number of four-boundary shots hit |
| 6s | Number of six-boundary shots hit |
| SR (Strike Rate) | Runs per 100 balls (R ÷ B × 100) |
Reading a Bowling Scorecard
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bowler | Bowler's name |
| O (Overs) | Total overs bowled |
| M (Maidens) | Number of maiden overs (no runs conceded) |
| R (Runs) | Total runs conceded |
| W (Wickets) | Total wickets taken |
| Econ (Economy) | Runs per over (R ÷ O) |
| WD (Wides) | Number of wide deliveries |
| NB (No-balls) | Number of no-ball deliveries |
Common Abbreviations
- b Bowler = bowled by that bowler
- c Fielder b Bowler = caught by fielder, bowled by bowler
- c & b Bowler = caught and bowled by the same bowler
- lbw b Bowler = leg before wicket, bowled (caused by) bowler
- run out (Fielder) = run out, fielder credited with the wicket
- st Keeper b Bowler = stumped by the keeper, off that bowler's delivery
- not out = batsman is still in (innings ended without this dismissal)
- * = not out (when shown next to a score in batting figures)
Frequently asked questions
What does 'DNB' mean on a cricket scorecard?
DNB stands for 'Did Not Bat' — it appears next to a player's name on the batting scorecard when they did not get the chance to bat. This happens most commonly in Test cricket when a team declares their innings closed before all batsmen have the opportunity to bat, or when an innings is declared so quickly that lower-order batsmen never come to the crease.
How is a tied cricket score shown on the scorecard?
If both teams score identical runs and the match is a tie (as opposed to a draw), the scorecard shows 'Match Tied' or 'Tie' in the result section. In limited-overs cricket, a tie usually leads to a Super Over; in Tests, a tie is a genuine result. Tied Test matches show both teams' four innings scores, confirming the identical totals. Only two Tests in history have ended in a genuine tie.