How to Read a Cricket Scorecard
A complete guide to reading a cricket scorecard — what every column means, how dismissals are shown, bowling figures, extras, and how to understand match totals.
A cricket scorecard contains all match information in a compact, standardised format. Reading one fluently tells you not just the final score but the story of how a match was won or lost — which batters got out early, which bowlers dominated, and when key moments shifted the momentum.
Batting Section of the Scorecard
The batting section lists each batter who appeared, in the order they batted. Each row shows the batter's name, their dismissal method, the runs they scored, the balls they faced, and their strike rate (if shown). The last line shows team extras and the total.
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Name | Batter's name (in batting order) |
| Dismissal | How they got out — e.g. 'c Smith b Jones' |
| R (Runs) | Runs scored by this batter |
| B (Balls) | Balls faced by this batter |
| 4s | Number of boundaries (four runs) hit |
| 6s | Number of sixes hit |
| SR | Strike rate (runs per 100 balls) |
Reading Dismissal Notations
The dismissal column uses standard abbreviations. 'c Smith b Jones' means 'caught by Smith, off the bowling of Jones'. 'b Jones' means bowled by Jones. 'lbw b Jones' means leg before wicket off Jones. 'run out (Smith)' means run out, with Smith credited for the run out. 'not out' means the batter was still at the crease when the innings ended.
- b Bowler: Bowled
- c Fielder b Bowler: Caught
- lbw b Bowler: Leg Before Wicket
- run out (Fielder): Run Out
- st Keeper b Bowler: Stumped
- hit wkt b Bowler: Hit Wicket
- not out: Innings ended without dismissal
- retired hurt: Retired due to injury
Extras
Extras (or 'sundries') are runs given by the fielding team not credited to any batter. The extras line shows: Byes (B), Leg Byes (LB), Wides (W), No-balls (NB), and Penalty runs (P). These contribute to the team total but are not a batter's runs.
Bowling Section of the Scorecard
The bowling section shows each bowler's analysis — how many overs they bowled, maiden overs, runs conceded, and wickets taken. Some scorecards also show wide and no-ball counts per bowler.
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Name | Bowler's name |
| O (Overs) | Complete overs bowled |
| M (Maidens) | Maiden overs (no runs conceded) |
| R (Runs) | Total runs conceded |
| W (Wickets) | Wickets taken |
| Econ | Economy rate (runs per over) |
| WD | Wides bowled |
| NB | No-balls bowled |
Team Total and Fall of Wickets
The team total shows as e.g. '256/8 (50 overs)' meaning 256 runs for 8 wickets in 50 overs. The fall of wickets (FoW) section shows when each wicket fell: e.g. '1-45 (Smith)' means the first wicket fell at 45 runs when Smith was dismissed.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'c b' mean in a cricket scorecard?
'c b' in a scorecard means 'caught ... bowled ...' — the batter was caught out. For example 'c Root b Anderson' means the batter was caught by Joe Root off the bowling of James Anderson. The fielder is listed first, then the bowler.
What are extras in cricket?
Extras (or sundries) are runs added to the batting team's total that are not credited to any batter. They include byes (ball passes the keeper without touching the bat), leg byes (ball hits the batter's leg without touching bat), wides (ball outside the batter's reach), no-balls (illegal deliveries), and penalty runs.
What does FoW mean in cricket?
FoW stands for 'Fall of Wickets' — the sequence showing at which team total each wicket was lost. For example, '1-45 2-89 3-91' means the first wicket fell at 45, the second at 89, and the third at 91. A tight cluster (like 89 and 91) shows two wickets fell in quick succession — a batting collapse.