How to Read a Cricket Scorecard: Every Number and Symbol Explained
A cricket scorecard records every ball, every run, and every wicket in a match — it is the most comprehensive statistical record in any team sport. Learning to read a scorecard reveals who contributed runs, how each batsman was dismissed, which bowlers were most economical, and the flow of the game. This guide explains every abbreviation and number in a standard cricket scorecard.
Scorecard structure: a cricket scorecard has two main sections — the batting scorecard (listing each batsman's contribution) and the bowling scorecard (listing each bowler's contribution). The batting scorecard: one row per batsman, showing how many runs they scored, how they were dismissed (caught, bowled, LBW, etc.), who dismissed them (catcher and bowler for caught; bowler for other modes), the number of balls they faced, the number of fours and sixes they hit, and their strike rate. The bowling scorecard: one row per bowler, showing how many overs they bowled, maidens (overs with no runs scored), wickets taken, total runs conceded, economy rate, and extras (wides and no-balls attributed to each bowler).
Batting Scorecard Abbreviations
Batting scorecard symbols: the dismissal column uses standardised abbreviations: 'b [bowler]' = bowled; 'c [fielder] b [bowler]' = caught (fielder name first, bowler second); 'lbw b [bowler]' = leg before wicket; 'run out ([fielder])' = run out; 'st [keeper] b [bowler]' = stumped; 'hit wkt b [bowler]' = hit wicket; 'not out' (abbreviated 'not out' or shown with an asterisk after the score, e.g. 100*) = the batsman was not dismissed at the end of the innings. The asterisk (*) after a batsman's score means they were not out when the innings ended. The dagger (†) before a player's name marks the wicketkeeper. The 'c & b [bowler]' notation means caught-and-bowled — the bowler caught the ball off their own delivery.
Bowling Scorecard Abbreviations
Bowling scorecard abbreviations: O = overs bowled; M = maiden overs (overs with zero runs scored off the bat, not counting wide/no-ball extras); R = runs conceded; W = wickets taken; Econ = economy rate (runs per over). A bowling line of '10-2-35-3' means 10 overs, 2 maidens, 35 runs, 3 wickets. Wides and no-balls conceded by each bowler are usually shown separately (WD and NB columns). Strike rate for bowlers is sometimes shown: balls per wicket (lower is better for bowlers). The 'Fall of wickets' section at the bottom of the batting scorecard shows when each wicket fell: '1/45' means the first wicket fell when the score was 45; '2/67' means the second wicket fell at 67, and so on. This tells readers when the team lost momentum and allows reconstruction of the innings flow.
Understanding Strike Rate
Strike rate in scorecards: a batsman's strike rate (SR) in a scorecard is runs scored per 100 balls faced. Formula: (runs/balls) x 100. A strike rate of 100 means the batsman scored 1 run per ball — considered fast in Test cricket, average in T20. Benchmarks: in Test cricket, a batsman with SR 50 is scoring carefully (good for a lower-order defensive player); SR 60-70 is normal for middle-order batsmen; SR 80+ is attacking Test batting. In T20 cricket, SR 130-140 is average for middle-order batsmen; SR 160+ is elite. In ODI cricket, SR 90-100 is average; 120+ is aggressive. Bowling economy rate (Econ) = runs per over = R/O. In T20Is, economy 7-8 is average; 6-7 is good; under 6 is exceptional. In Tests, economy 2.5-3.5 is typical for quality bowlers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a cricket scorecard?
A cricket scorecard has two main sections. The batting scorecard shows each batsman's runs scored, how they were dismissed (bowled/caught/LBW/run out/stumped), who dismissed them, balls faced, fours and sixes hit, and strike rate. Key symbols: an asterisk (*) after a score means not out; a dagger (†) before a name marks the wicketkeeper. The fall of wickets row shows at what score each wicket fell (e.g., '1-45' means the first wicket fell at 45 runs). The bowling scorecard shows overs bowled (O), maiden overs (M), runs conceded (R), wickets taken (W), and economy rate (runs per over). A bowling line of '10-2-35-3' means 10 overs bowled, 2 maidens, 35 runs, 3 wickets. The bottom of the batting scorecard shows 'Extras' — the runs scored without the ball touching the bat.
What does not out mean in a cricket scorecard?
Not out in a cricket scorecard means the batsman was not dismissed when the innings ended — they were still batting when the last wicket fell, when the captain declared the innings closed, or when the team reached their target (in limited-overs cricket). A not-out innings is shown with an asterisk (*) after the score — for example, '87*' means the batsman scored 87 runs and was not out. Not-out innings are significant for batting averages: they count in the run total but not in the dismissal count, so they inflate a batsman's average. A batsman who scores 100*, 50*, and 0* across three innings (all not out) technically has an infinite average (150 runs, 0 dismissals). In practice, lower-order batsmen frequently have inflated averages due to regular not-outs.
What is a maiden over in cricket?
A maiden over in cricket is an over in which the bowling team concedes zero runs from the bat — the batsman scores no runs (only wides or no-balls don't count as runs off the bat for maiden-over purposes). A maiden over is shown as 'M' in the bowling scorecard. A wicket maiden (an over with both no runs scored and at least one wicket taken) is considered a very good over. In Test cricket, bowling maiden overs is a common form of pressure — consecutive maidens build a 'pressure over' that forces the batsman to take risks to relieve the pressure. In T20 cricket, maiden overs are rare — the format's conditions (restricted field placements in powerplay, batsmen attacking every ball) mean bowling a maiden in T20 is a significant achievement. A bowler's maiden percentage in Test cricket (maidens as a percentage of overs bowled) reflects their ability to bowl tightly.