Scoring Runs in Cricket

Scoring Runs In Cricket

In cricket, to score a run, a striker must hit the ball and run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. Both runners must touch the ground behind the popping crease with either his bat or his body to register a run. If the striker hits the ball well enough, the batsmen may double back to score two or more runs. At times, four or more runs may be scored off a single ball in this fashion. This is known as running between wickets. However, if a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no batsman is grounded behind the nearest popping crease; the nearest batsman is run-out. (See: Dismissal of a Batsman for more details.) The batsmen will elect to run only when they believe they have a good chance of scoring runs without getting out in this fashion. If the striker hits the ball to a nearby fielder, the batsmen may simply choose not to run.

If the batsman hits the ball such that the fielders fail to stop it reaching the boundary of the field, four runs are credited to him immediately, irrespective of the number of times he ran between the wickets. If the ball flies directly over the boundary without touching the ground inside the field, then the batsman scores six runs instead of four.

Runs are credited to a batsman if he hits the ball with his bat, or with a gloved hand holding the bat. Runs may also be accrued directly to the team's score through extras and penalty runs.

Other than the cases of an LBW and bowled, a batsman cannot be penalised for failing to hit the ball. Runs scored by the batsman off the bat, or the gloved hand holding the bat. These runs are recorded to the batsman's personal tally.