Runs
The
directions in which a right-handed batsman intends to send the ball when playing various
cricketing shots. The diagram for a left-handed
batsman is a mirror
image of this one.
The primary concern of the
batsman on strike (i.e., the "striker") is to prevent the ball
hitting the wicket and secondarily to score runs by hitting the ball with his bat so that he and his
partner have time to run from one end of the pitch to the other before the
fielding side can return the ball. To register a run, both runners must touch
the ground behind the crease with either their bats or their bodies (the
batsmen carry their bats as they run). Each completed run increments the score.
More than one run can be scored
from a single hit; but, while hits worth one to three runs are common, the size
of the field is such that it is usually difficult to run four or more. To
compensate for this, hits that reach the boundary of the field are
automatically awarded four runs if the ball touches the ground en route to the boundary or six runs if the
ball clears the boundary without touching the ground within the boundary. The
batsmen do not need to run if the ball reaches or crosses the boundary.
Brian Lara of the West Indies holds the record for highest score in
both Tests and first-class cricket.
Hits for five are unusual and
generally rely on the help of "overthrows" by a fielder returning the
ball. If an odd number of runs is scored by the striker, the two batsmen have
changed ends, and the one who was non-striker is now the striker. Only the
striker can score individual runs, but all runs are added to the team's total.
The decision to attempt a run
is ideally made by the batsman who has the better view of the ball's progress,
and this is communicated by calling: "yes", "no" and
"wait" are often heard.
Running is a calculated risk
because if a fielder breaks the wicket with the ball while the nearest batsman
is out of his ground (i.e., he does not have part of his body or bat in contact
with the ground behind the popping crease), the batsman is run out.
A team's score is reported in
terms of the number of runs scored and the number of batsmen that have been
dismissed. For example, if five batsmen are out and the team has scored 224
runs, they are said to have scored 224 for the loss of 5 wickets (commonly
shortened to "224 for five" and written 224/5 or, in Australia,
"five for 224" and 5/224).
Extras
Additional runs can be gained
by the batting team as extras (called "sundries" in Australia) due to errors
made by the fielding side. This is achieved in four ways:
1.
No ball: a penalty of one extra
that is conceded by the bowler if he breaks the rules of bowling either by (a)
using an inappropriate arm
action; (b) overstepping the popping crease; (c)
having a foot outside the return crease. In addition, the bowler has to re-bowl
the ball. In limited overs matches, a no ball is called if the bowling team's
field setting fails to comply with the restrictions. In shorter formats of the
game (20–20, ODI) the free hit rule has been introduced. The ball following a
front foot no-ball will be a free-hit for the batsman, whereby he is safe from
losing his wicket except for being run-out.
2.
Wide: a penalty of one extra that
is conceded by the bowler if he bowls so that the ball is out of the batsman's
reach; as with a no ball, a wide must be re-bowled. If a wide ball crosses the
boundary, five runs are awarded to the batting side (one run for the wide, and
four for the boundary).
3.
Bye: extra(s) awarded if the
batsman misses the ball and it goes past the wicketkeeper to give the batsmen
time to run in the conventional way (note that one mark of a good wicketkeeper
is one who restricts the tally of byes to a minimum).
4.
Leg bye: extra(s) awarded if
the ball hits the batsman's body, but not his bat, while attempting a
legitimate shot, and it goes away from the fielders to give the batsmen time to
run in the conventional way.
When the bowler has bowled a no
ball or a wide, his team incurs an additional penalty because that ball (i.e.,
delivery) has to be bowled again and hence the batting side has the opportunity
to score more runs from this extra ball. The batsmen have to run (i.e., unless
the ball goes to the boundary for four) to claim byes and leg byes but these
only count towards the team total, not to the striker's individual total for
which runs must be scored off the bat.
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