Scoring a cricket match means keeping an accurate, ball-by-ball record of the game — the runs, the wickets, the overs and the milestones along the way. The process is the same whether you use a paper scorebook or a phone. Here is how to do it, and how to score a match free online in seconds with Forth Umpire.
Choose the two teams, set the number of overs per innings, and do the toss — the winning captain decides whether to bat or bowl first.
Note the two opening batters (the striker and non-striker) and the opening bowler. The striker faces the first ball of the innings.
For each legal ball, record the runs: 0 for a dot ball, 1, 2 or 3 from running, 4 for a boundary along the ground, or 6 for a boundary cleared on the full. Add the runs to the team total and to the striker’s tally.
A wide or a no-ball adds 1 run and must be re-bowled — it does not count as one of the over’s six balls. Byes and leg byes add to the team total but not to the batter’s runs.
When a batter is out, log how — bowled, caught, LBW, run out, stumped or hit wicket — and bring in the next batter. The innings ends at ten wickets, or when the overs run out.
After six legal deliveries the over is complete. A new bowler bowls the next over from the other end, and the batters swap ends.
A full scorecard shows each batter’s runs, balls, fours and sixes, and each bowler’s overs, runs, wickets and economy — along with the team total, extras and run rate.
In the second innings the batting side chases a target of the first-innings total plus one. Track the runs needed, balls remaining and required run rate until a team wins or the overs end.
Forth Umpire records every ball, totals the runs and extras, builds full batting and bowling scorecards, and shares a live link with spectators — automatically. It is free and runs in any browser.