Batting (cricket)

In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat in order to score runs without getting out.

Strategy of batting

Strategies vary between the two main forms of international cricket, Test cricket and One-day international cricket.

Related Topics:
Test cricket - One-day international

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One-day international cricket

As one-day international matches have a limited set of overs, batsmen try and score quickly. Scoring quickly means trying to score at least one run per ball bowled. Most batsmen manage to score at an average of four runs an over (i.e. six balls).

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When a team goes out to bat, the best players bat first. The first four batsmen (number 1, 2, 3 and 4) are known as the top order; the next three (numbers 5, 6 and 7) form the middle order, and the last four (numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11) are the lower order or tail.

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The best batsmen of a team usually bat at the top of the order, so as to score more runs. The openers or opening batsmen are the first two batsmen to take the crease. They are expected to negotiate the new ball and not lost wickets until the shine on the ball is considerably diminished (a hard and shiny ball bounces and swings more and is more difficult for the batsmen to face). In addition, they are supposed to play a quick innings (more runs in fewer balls), reflecting the fact that the fielding side is subject to restrictions on the placement of fielders in the first 15 overs which makes it easier to score runs. In a recent amendment http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc-media/content/story/211848.html to the rules of ODI cricket, fielding captains are given mandatory fielding restrictions for the first 10 overs and then two chunks of 5 overs each, which they may impose at any stage of their choice within the stipulated 50 overs.

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Following the openers is the No. 3 or one-drop batsman. His job is to take over from the openers and typically play a careful and prolonged innings, effectively tying up one end of the batting. This brings in some stability in the batting, as new batsmen find it difficult to settle down and it helps to have a settled batsman at the other end. The best batsman of the team is usually put at number 3 or 4, to protect him from the difficulties of batting against the best bowlers on a fresh pitch and to allow him to play a long innings.

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The middle order is often considered the most valuable asset of a batting line-up in One-Day Internationals, because its members are responsible for consolidating the batting team's position through the middle part of the 50 overs. Charateristic of middle-order batting is the practice of taking many singles (or ones) and 'twos', with only the occasional boundary (a four or a six), as opposed to the more flamboyant openers who score primarily in boundaries. Middle-order batsmen are often chosen for the ability to run hard and fast between the wickets (to maximize the number of runs not scored from boundaries) and for their endurance and patience. The middle order typically sets the stage for an aggressive assault on the bowling in the final 10 overs of the match.

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To achieve this assault, two things are necessary - a number of hard-hitting batsmen yet to bat or not out and a number of wickets in hand (since aggression means a greater likelihood of losing wickets). The last 10 overs of a one-day cricket match innings is often the most exciting part of the innings, because of the large number of boundaries scored and wickets taken. Finally, the lower order consists of the bowlers of the team, who are not known for their batting prowess and so bat as low down the order as possible.

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However, there are no real restrictions to the batting positions. Captains have been known to experiment with the batting line-up to gain specific advantages. For example, a lower-order batsman is sometimes sent in at number 3 with instructions to pinch-hit (playing aggressively in an attempt to score more runs in fewer balls - a term borrowed from baseball) to score quick runs and shield better players, as his wicket (as a less accomplished lower-order batsman) is less valuable anyway.

Related Topics:
Baseball - Wicket

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Test cricket

In Test cricket, the real aim is to score as high a total as possible. As the overs are unlimited, a batsman can take his own time to score runs. If the batting innings of the team begins after the last two hours of the day, the team can employ a nightwatchman to bat after a batsman gets out. The nightwatchman is usually a lower-order batsman, but not a complete rabbit.

Related Topics:
Nightwatchman - Rabbit

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In the third innings, the batting team may score quickly to set a large target to the opposition. This scenario usually occurs on the fourth day's play. In general, 90 overs have to be bowled per day in Test match cricket. The batting captain decides how many overs he is preparely to allow the opposition to chase his total (say 110, 90 20) and can declares his innings at the predetermined time on the fourth day so that the he can bowl 20 overs in that day and 90 overs in the last day. To make the target as difficult as possible, the batting side speeds up the run rate (runs per over) till the captain declares.

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