Scoring routine

Ahead of the compulsory introduction of cricket scorers into cricket in Switzerland, the Swiss Federation Of Cricket Umpires & Scorers (swissFOCUS) have put their heads together to produce a series of articles devoted to cricket scoring.

In this second of a series of articles designed to explain cricket scoring and discuss best practices, Mira Koshy discusses the ideal routine that a scorer needs to adopt to be an efficient and accurate cricket scorer.

Before you start scoring, you need to make sure you have everything you need.

These are the most important things:

• Scorebook
• Pencil and eraser (sharpener), pen
• Players List and batting order
• Appropriate clothing for weather (cold and hot)
• …

The following can come in handy, too:

• Calculator
• Watch (mobile phone)
• A bottle of water
• Spare paper
• …

And for 40 & Twenty20 league matches:

• Match report (to be filled in by pen during the match)

Get to know the umpires and the captains. Since the new regulation will be implemented this season, you will always be scoring with someone from the other team. Make sure, you sit next to each other. You will have to compare your notes from time to time.
Fill in the scorebook: Who’s playing whom, where, who are the umpires, scorers, weather conditions…

At the beginning note the time the batsmen go in. Always record what is signalled, even if you don’t agree, but if there is something that you are not sure about, make a note (over, bowler…) and check with the umpires at the next interval.

Always acknowledge the signals given by the umpires (when there are more, acknowledge each one separately). To avoid missing anything, wait before recording anything. In Swiss cricket there are few umpires that pre-signal, but there might still be something to come.
Always enter information in the same sequence. For example: bowler’s analysis, batsman’s analysis, (extras), total of runs. Your sequence make differ, but make sure it becomes second nature. It helps avoid mistakes (for example forgetting a run or a bye…).
The following is always true:

• All batsmen’s runs + all extras = total of runs
• All bowlers runs + fielding extras = total of runs
• All batsmen’s runs + bowlers extras = all bowler’s runs

Check this regularly (whenever you have the time, for example when the ball is lost…). To make this easier, calculate batsmen’s runs regularly and note them in brackets. In the bowling analysis, calculate all the runs, so you don’t have to calculate at the end.

For example: in his first over, Bowler number one gave away 4 runs. In his second, he took a wicket and gave away 5 runs. In the bottom of the 1st over, you write 0 – 4, in the 2nd 1-9…
At the end of every over, check with your colleague:

• Total runs scored in that over
• Current analysis of that bowler
• Total of runs and wickets

If there is anything you don’t agree and can’t figure out, who is right, make a note (over and bowler, maybe the exact ball) and check with the umpires at the next interval.
At the fall of each wicket, check with your colleague:

• Outgoing batsman’s name and number
• Method of dismissal (if unsure, make a note and ask the umpire at the next interval, batsmen don’t like to be asked…)
• Bowlers name; if caught, note the field player who took the catch in brackets
• Outgoing batsmen’s score
• Score at the fall of wicket
• Name of incoming batsman
• Balls faced by outgoing batsman (including the wicket, if he faced that ball)
• Time of dismissal
• Minutes batsman was in
• Time new batsman starts his innings (normally a minute after the time of dismissal)

Points in bold lettering have to be dealt with immediately. The others can be added/agreed on at a later point, because they do not change anymore.
Points in italic lettering are for advanced scorers and are not essential for a complete scorebook.

At the end of an innings check and compare:

1. Time innings ended
2. Agree total of following with your colleague

• No balls, wides, byes, leg byes, (penalties), total of extras
• Batsmen’s total
• Bowler’s total

3. Agree final total with colleague and umpires.
4. Fill in bowling analysis:

• Balls bowled (overs x 6 + number of no balls and wide
• Wides (split the box and put in the number of wides and the total runs scored by wides)
• No balls (split the box like with the wides)
• Overs
• Maidens (no runs scored except byes and leg byes)
• Runs
• Wickets
• Average (runs/wickets)

5. Check/agree on any unresolved querries with your colleague and the umpires.
6. Agree on match result (refer to last page of the attachment "Scoring Basics - Part One"
(included as part of the swissFOCUS Introduction to Cricket Scoring Course)

It can be tiring in the beginning, but the more practice you get, the better and faster you will be.

A scorer’s job is not over until everything is filled in!

If you have a question about this article or wish to get involved in cricket scoring, contact Mira Koshy.

Read the first article explaining the internationally recognised standard symbols used in cricket scoring.