How Calculate Follow on in Cricket

What is Follow On in Cricket?

The follow-on is a rule in cricket that applies when the team batting first scores a significantly lower total than the team batting second. It's a strategic decision to level the playing field and make the match more competitive.

When the follow-on is declared, the team that batted first must bat again, while the team that batted second only bats once. This means the team that won the toss and chose to bat first now has to face the second innings twice, which can be a significant challenge.

When is Follow On Used?

The follow-on is used in Test cricket and ODIs when the team batting first scores a significantly lower total than the team batting second. The exact threshold varies by format:

• Test cricket: Follow-on is declared if the team batting first scores less than 200 runs fewer than the team batting second.
• ODIs: Follow-on is declared if the team batting first scores less than 100 runs fewer than the team batting second.

For example, if Team A bats first and scores 200 runs, and Team B bats second and scores 400 runs, the difference is 200 runs. In Test cricket, this would not trigger the follow-on, but in ODIs, it would.

If Team A scored 100 runs and Team B scored 300 runs, the difference would be 200 runs, which would trigger the follow-on in Test cricket but not in ODIs.

How to Calculate Follow On

Calculating whether the follow-on applies is straightforward. You need to compare the scores of the two teams after their first innings. The formula is:

If the result is greater than the threshold (200 runs in Test cricket, 100 runs in ODIs), the follow-on is declared.

Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Note the score of the team that batted first in their first innings.
2. Note the score of the team that batted second in their first innings.
3. Subtract the first team's score from the second team's score.
4. Compare the result to the threshold for the format being played.
5. If the result is greater than the threshold, the follow-on is declared.

It's important to note that the follow-on is not a penalty but a strategic adjustment to make the match more balanced. It's applied to ensure both teams have a fair chance to win.

Example Calculation

Let's look at an example to illustrate how to calculate the follow-on. Suppose we have the following scores:

In this scenario, Team A batted first and scored 250 runs, while Team B batted second and scored 450 runs. The difference between the two scores is:

In Test cricket, the threshold for the follow-on is 200 runs. Since the difference is exactly 200 runs, the follow-on would be declared. Team A would then have to bat again, while Team B would only bat once.

If this were an ODI, the threshold would be 100 runs, and the difference of 200 runs would still exceed the threshold, so the follow-on would be declared.