How Is Follow on Calculated in Test Cricket

What is the Follow On?

The follow-on is a tactical decision made by the team that won the toss and chose to bat first in a Test match. It allows the batting team to declare their innings early, setting a target for the bowling team to chase in the second innings. If the bowling team is unable to bowl out the batting team for a lower score than the declared total, the batting team is required to bat again in the second innings, starting with a lead based on the difference between the two scores.

This situation is often referred to as the "follow-on" because the batting team must follow through with their second innings performance, starting with a lead that could be significant if the bowling team has already made a substantial score.

Conditions for the Follow On

The follow-on can only occur under specific conditions:

1. The team batting first declares their innings early, typically after 3-4 days of play.
2. The team batting second in the first innings has a score that is significantly lower than the team batting first.
3. The difference between the two scores is such that the batting team can declare and still have a lead that would require the bowling team to chase a low target in the second innings.

For example, if Team A scores 300 in their first innings and Team B scores 200, Team A might declare early, setting a target of 201 for Team B. If Team B cannot bowl Team A out for less than 201, Team A will bat again in the second innings, starting with a lead of 99 runs.

How is the Follow On Calculated?

The follow-on is calculated based on the difference between the two teams' first innings scores. The formula is straightforward:

If the follow-on lead is positive, the batting team will bat again in the second innings, starting with that lead. If the follow-on lead is negative, the bowling team will bat again in the second innings, starting with a lead based on the absolute difference.

For example, if Team A scores 350 in their first innings and Team B scores 250, the follow-on lead is 100. Team A will bat again in the second innings, starting with a lead of 100 runs.

Impact of the Follow On

The follow-on can have a significant impact on the outcome of a Test match. It can:

• Allow the batting team to extend their lead and potentially win the match without batting again.
• Force the bowling team to chase a low target in the second innings, which can be difficult if the batting team has a strong batting lineup.
• Lead to a more balanced match, as the follow-on can level the playing field if the bowling team has a strong bowling attack.

Historically, the follow-on has been used to great effect by teams with strong batting lineups, such as Australia and England. It has also been a source of frustration for teams that have been forced to bat again in the second innings, such as India and Pakistan.

Examples of Follow On Decisions

Here are a few examples of follow-on decisions in Test cricket:

In all of these examples, the batting team declared early, setting a target for the bowling team to chase. If the bowling team was unable to bowl the batting team out for a lower score, the batting team was required to bat again in the second innings, starting with a lead based on the difference between the two scores.