Key takeaways
- Runs come from running between the wickets, from boundaries worth four or six, and from extras conceded by the fielding side.
- A wide or no ball adds a one-run penalty, is charged to the bowler and must be re-bowled; byes and leg byes go to the team, not the batter.
- Leg byes count only if the batter tried to play the ball with the bat or tried to avoid being hit.
- Penalty runs, usually five, punish fielding-side offences such as a fielder stopping the ball illegally.
- The 2026 Laws define an overthrow for the first time: a throw at the wickets that runs away for a boundary.
A cricket score such as 250/6 packs a lot into a few characters: runs scored, wickets lost and, on a full scorecard, the overs used. This guide goes through every way a run can be added under the Laws of Cricket in MCC's 2026 edition, then scores one over ball by ball.
Runs from the bat
Running. Law 18 counts a run each time the two batters cross and each reaches the other end. A run is "short" if a batter fails to make good their ground in turning for a further run; the umpire calls and signals it, and that run is not scored. If a boundary follows, the short running is disregarded, unless the boundary came from an overthrow.
Boundaries. Law 19 awards:
| Boundary | How | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Four | The ball crosses the boundary having touched the ground | 4 |
| Six | The ball is hit over the boundary without touching the ground inside it | 6 |
If the batters have already run more than the boundary allowance, they keep whichever is greater, the boundary or the runs completed.
Extras: runs not credited to a batter
Some runs are added to the team's total but not to any batter's score. These are extras:
| Extra | When | Scored as | Charged to the bowler? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | Ball out of the striker's reach for a normal stroke, or passing over head height after landing | One-run penalty plus any runs taken, all as wides | Yes |
| No ball | An illegal delivery, such as overstepping the crease | One-run penalty; runs off the bat go to the batter | Yes |
| Bye | Ball passes without touching bat or body; batters run | Byes | No, credited to the team as byes |
| Leg bye | Ball hits the batter's body; batters run | Leg byes | No, credited to the team as leg byes |
Three details from the Laws are easy to miss:
- The no ball penalty stands even if a batter is out. Law 21 awards the one run the moment no ball is called.
- Wides and no balls do not count as one of the six balls, so they are bowled again.
- Leg byes need effort. Law 23 allows them only if the striker attempted to play the ball with the bat or tried to avoid being hit.
No ball and wide rules explains when each is called.
Penalty runs
The Laws punish certain offences with 5 penalty runs. Law 28, for example, awards 5 penalty runs to the batting side if a fielder stops the ball illegally, such as with a cap or other equipment. Penalty runs can go to either side: some batting-side offences, such as deliberate short running, cost the batting side.
Overthrows under the 2026 Laws
MCC's summary of the 2026 changes calls the new overthrow Law the most significant overhaul in some time, because for the first time the Laws define an overthrow. Under Law 19.8:
- It is an overthrow if a fielder, trying to run a batter out or prevent further runs, directs the ball towards the wickets and the ball then crosses the boundary.
- It is not an overthrow if the ball goes over the boundary from a fielder trying to stop it, or from a short pass between fielders near the boundary. That is a misfield, and a normal boundary.
For an overthrow, the batting side gets the boundary allowance, plus the runs completed when the ball was thrown, plus the run in progress if the batters had already crossed.
A worked over
| Ball | What happened | Runs added | Counts in the over? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pushed for a single | 1 | Yes (1) |
| 2 | Defended, no run (a dot ball) | 0 | Yes (2) |
| 3 | Driven for four | 4 | Yes (3) |
| – | Wide, no run taken | 1 | No |
| 4 | Two runs | 2 | Yes (4) |
| – | No ball, batter hits it and takes one run | 2 (1 penalty + 1 to the batter) | No |
| 5 | Caught | 0, one wicket | Yes (5) |
| 6 | Hit for six | 6 | Yes (6) |
The over took eight deliveries to complete six legal balls and added 16 runs for one wicket. The bowler is charged with all 16, because wides and no balls are debited to the bowler. The batters' scores add up to 14: the extras are the one wide and the one no-ball penalty.
Reading the scorecard
A score is usually written runs-then-wickets, such as 250/6; Wikipedia's article on cricket scoring notes that Australia switches the order, writing 6/250. Overs are written in overs and balls: 45.3 means 45 overs and three balls, not 45.3 tenths of an over, which matters when working out run rates. Batting and bowling figures, such as averages, strike rates and economy rates, are explained in cricket stats explained, and the signals the umpire makes to the scorers in cricket umpire signals.
In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, the store screenshots show live match stats alongside each match, so every run your cricketer scores, or concedes, lands on the scorecard.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a cricket score like 250/6?
How many runs is a no ball?
What is the difference between a bye and a leg bye?
What is an overthrow?
Sources
- The Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026) (opens in a new tab)Marylebone Cricket Club — accessed
- Laws of Cricket: Changes for 2026 (opens in a new tab)Marylebone Cricket Club — accessed
- Scoring (cricket) (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
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