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Cricket · Level 1: Beginner · Sub-level 1.4

Scoring and Extras

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 12 October 2026 · markdown

This sub-level teaches how runs are made off the bat by running between the wickets; the four and the six; the no-ball and the wide, why each is re-bowled and worth a penalty run; byes and leg-byes; and which extras are charged to the bowler and which are not. It also covers whose runs are whose in the scorebook, dot balls and scoring pressure, the scorers and their book, the names for where the ball is hit, and the Spirit of Cricket.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Running between the wicketsTake a test

  1. A run counts only when each batter has reached the far end and made his ground behind the popping crease.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 18 · recall

  2. An odd number of runs leaves the batters at opposite ends from where they started, so the other batter now faces.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 18 · applied

  3. A batter out of his ground when the wicket is fairly broken is run out, no matter who called him back.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 38 · applied

  4. If a batter fails to ground bat or body behind the line before turning, that one run is not counted.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 18 · applied

  5. The batter's "ground" is the area behind the popping-crease line; on the line or short of it, he is at risk.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 30 · recall

  6. Running the first run at full pace, bat outstretched, buys the time to come back for a second.

    Source: General batting principle · applied

  7. The batter with the clearer view calls: the striker for balls in front of the wicket, the non-striker for balls behind.

    Source: General batting convention · recall

  8. A non-striker out of his ground before the bowler's normal release point can be run out by the bowler.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 38 · applied

  9. Overthrows are added to the runs already run, so two run plus a four equals six from that delivery.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  10. Batters can run as many as they dare while the ball is in play; it is dead once it settles with a fielder and the action is over.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 20 · recall

Test 2Four and sixTake a test

  1. A ball that reaches the boundary along the ground, however many times it bounced, is four runs.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · recall

  2. Six is awarded when the ball clears the boundary on the full; if it bounces first, it is only four.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · recall

  3. Bouncing on the way does not change anything: a hit that reaches the rope on the ground is worth four.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  4. A ball that clears the boundary on the full is six, whether it lands a metre or fifty metres beyond it.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  5. When the ball goes to the boundary along the ground, the batting side takes the boundary value, not the runs already run.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  6. Both arms raised overhead signals six; a single arm swept across the body signals four.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 2 · recall

  7. Runs off the bat are added to the no-ball penalty, so a six off a no-ball is worth seven.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · applied

  8. If a fielder in contact with the ball touches or crosses the boundary, it counts as a boundary hit.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  9. The ball crossed the boundary on the full before striking the screen, so it is a six.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 19 · applied

  10. With limited overs, T20 batters attack hard and hit over the top; a Test batter usually values his wicket more.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

Test 3What makes a delivery a no-ballTake a test

  1. Some part of the front foot must land behind the popping crease; landing wholly beyond it is a front-foot no-ball.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · recall

  2. A fast full toss above waist height, a "beamer", is a no-ball because it is dangerous to the batter.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · recall

  3. A ball that pitches more than once, or rolls along the ground, before reaching the batter is a no-ball.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · recall

  4. The bowling arm must not be straightened in the delivery swing; a thrown ball is an illegal delivery and a no-ball.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · recall

  5. Since a 1981 incident, underarm bowling is a no-ball unless it was specifically agreed before the match.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · recall

  6. No more than two fielders may stand behind square on the leg side at the moment of delivery; a third is a no-ball.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 28 · recall

  7. Some part of the front foot has to be behind the line; on the line, with nothing behind it, is a no-ball.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · applied

  8. ICC playing conditions make the ball after any no-ball a free hit, on which the striker can be dismissed only run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field.

    Source: ICC Playing Conditions (free hit) · recall

  9. Hitting the stumps is a bowled dismissal, and bowled is one of the modes a free hit rules out.

    Source: ICC Playing Conditions (free hit) · applied

  10. Forcing the bowler to keep part of his foot behind the crease stops him stealing ground and gaining an unfair edge.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · applied

Test 4What makes a delivery a wideTake a test

  1. A wide is a ball out of reach of a normal stroke from where the batter is standing.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · recall

  2. White-ball playing conditions call leg-side and off-side wides strictly, to discourage negative bowling.

    Source: ICC Playing Conditions (wides) · recall

  3. If a normal stroke was possible, choosing to leave the ball does not turn it into a wide.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  4. A ball is wide only if it is out of the striker's reach both where he actually stands and from a normal guard; by moving, a batter can bring a ball within reach and so make it fair.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  5. Any contact with the batter or bat cancels a wide; runs then taken would be leg-byes if a shot or evasion was attempted.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  6. A ball that passes out of reach over the batter's head is a wide in most playing conditions.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  7. Every run from a wide delivery is scored as a wide, so one plus four equals five wides.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  8. Each wide is a run to the batting side and an extra delivery to bowl, both of which hurt a bowler under pressure.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · applied

  9. Both arms held out horizontally is the wide signal; the raised hand is a bye and the tapped knee a leg-bye.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 2 · recall

  10. A delivery is a no-ball or a wide, never both, and the no-ball call overrides the wide.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 22 · recall

Test 5Byes, leg-byes and the extras columnTake a test

  1. A bye comes off a ball that beats the bat and the body entirely and is then run.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23 · recall

  2. A leg-bye comes off the striker's body, most often the pads, and is then run.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23 · recall

  3. Leg-byes need a genuine attempt to play a shot or to get out of the way; otherwise they are disallowed.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23 · recall

  4. With no attempt to play or avoid the ball, leg-byes are not allowed and the runs are cancelled.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23 · applied

  5. Wides and no-balls, and any runs off them, are charged to the bowler; byes and leg-byes are not.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  6. Byes and leg-byes are the keeper's or the batters' doing, so the total rises but no bowler is charged.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  7. A ball that beats everything and reaches the boundary is four byes, whether or not the batters actually ran.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23 · applied

  8. Runs made off the bat belong to the striker; only runs off the body or a beaten keeper become extras.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  9. A ball hitting a fielding-side helmet on the ground brings five penalty runs to the batting side.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 28 · recall

  10. Extras are runs like any other and form part of the team total; a heavy extras count often swings a close match.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

Test 6Whose runs are they?Take a test

  1. Runs off the bat from a no-ball are credited to the striker; the one-run penalty goes into the extras.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 21 · applied

  2. Byes are added to the team total as extras, never to a batter's score.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  3. Overthrows off a ball the striker hit are added to his score along with the runs completed.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  4. Penalty runs are entered as extras; no batter is credited with them.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 41 · applied

  5. Runs off the bat and the no-ball penalty are both charged to the bowler.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  6. Only runs the batter scores from hitting the ball count to him; extras go to the team.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  7. Extras of every kind are part of the team total, as much as runs off the bat.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  8. Byes add nothing to the striker; then 1, 4 and 6 runs off the bat.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  9. Leg-byes are not charged to the bowler; then 1, 5 (all wides) and 7 (six plus the no-ball).

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  10. The total is the batters' runs plus extras: 47 plus 22 plus 9.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

Test 7Dot balls and pressureTake a test

  1. A ball with nothing scored off it is a dot ball.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  2. In the scorebook a ball from which nothing is scored is entered as a dot.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  3. A dot is a legal delivery: it counts in the over and in the batter's balls faced.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  4. Rotating the strike keeps both batters facing and keeps the score moving.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  5. Regular singles stop the bowlers settling on one batter and keep runs coming without risk.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  6. The dot-ball percentage shows how often a side fails to score off a delivery.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  7. Fielders brought in on the edge of the circle cut off the quick single; pushed back, they give it away.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  8. The overs gave away 0, 2, 7 and 21 runs: the fewer runs, the more the pressure on the batters.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  9. Dot balls build pressure, and pressure often leads a batter into a risky shot.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  10. Only the third ball scored a run; the other five were dot balls.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

Test 8The scorersTake a test

  1. The Laws provide for two scorers to record the match.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 3 · recall

  2. The scorers record what the umpires decide; they make no decisions on play.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 3 · recall

  3. The Laws ask the scorers to check frequently that their records agree.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 3 · recall

  4. The umpires satisfy themselves, with the scorers, that the scores are correct.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 2 · recall

  5. Scorers join the six dots of a maiden into the shape of an M.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  6. A wicket is entered as a W in the bowler's over, and the dismissal in the batting section.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  7. Recording each ball builds the full story of the innings, from which every statistic is drawn.

    Source: General scoring convention · recall

  8. The scorers act on the umpire's signal, and the board follows the scorebook.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

  9. Scorers set up the book before play, record each ball, check as they go and agree the result with the umpires.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 3 · applied

  10. The over reads dot, 4, W, dot, 1, dot: four plus one is five runs.

    Source: General scoring convention · applied

Test 9Where the runs goTake a test

  1. Standing side-on, a batter faces the off side; the leg side is behind his legs.

    Source: General playing principle · recall

  2. Leg side and on side mean the same half of the field.

    Source: General playing principle · recall

  3. 'Square' means level with the batter, at right angles to the line of the pitch.

    Source: General playing principle · recall

  4. 'Fine' describes a direction close to the line of the pitch behind the batter.

    Source: General playing principle · recall

  5. Down the ground is straight, past the bowler's end.

    Source: General playing principle · recall

  6. The cover region is on the off side in front of square, between point and mid-off.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  7. The off side follows the batter: for a left-hander it is the half that is leg side for a right-hander.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  8. Fine is behind, square is level with the batter, then in front of square, then straight.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  9. Short leg is close in, square leg in the ring and deep square leg on the boundary, all level with the batter.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

  10. With the batter at the bottom facing up the pitch, his off side is on the right of the picture.

    Source: General playing principle · applied

Test 10The Spirit of CricketTake a test

  1. The Spirit of Cricket opens the Laws as a Preamble, before Law 1.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · recall

  2. The Preamble places the main responsibility on the captains, and extends it to every player and official.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · recall

  3. Respect for the umpires and their decisions is at the heart of the Preamble.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · applied

  4. Dissent is showing disagreement with an umpire's decision, by word or by action.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 42 · recall

  5. The Preamble names everyone involved in the game, including teachers and parents in junior cricket.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · recall

  6. The MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture has been given every year since 2001.

    Source: MCC · recall

  7. Honesty is part of the Spirit: a fielder should not claim a catch he knows was not taken cleanly.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · applied

  8. The Preamble asks players to thank the opposition and the officials at the end, whatever the result.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · applied

  9. Honesty from the fielder and acceptance of the decision by both sides is the Spirit in practice.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · applied

  10. The Preamble sums up the attitude as 'play hard and play fair'.

    Source: MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble · applied

Sources

MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022) for the mechanics of play; ICC Playing Conditions for international format and officiating detail, which override the Laws where they differ; ESPNcricinfo and Wisden for history, records and governance. Questions are authored from these sources, not reproduced from them.

  • General scoring convention24
  • General playing principle14
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 219
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 198
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 228
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Preamble8
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 235
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 34
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 183
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 23
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 382
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 282
  • ICC Playing Conditions (free hit)2
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 301
  • General batting principle1
  • General batting convention1
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 201
  • ICC Playing Conditions (wides)1
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 411
  • MCC Laws of Cricket 2017 code (3rd edition 2022), Law 421
  • MCC1