Batting order (cricket)
Encyclopedia
In cricket
, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings
, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time. All eleven players in a team are required to bat if the innings is completed (i.e., if the innings does not close early due to a declaration
or other factor).
The batting order is colloquially subdivided into:
The order in which the eleven players will bat is usually established prior to the commencement of a cricket match, but may be altered during play. The decision is based on factors such as each player's specialities; the position each batsman is most comfortable with; each player's skills and attributes as a batsman; possible combinations with other batsmen; and the match situation whereby, for example, the team may require a more defensive or attacking player at that point in the innings.
of the team can change the batting order during the game at his or her discretion. There are no rules about the nature or number of changes made and, if more than one innings
is played, the order used in each need not be the same. It has even been known for a captain to completely reverse his batting order for the second innings after following on. This has made it possible for a bowler to take a hat-trick
across three consecutive overs of a match, including the same batsman twice.
There are various reasons why the captain might make a change from the established order. Usually, however, captains and coaches prefer not to adjust the batting order unless necessary.
.
or unwell and unable to take his place in the batting order. The batsman may return further down the order if he recovers or if the situation of the game requires it. For example, if a game is nearly won and a top order batsman has a slight injury, then a few batsmen who usually bat lower than him in the order may go out to bat before him. If they win the game, then the injured batsman's health was not further damaged. If more wickets fall and he is able, the injured batsmen may then go out and try to score enough runs to win the game. In this case, he may opt to use a runner
.
In some circumstances, if a player has been off the field during the opposition's innings for a long time, then he is not allowed to come in to bat until a certain amount of time has passed or 5 wickets have fallen. (These restrictions come about as a result of playing conditions normally used in first class and Test cricket, they are not part of the laws of cricket.)
. This position is important as the openers need to get the innings off to a good start. The early fall of wickets can have a psychological impact on the rest of the team, affecting their performance with the bat. The opening batsmen also get the first experience of the pitch
and conditions, and must be able to adjust to them quickly.
Most importantly, the opening batsmen must face a new ball
, which is hard and has a pronounced seam. This makes it more liable to travel fast, bounce high, seam
around (i.e., bounce unpredictably off the seam) and swing
(i.e., deviate sideways when travelling through the air). These early conditions favour the bowling team, so the opening batsmen must have a sound technique and be good defensively. As the ball gets older, its condition starts to favour the batting team. Therefore, the openers will ideally stay at the crease
long enough to protect the batsmen further down the order.
In first-class cricket
, the rate at which the openers score runs is not as important as "taking the shine off" the new ball. This is the process of softening and roughening the cricket ball
, whose condition tends to degrade the longer it is in play. By occupying the crease for a long time and taking the shine off the ball, the openers themselves are able to score more freely later on. This also makes batting easier for the rest of the order. Because of the defensive technique required early on, openers are sometimes less fluent stroke-players than the specialist batsmen who follow.
In limited overs cricket, the role of opening batsman is slightly different. In this type of cricket a high run rate
is a necessity. Also, in the early 1990s, fielding restrictions
were introduced in the early overs of the game, limiting the fielding side to only two players on the boundary
. To start the innings effectively and take advantage of the fielding restrictions, it became beneficial to have an aggressive batsman opening the innings.
and defensive technique is necessary to overcome this type of attack, but they are often also fleet-footed players who attack slow bowling by charging down the pitch. The middle order players must also be adept at making runs when playing with the poor quality batsmen in the lower order. This requires the ability to manipulate the strike so that the tail-enders are shielded from the more potent bowlers.
Players who are designated as all-rounders often bat in the middle order (e.g., Garfield Sobers
usually batted at number 6; by contrast, W G Grace always opened the innings). Wicketkeepers generally bat in the middle order as well, often at number 7 (e.g. Adam Gilchrist
). One reason for placing all-rounders and wicket-keepers in the middle-order even though they may be more skilled than those who batted above them was because such players would be tired after bowling or keeping wicket during the preceding innings.
In One Day International cricket, middle order batsmen are generally able to change their game depending on the conditions. If their team loses wickets early, they must be able to play a long careful innings. Conversely, if they are not required to bat until later in the game, they must be able to attempt to score quickly, often attempting to hit many fours or sixes, and if they only have a short period to bat, they are expected to be innovative and able to settle after a short period. In run-chases they are required to be good at calculating and minimising the risks needed to reach the target, by scoring at close to the rate required. If they score more quickly than is required, they run the risk of getting out and exposing the weaker, lower-order batsmen to the pressure situation, but if they score too slowly, then they fall behind schedule and the pressure again increases.
Michael Bevan
is a classic One-Day middle order batsman. He was often witnessed batting at the crucial stages of a match. Bevan was often called upon at number 6 to save an innings and cease a batting order collapse. He was a key exponent of the paced innings - building an individual score while systematically chasing down a total. This was made no more apparent than in the New Year's Day match of 1996 when Bevan orchestrated an Australian run chase culminating in a last-ball boundary off the West Indies' Roger Harper to win the match.
It is likely that these batsmen will be dismissed for low scores. However, as expectations on these players are low when they are batting, they often play aggressive, carefree shots in the hope of achieving as many runs as possible. On occasion, the scores posted by the lower order have made a difference to the outcome of a match. If a significant contribution has come from the tail-enders, it is often said that "the tail wagged".
On occasions in which the batting team is a long way behind its opponents, the lower-order batsmen may attempt to salvage a draw by playing defensively until the end of the match. An example of this would be the first test in the 2009 Ashes series, in which England bowlers James Anderson
and Monty Panesar
were able to remain at the crease for 11.3 overs, denying Australia the chance to win the match.
The last batsman in the order is sometimes referred to as Last man Jack
, a term that has passed into everyday parlance. This is because if the batting order were arranged as a pack of cards numbers 9 and 10 would be followed by Jack
.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time. All eleven players in a team are required to bat if the innings is completed (i.e., if the innings does not close early due to a declaration
Declaration and forfeiture
In the sport of cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. Declaration and forfeiture are covered in Law 14 of the Laws of cricket...
or other factor).
The batting order is colloquially subdivided into:
- opening batsmen or openers (the two batsmen who start, or open, the innings)
- upper or top order (batsmen at positions three and four in the order)
- middle order (batsmen five to seven)
- lower order or tail (batsmen eight to eleven)
The order in which the eleven players will bat is usually established prior to the commencement of a cricket match, but may be altered during play. The decision is based on factors such as each player's specialities; the position each batsman is most comfortable with; each player's skills and attributes as a batsman; possible combinations with other batsmen; and the match situation whereby, for example, the team may require a more defensive or attacking player at that point in the innings.
Changing the batting order
The captainCaptain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
of the team can change the batting order during the game at his or her discretion. There are no rules about the nature or number of changes made and, if more than one innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
is played, the order used in each need not be the same. It has even been known for a captain to completely reverse his batting order for the second innings after following on. This has made it possible for a bowler to take a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
across three consecutive overs of a match, including the same batsman twice.
There are various reasons why the captain might make a change from the established order. Usually, however, captains and coaches prefer not to adjust the batting order unless necessary.
Pinch hitter
If the state of the game requires runs to be scored quickly, a captain will often promote a batsman who is known to score quickly up the order. This is usually a lower-order batsman, as their wicket is not regarded as being so valuable. A batsman who is promoted up the order with the intention of scoring quick runs is called a pinch hitterPinch hitter (cricket)
In cricket, pinch hitter is the usual term for a batsman promoted up the batting order in order to score quick runs. As attempting to score runs quickly involves playing more aggressive shots and thus an increased likelihood of being dismissed, it is generally considered unwise for a top-order...
.
Nightwatchman
When a wicket falls near the end of the day, a lower order (less capable) batsman might be sent in to bat with the intention that the more capable players will be held in reserve until the next morning. The more capable players are then not exposed to the risk of dismissal while tired or in low-light conditions. The batsman who is sent in is known as the nightwatchman. This tactic is also used because players are typically nervous and unsettled at the start of the innings before settling into their rhythm and becoming "set". Sending a specialist batsman in late in the day means that he will have to survive one such period in the afternoon, before doing the same again after the resumption of play the next day, increasing the chance of a dismissal, so a less valuable batsman is sent in instead.Injury
A batsman might be injuredInjury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
or unwell and unable to take his place in the batting order. The batsman may return further down the order if he recovers or if the situation of the game requires it. For example, if a game is nearly won and a top order batsman has a slight injury, then a few batsmen who usually bat lower than him in the order may go out to bat before him. If they win the game, then the injured batsman's health was not further damaged. If more wickets fall and he is able, the injured batsmen may then go out and try to score enough runs to win the game. In this case, he may opt to use a runner
Runner (cricket)
In cricket, a runner is a team member who runs between the wickets for an injured batsman.When a runner is used, the batsman stands in position and plays shots as normal, but does not attempt to run between the wickets: the runner runs for him...
.
In some circumstances, if a player has been off the field during the opposition's innings for a long time, then he is not allowed to come in to bat until a certain amount of time has passed or 5 wickets have fallen. (These restrictions come about as a result of playing conditions normally used in first class and Test cricket, they are not part of the laws of cricket.)
Opening batsmen
The opening batsmen or "openers" are the batsmen who bat first in the inningsInnings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. This position is important as the openers need to get the innings off to a good start. The early fall of wickets can have a psychological impact on the rest of the team, affecting their performance with the bat. The opening batsmen also get the first experience of the pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
and conditions, and must be able to adjust to them quickly.
Most importantly, the opening batsmen must face a new ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
, which is hard and has a pronounced seam. This makes it more liable to travel fast, bounce high, seam
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
around (i.e., bounce unpredictably off the seam) and swing
Swing bowling
Swing bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as swing bowlers. Swing bowling is generally classed as a subtype of fast bowling.-Physics of swing bowling:...
(i.e., deviate sideways when travelling through the air). These early conditions favour the bowling team, so the opening batsmen must have a sound technique and be good defensively. As the ball gets older, its condition starts to favour the batting team. Therefore, the openers will ideally stay at the crease
Crease (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, the crease is a certain area demarcated by white lines painted or chalked on the field of play.The term crease also refers to any of the lines themselves, particularly the popping crease. Law 9 of the Laws of Cricket governs the size and position of the crease markings...
long enough to protect the batsmen further down the order.
In first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
, the rate at which the openers score runs is not as important as "taking the shine off" the new ball. This is the process of softening and roughening the cricket ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
, whose condition tends to degrade the longer it is in play. By occupying the crease for a long time and taking the shine off the ball, the openers themselves are able to score more freely later on. This also makes batting easier for the rest of the order. Because of the defensive technique required early on, openers are sometimes less fluent stroke-players than the specialist batsmen who follow.
In limited overs cricket, the role of opening batsman is slightly different. In this type of cricket a high run rate
Run rate
In cricket, the run rate , or runs per over is the number of runs a batsman scores in an over of 6 balls. It includes all runs, even the so-called extras awarded due to errors by the bowler. Without extras and overthrows, the maximum run rate is 36 – if every ball were struck for six and, as...
is a necessity. Also, in the early 1990s, fielding restrictions
Fielding restrictions (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, different fielding restrictions are imposed depending on the type of match. They are used to discourage certain bowling tactics, or to encourage the batsmen to play big shots, enabling them to hit 4s and 6s. Each team has nine fielders other than the wicket-keeper and...
were introduced in the early overs of the game, limiting the fielding side to only two players on the boundary
Boundary (cricket)
Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket:# the edge or boundary of the playing field, and# a manner of scoring runs.-Edge of the field:...
. To start the innings effectively and take advantage of the fielding restrictions, it became beneficial to have an aggressive batsman opening the innings.
Top order
The batsmen who bat at positions 3, 4 and 5 in the order are sometimes the most technically proficient batsmen with the best stroke play. As they are likely to face an older ball that is easier to score runs against, they must aim to make a large number of runs. They may be exposed to the new ball if an opener loses his wicket early on and so must be equipped to deal with this scenario as well. The world's most prolific and best recognised batsmen are generally found in the top order.Middle order
The middle order usually consists of versatile batsmen who must continue to build an innings. The middle order batsman is likely to be facing a much older ball bowled by a spin bowlerSpin bowling
Spin bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.-Purpose:The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the...
and defensive technique is necessary to overcome this type of attack, but they are often also fleet-footed players who attack slow bowling by charging down the pitch. The middle order players must also be adept at making runs when playing with the poor quality batsmen in the lower order. This requires the ability to manipulate the strike so that the tail-enders are shielded from the more potent bowlers.
Players who are designated as all-rounders often bat in the middle order (e.g., Garfield Sobers
Garfield Sobers
Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers AO, OCC is a former cricketer who captained West Indies. His first name of Garfield is variously abbreviated as Gary or Garry. He is widely regarded as one of cricket's greatest ever all-rounders, having excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and...
usually batted at number 6; by contrast, W G Grace always opened the innings). Wicketkeepers generally bat in the middle order as well, often at number 7 (e.g. Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist
Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
). One reason for placing all-rounders and wicket-keepers in the middle-order even though they may be more skilled than those who batted above them was because such players would be tired after bowling or keeping wicket during the preceding innings.
In One Day International cricket, middle order batsmen are generally able to change their game depending on the conditions. If their team loses wickets early, they must be able to play a long careful innings. Conversely, if they are not required to bat until later in the game, they must be able to attempt to score quickly, often attempting to hit many fours or sixes, and if they only have a short period to bat, they are expected to be innovative and able to settle after a short period. In run-chases they are required to be good at calculating and minimising the risks needed to reach the target, by scoring at close to the rate required. If they score more quickly than is required, they run the risk of getting out and exposing the weaker, lower-order batsmen to the pressure situation, but if they score too slowly, then they fall behind schedule and the pressure again increases.
Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
is a classic One-Day middle order batsman. He was often witnessed batting at the crucial stages of a match. Bevan was often called upon at number 6 to save an innings and cease a batting order collapse. He was a key exponent of the paced innings - building an individual score while systematically chasing down a total. This was made no more apparent than in the New Year's Day match of 1996 when Bevan orchestrated an Australian run chase culminating in a last-ball boundary off the West Indies' Roger Harper to win the match.
Lower order or tail
The lower order is made up of players who have average or poor batting skills. These players are the team's specialist bowlers and sometimes the wicketkeeper. Therefore the start of the lower order may vary in position depending on the balance of the side in terms of overall batting capability. Lower order batsmen are generally known as tail-enders.It is likely that these batsmen will be dismissed for low scores. However, as expectations on these players are low when they are batting, they often play aggressive, carefree shots in the hope of achieving as many runs as possible. On occasion, the scores posted by the lower order have made a difference to the outcome of a match. If a significant contribution has come from the tail-enders, it is often said that "the tail wagged".
On occasions in which the batting team is a long way behind its opponents, the lower-order batsmen may attempt to salvage a draw by playing defensively until the end of the match. An example of this would be the first test in the 2009 Ashes series, in which England bowlers James Anderson
James Anderson (cricketer)
James Michael "Jimmy" Anderson is an English cricketer. He plays first-class cricket for Lancashire County Cricket Club and since bursting onto the scene in 2002/03, before his first full season of county cricket, Anderson has represented England in over 50 Test matches and over 100 One Day...
and Monty Panesar
Monty Panesar
Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, known as Monty Panesar , is an English cricketer who currently plays for Sussex. A left-arm spinner, Panesar played Test and one-day cricket for England until 2009. In English county cricket he played for Northamptonshire until 2009...
were able to remain at the crease for 11.3 overs, denying Australia the chance to win the match.
The last batsman in the order is sometimes referred to as Last man Jack
Last man Jack
Last man Jack is a euphemism that has crossed into mainstream English from the sport of cricket.The term has come to mean "every single person", as in the following example:...
, a term that has passed into everyday parlance. This is because if the batting order were arranged as a pack of cards numbers 9 and 10 would be followed by Jack
Jack (playing card)
A Jack, also Knave, is a playing card with a picture of a man on it. The usual rank of a jack, within its suit, is as if it were an 11 ....
.
Highest Test match scores for each batting position
- 1. Len HuttonLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
(ENG) - 364 vs. Australia at The Oval, 1938 - 2. Matthew HaydenMatthew HaydenMatthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
(AUS) - 380 vs. Zimbabwe at Perth, 2003–04 - 3. Brian LaraBrian LaraBrian Charles Lara, TC, OCC, AM is a former West Indian international cricket player. Lara is generally regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time...
(WI) - 400* vs. England at St. John's, 2003–04 - 4. Mahela JayawardeneMahela JayawardeneDenagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
(SL) - 374 vs. South Africa at Colombo, 2006–07 - 5. Sir Donald BradmanDonald BradmanSir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
(AUS) - 304 vs. England at Leeds, 1934 - 6. Doug WaltersDoug WaltersKevin Douglas Walters MBE in Dungog New South Wales, known as Doug Walters, is a former Australian cricketer. He was known as an attacking batsman, and also as a typical ocker.-First-class career:...
(AUS) - 250 vs. New Zealand at Christchurch, 1976–77 - 7. Sir Donald BradmanDonald BradmanSir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
(AUS) - 270 vs. England at Melbourne, 1936–37 - 8. Wasim AkramWasim AkramWasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
(PAK) - 257* vs. Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura, 1996–97 - 9. Ian Smith (NZ) - 173 vs. India at Auckland, 1989–90
- 10. Walter ReadWalter ReadWalter William Read was an English cricketer, who was a fluent right hand bat. An occasional bowler of lobs, he sometimes switched to quick overarm deliveries. He captained England in two Test matches, winning them both...
(ENG) - 117 vs. Australia at The Oval, 1884 - 11. Zaheer KhanZaheer KhanZaheer Khan is an Indian cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. A left arm fast bowler considered as the best of the Indian fast bowling attack, Zaheer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, and as a batsman also holds the record for the highest Test...
(IND) - 75 vs. Bangladesh at Dhaka, 2004