Result

Result is the final score of a cricket match, which can end either with a victory for one of the teams or with a draw (Tie). If the game is played in the format of limited overs, then a No result outcome is also possible (provided that the match cannot be completed within the time limits set by the rules – for example, due to rain or poor lighting). Draw or an open result can also be recorded in other formats, primarily in the test format. 16th section of Laws is dedicated to the result.

The winning result is recorded in the case when one of the sides scored more runs, and the second completed all its innings. The winner is the team with the most runs; if, for some reason, it is impossible to finish the innings, the result will be either a Draw or No result.

A draw is declared if the teams have scored the same number of points – provided that the batting side has completed all its innings (in competitions in the limited overs format, a Tie can be declared if the number of overs set by the rules is fulfilled or the game is finally stopped due to poor lighting or rainy weather).

In one-day cricket (for example, T20), the final result in the event of a draw can be determined by the so-called super-over or Bowl-out. If the judges were forced to resort to such a measure, then the final protocols usually indicate either Tie+W (victory) Tie+L (defeat).

As for draw, this result is possible only in those matches for which the maximum allowed number of overs is not set. It is announced if one or both teams did not have time to complete their innings by the planned end of the match. Interestingly, sometimes teams use the opportunity to “save the Draw”, avoiding putting out all the declared batsmen or slowing down the opponent’s batsmen, that is, not allowing them to score runs. Thus, draw does not actually depend on the number of runs that each side has recorded on its account.

No result is somewhat similar to draw – with the difference that it can only be declared in a match that takes place in the format of limited overs. For example, if a game cannot be completed due to adverse weather conditions, it is referred to as Washed out.

It is important to take into account that the limited overs format provides a minimum number of overs, which makes No result impossible (20 in ODI and five in T20). If each participating team has fulfilled this minimum, the result can be calculated even with a minimal advantage (the so-called Duckworth-Lewis method is used for this).

In addition, cricket matches can be canceled (abandoned). As a rule, this happens if the game conditions are so obviously unfavorable that it is not possible to continue the game that has been started. This result is announced only if the bowler within the first over has not started his run-up at the time of the officials’ decision to cancel the match. Such matches are not included in the official statistics of the teams.

It is worth noting that until 2004, a similar result was announced in the case when the draw took place, but the referee declared “Abandoned/Canceled” before the ball was served. However, the ICC then decided that matches in which the draw was should end in such cases with either a Draw or No result. Unlike Abandoned/Canceled, such games are included in the statistics.

There are also several rare varieties of result, which are recorded extremely rarely:

• Awarded;
• Conceded.

In the first case, the victory is awarded to the side that is ready to continue the game, while the second admits defeat or refuses to play further. In the second case, we are talking about a technical failure: if an incorrect result was displayed on the scoreboard, but the “losing” team agreed with it and left the field, then the victory is awarded to the opponents.

The actual result can be fixed in several ways. If the side batting last wins without losing all the wickets, then the victory is declared according to the number of remaining wickets.

If the side that served last wins, then the result is fixed with a difference in wounds.

If the side that batted last lost all the wickets, but taking into account the five added runs was able to beat the opponent on this indicator, then the winning result will be recorded, but with the Penalty runs clause.

In matches that take place in the two-innings format, both this indicator and the total number of runs are usually taken into account (for example, the result can be declared as “a victory with a difference of an inning and eight runs”).

This is interesting: in test cricket, a draw result is recorded extremely rarely (there have been only two such cases in the entire history of cricket).