Batting order (cricket)
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- This article is about the term "batting order" as used in cricket. For other uses of the term, see Batting order.
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen go to the crease to bat. All eleven players in a cricket side must bat, unless a declaration is made. The batting order is usually subdivided into:
- Opening batsmen or openers (the two batsmen who start, or open, the innings.
- Upper 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 established prior to the commencement of a cricket match. The decision is based on factors such as each players' specialities, the position each batsman will feel most comfortable in, each players skills and attributes as a batsman and possible combinations with other batsmen.
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[edit] Changing the Batting Order
The captain of the team can change the batting order during the game at their discretion. There are no rules about the nature or number of changes made, and if more than one innings is played the orders for 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 [1].
There are various reasons that the captain might make a change from the established order. Often, however, captains and coaches prefer not to adjust the batting order unless necessary as it can have a destabalising effect.
[edit] 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 hitter.
[edit] Nightwatchman
When a wicket falls near the end of the day, a nightwatchman (a lower order batsman used to protect more capable players) might get sent in to bat.
[edit] Injury
A batsman might be injured 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 order batsman has a slight injury, then a few batsmen who usually bat lower than him in the order may go out to bat first. If they win the game, then the batsman's health was not further damaged. If however more wickets fall, 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 (cricket).
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 number of overs have passed.
[edit] Opening Batsmen or Openers
The two batsmen who bat at the start of a match must be strong with the bat. It is important for them to have good defensive abilities, as they must face the new ball. The new ball moves faster through the air and is liable to swing and bounce more. This makes is particularly difficult to bat against. The openers are expected to stay at the crease long enough to ensure the ball slows down and starts to behave more predictably. In this way they "protect" the batsmen further down the order.
In first class cricket, the rate that runs are scored at by the important is not as important as the time spent "taking the shine off" the new ball. However in One-day cricket matches where there are a limited number of overs in which to score runs, opening batsmen are expected to score at a fast rate. They must get the innings off to a good start and build an innings efficiently. The openers are helped somewhat in this task by fielding restrictions, limiting the fielding side to only two players outside of a thirty yard circle around the batsman.
[edit] Top Order
The batsmen who bat at positions 3 and 4 in the order are typically the most technically proficient batsmen with the best strokeplay. As they are likely to face an older ball that is easier to score runs against, they must aim to make large number of runs. They may be exposed to the new ball if an opener loses their wicket early on, and so must be equiped to deal with this scenario as well.
[edit] Middle Order
The middle order usually consists of versatile batsmen who must continue to build an innings. Again, defensive abilities are crucial and it is likely they will face a much older ball bowled by a spin bowler. Middle order players should also be adept at making runs when playing with the poor quality batsmen in the lower order.
[edit] Lower Order or Tail
The lower order is considered to be made up of the specialist bowlers in the side who are not renowned for their batting skill. Therefore the start of the lower order may vary in position depending on the balance of the side. This part of the batting order is often referred to as the tail and batsmen who play in it are known as tail-enders (particularly weak batsmen are known as rabbits).
It is likely that these batsmen will be dismissed for low scores. However, as expectations on these players are low when batting, they often play aggressive, carefree shots in the hope of achieving as many runs as possible. On occasions, the scores posted by the lower order have made a difference to the outcome of a Test match.
[edit] References
- ^ Cricinfo Ask Steven Column - see the last question - retrieved 16 November 2006.
