CricPulse
The scoreboard shows 164 each. Is that a tie? Probably. The sky has turned black after 11 overs of the chase. Is that a draw? No. And the Sunday league match where the batting side is 8 down, 12 short, and the umpires call time? That one is a draw, not a tie — and it can cost a team points they were counting on.
Tie, draw and no result are three separate outcomes with three separate rules. This guide explains each of them, where Law 16 of the Laws of Cricket draws the lines, and what a scorer should write in the book.
The Short Answer
| Result | What it means | Typical in |
|---|---|---|
| Tie | All innings complete and the scores are level | Any format; very rare in Tests |
| Draw | Time ran out before the match reached a win or a tie | Timed matches: Tests, first-class, two-innings club games |
| No result | A limited-overs match could not be completed or reach the minimum overs | Limited-overs cricket, usually after rain |
| Conceded | One side accepts defeat | Rare |
| Awarded | The umpires give the match to one side because the other refused to play | Rare |
What Is a Tie?
Under Law 16, a match is a tie when all innings have been completed and the scores are equal. The key words are “completed” and “equal”. A tie needs a finished contest, not an unfinished one that happens to be level.
In limited-overs cricket, the side batting second completes its innings by being bowled out or by facing its full allocation of overs. So if the chase ends on 164 after 20 overs against a first innings of 164, the match is tied even though the chasing side still has wickets in hand.
In Test cricket a tie is extraordinarily rare. Only two Tests have been tied: Australia and West Indies at Brisbane in 1960, and Australia and India at Madras in 1986. In limited-overs cricket they are much more common, which is why so many tournaments now settle them with a Super Over.
Tie versus a tie-break
The result of the match under the Laws is still a tie. A Super Over, bowl-out or any other tie-breaker is a competition rule that picks the team that progresses or takes the points. Leagues that do not use one simply record the tie.
What Is a Draw?
The Laws define a draw by exclusion: a match that is not decided as a win or a tie is a draw. In practice it is the result of a timed match in which the allotted time runs out before one side has won or both sides have completed their innings.
This is why the batting side that is far behind may happily play out time. If its last innings is not completed when the match ends, it cannot lose by runs and it cannot tie. That tactic of “saving the draw” is also why captains think hard about declarations and forfeitures and the follow-on: both are about creating enough time to force a result.
Why a level score is not always a tie
Suppose a two-innings club match ends with Team B on 240 against Team A’s 240, but Team B has two wickets left and the umpires call time. Scores are level, but B’s innings is not complete, so the match is a draw, not a tie. Only when B is bowled out on exactly 240 does it become a tie.
What Is a No Result?
“No result” is not a separate Law 16 category so much as a competition outcome for limited-overs matches that cannot be finished. If rain or bad light stops play and not enough overs have been bowled for a result to be declared, the match is a no result (sometimes recorded as “abandoned” or “washed out”).
The minimum number of overs needed for a result is set by the competition. As a guide, ICC playing conditions for international matches typically need five overs per side in a T20I and twenty in an ODI, but local leagues vary widely, so check your own playing conditions rather than assume.
If the minimum has been reached, a result can be produced from a revised target. Our DLS explainer covers the method, and the rain-affected overs calculator and DLS calculator help with the maths. Many club leagues use a simpler reduction method, and you should use whatever your competition specifies.
Conceded and Awarded Matches
These two are rare but they have their own entries in the Laws. A match is conceded when one side accepts that it has lost and the umpires agree. A match is awarded when the umpires decide that one side has refused to play. Both produce a win for the other team, and a scorer should write the result exactly that way.
How Each Result Affects the League Table
The Laws define the result; the competition decides what it is worth. There is no universal points scheme, and bonus points complicate it further (see our guide to league bonus points). The table below is an illustration only, not any specific league’s rule:
| Result | Illustrative points | Net run rate |
|---|---|---|
| Win | Highest (for example 2 or 10) | Counted |
| Tie | Shared, often half a win or more than a no result | Counted, using the regular innings only |
| Draw | Competition-specific; often fewer than a tie | Not usually used in timed formats |
| No result | Shared, usually the smallest share | Normally excluded |
One reliable pattern for net run rate: a tie uses the runs and overs of the two regular innings (Super Over runs are left out), while a no-result match is normally left out completely. Our net run rate guide covers the arithmetic, and the points table calculator lets you test different points schemes.
What the Scorer Records
- Complete both innings totals first. A result cannot be called until the totals and wickets are final and signed off.
- Write the result in the official words: “Team A won by 12 runs”, “Match tied”, “Match drawn”, “No result”, “Match conceded”, or “Match awarded”.
- For a tie, note the tie-breaker separately. Record that the match was tied and then who won the Super Over, so the league can apply its own rules.
- For a no result, record the overs bowled. The overs and score at the stoppage matter if the competition has to review the decision.
- Do not decide the points. Report the result; the league secretary applies the table rules.
New to the scorebook? Start with how to score a cricket match, then see how to read a cricket scorecard.
Scoring the Result Without the Argument
When the last ball is bowled, the scorebook should already show a result nobody can dispute. Want to record this automatically during your next match? Score your match with CricPulse and keep the full ball-by-ball record for both innings, so a tie, a chase or a washed-out game is settled by the data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a tie and a draw in cricket?
A tie means all innings have been completed and the scores are exactly level. A draw means the match ran out of time before a result was reached, so the scores say nothing. A team that is 10 runs behind with wickets in hand at the close has drawn, not tied.
What is a no result in cricket?
A no result is how a limited-overs match ends when it cannot be completed or reach the minimum required for a result, usually because of rain or bad light. It is not a draw or a tie, and most competitions treat it separately in the points table.
How many tied Test matches have there been?
Two. Australia and West Indies tied at Brisbane in 1960, and Australia and India tied at Madras in 1986. A tie is far more common in limited-overs cricket than in Tests.
Does a tied limited-overs match go to a Super Over?
It depends on the competition. Many tournaments use a Super Over to find a winner in knockout games, while in league matches a tie is often left as a tie and the points are shared. The competition’s playing conditions decide.
Do ties and no results count towards net run rate?
A tied match counts towards net run rate using the regular innings only, because Super Over runs and overs are excluded. A no-result match is normally excluded entirely. Check the tournament’s own rules, as they can differ.
What is the difference between a match being conceded and being awarded?
Under Law 16, a match is conceded when one side accepts defeat, and awarded when the umpires decide a side has refused to play and award the match to the opposition. Both give the other team a win.