CricPulse
Scorebook Balance Checker
Enter the totals from the end of an innings and find out whether the batting, the extras, the bowling or the team total is the column that is wrong.
1. The innings total
The innings total on the scoreboard
Runs off the bat only, including not-out batters
2. The extras line
Total runs from wides
Penalty runs only, not runs off the bat
Awarded penalty runs, e.g. 5 for a breach
3. The bowling analysis
The R column of the bowling analysis
4. Wickets (optional check)
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What the Scorebook Balance Checker Does
At the end of an innings, a scorebook should agree with itself. The runs credited to the batters, the runs charged to the bowlers and the extras all come from the same ball-by-ball record, so they must add up to the same team total. When they do not, this tool tells you which column is the likely culprit and by how many runs, instead of leaving you to re-add the whole book.
The Three Identities
Batters + all extras = Team total
Bowlers + byes + leg byes + penalty runs = Team total
Bowlers = Batters + wides + no-balls
Wides and no-balls are bowling extras: they are charged to the bowler. Byes and leg byes are fielding extras: they count towards the team total only. The third identity is just the difference of the first two, so in practice there are two independent checks, and the pattern of which one fails points to the column at fault. If you want a refresher on the categories, read our guide to cricket extras.
Worked Example
Team total 187. Batters add up to 163. Extras: 4 byes, 3 leg byes, 12 wides, 3 no-balls, no penalties, so 22 extras in all. Bowlers conceded 178 runs in total.
- Check 1: 163 + 22 = 185, but the total is 187. Off by 2.
- Check 2: 178 + 4 + 3 = 185, total 187. Off by 2.
- Check 3: 178 against 163 + 12 + 3 = 178. Balances.
The batters and bowlers agree with each other (check 3 passes) but both disagree with the total by the same amount, so the tool points at the team total or the extras line: the running total is probably 2 runs too high, or two extras were missed in the extras line. That is a quick fix compared with re-adding every bowler.
Common Causes of an Unbalanced Book
- Runs hit off a no-ball entered as extras instead of the batter’s runs.
- A wide or no-ball missing from the bowler’s line.
- A bye or leg bye charged to a bowler.
- An over bowled by two bowlers, with the runs split wrongly. See maiden overs and shared overs.
- Penalty runs added to the total but not to the extras line.
- Plain addition slips, especially when batters are added across a page break.
When Runs Are Disputed
If the book balances but you suspect the original ruling was wrong, for example an overthrow or a dead ball, the tool cannot tell you. It checks arithmetic, not decisions. Confirm the final total with the umpires and the other scorer. Related reading: overthrow and boundary rules and how to read a scorecard.
Never Add Up an Innings by Hand Again
CricPulse records each ball once and builds the batting card, bowling analysis, extras and team total from that single record, so the three sides cannot drift apart the way separate paper columns can. Want to record this automatically during your next match? Score your match with CricPulse. Free on iOS and Android. See also the bowling average and economy calculator for what to do with the bowlers’ figures once they balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cricket scorebook not balance? +
Almost always because one run is recorded in two places differently: an extra put in the wrong category, a wide missing from the bowler's line, runs off a no-ball entered as extras instead of to the batter, or a simple addition slip. The three checks in this tool narrow down which column to re-add.
What three totals should a cricket scorebook agree on? +
Batters' runs plus all extras should equal the team total. Bowlers' runs plus byes, leg byes and penalty runs should equal the team total. Bowlers' runs should also equal batters' runs plus wides plus no-balls.
Are no-ball runs extras or batter's runs? +
The no-ball itself is one extra, charged to the bowler. Any runs hit off the bat from that ball go to the batter, and a bye or leg bye run off it goes to the fielding extras. Entering bat runs as no-ball extras is a very common cause of a scorebook that will not balance.
Which extras are charged to the bowler? +
Wides and no-balls are charged to the bowler. Byes and leg byes are not. Penalty runs awarded to the batting side, such as for a breach of the Laws, are normally not charged to the bowler either, but check your competition's scoring instructions.
What if the scorebook still will not balance after the check? +
Agree the total with the other scorer and the umpires first, then re-add the batters' column, then the bowlers' column, then the extras. Compare the running total at the end of each over with the sum of the runs recorded for that over to find the over where the gap appears.
Does this tool work for T20, ODI and club cricket? +
Yes. The identities are the same in every format, because they come from which runs are credited to batters, bowlers or neither. Where your competition treats a category differently, such as penalty runs, enter that total in the box that matches your scorebook.
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