How to score a stoolball match

Before play starts

  • Along the top fill in teams’ names, the ground where you’re playing and the date.
  • Fill in the names of the first two batsmen and the first bowler.
  • Look for the umpire’s signal and raise your hand to confirm that you’re ready.

When a ball is bowled

  • No score – put a dot in the “ball per over” box after the bowler, and in “runs scored” after the batsman.
  • Runs are scored

    If the umpire signalled to you, raise your hand. Then update 3 places:

    1. Put the score in the “ball per over” box after the bowler. If the batsman didn’t hit the ball it’s byes, so add a “B”.
    2. If the batsman hit the ball, put the score in the “runs scored” box after their name. If they didn’t hit it, put the score in the “byes” box below the last batsman.
    3. Cross off one box for each run in the grid at the top right.

    A completed batter's innings in a scorebook

  • No balls and wides

    Raise your hand when the umpire signals, then update up to 5 places:

    1. Write “NB” or “WD” in the “ball per over” box. If runs were scored, write in the total scored as well.
    2. For a no ball, write in the “no balls” column after the bowler.
      • If there was no run, put “1”.
      • If runs are scored, but the batsman didn’t hit the ball, put the total scored plus 1 for the no ball. For example, if the batsmen ran 2 runs, put “3”.
      • If the batsman scores runs, put “1” in the “no balls” column and the rest in “runs scored” after the batsman.
    3. For a wide, write “1” plus any runs scored in the “wides” column. For example if they ran 2 runs, put “3”.
    4. Copy the no balls or wides into the box below the last batsman. It’s always the same number you wrote in the “wides” or “no balls” column after the bowler.
    5. Cross off one box for each run in the grid at the top right, including all the extras for no balls or wides.

    A completed over in a scorebook

At the end of each over

  • Fill in the total for the over and the total score for the innings so far. If someone is scoring with you, check you agree.
  • Call out the score so that someone else can update the scoreboard.
  • Write in the name of the new bowler.

When a batsman is out, or retires

  • Write “WK” in the “ball per over” box after the bowler (unless the batsman retired). If the batsman was run-out going for two or more runs, add the number of completed runs. If it was also a no ball or wide, add “NB” or “WD”.
  • Put two lines across the end of the batsman’s innings and fill in how they got out, the catcher’s name (if caught), the fielder’s name (if run-out), the bowler’s name (though not if run-out, timed out or out for hitting the ball twice) and the batsman’s score.
  • In the “runs at fall of each wicket” box below the last batsman, copy the batsman’s number which appears before their name, and the total score from the grid at the top right.
  • Write in the new batsman’s name.

At the end of the innings

Add up the total of all the batsmen’s scores plus the byes, no balls and wides. It should match the total crossed off in the grid, and the total score after the final over bowled.

Unusual situations

Follow the instructions above for “runs are scored”, using the following scores:

  • If a fielder throws the ball in, it’s missed, and it crosses the boundary, the score is the runs completed plus four.
  • If the bowler tries to run-out the batsman behind them before bowling, misses, and runs are scored, treat it as if the batsmen scored runs but didn’t hit the ball (byes). The delivery is not counted as one of the eight in the over.
  • If the ball is lost inside the boundary, treat it as if the batsmen ran three runs. If the batsman didn’t hit the ball, it’s three byes.