The cricketing term “dot ball” came into existence as a ball without any runs scored off it is recorded as a single dot in the scorebook. Any batsman unable to score runs against the fielding team will have their tally of dot balls increase throughout the match.
In limited-overs cricket, especially in T20 Cricket or the trending T10 format, the increasing dot ball percentage can further lead to pressure on the said batting team or the batsman in the discussion.
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Why Is It Called a Dot Ball?
The dot ball is named in cricket’s scores system. When a ball is bowled without a run from the bat or by extras, the scorer records the delivery as an individual point in the record. The dots are usually separated from wicket-take deliveries. Any ball involving wickets will show a ‘W’ instead of dots.
The reason for this is fairly simple to decipher. The term “dot” usually refers to a void occurrence. Because no run scored off delivery is a kind of emptiness, the best term to describe it is unquestionably a single dot.
In white-ball cricket, the number of dot balls in a ‘team innings’ and a player’s innings is a huge factor in deciding whether the innings fared well for the team or player in question. Swing bowlers who can move the ball both ways and mystery spinners are huge assets in limited-overs cricket as they can make the batting team play more dot ball shots during any phase of the innings.
What Is the Dot Ball Importance?
A wicket is of huge importance in the longest format of the sport to a bowler and the fielding side. But when we talk about shorter formats like T20 cricket, the dot ball’s importance even outweighs the importance of a wicket at certain stages of the match. Generally, the dot ball in cricket is a tricky issue because, in any format, the main goal for each team is to gain as many runs as possible to skyrocket the score card and win possibility.
The cricket pitch, the overhead weather conditions, the quality of the bowling line-up, and the mindset of the fielding team or the opposition captain are also important factors in deciding whether the number of dot balls played is at par or above par by the batting team. It is very important to understand these factors before placing a bet.
If one sees a whole innings played out in a cricket match, he/she will more likely be able to predict the dot ball number in the second innings based on the quality of batsmen available to the team about to bat second in the said match.
Dot Ball in Limited Overs Cricket
A dot ball has a special place in limited-overs formats of cricket. A dotted line can pressure batting teams who want to increase their runs. Sometimes the player plays a poor swing or completely misses the ball, which can give the pitcher a dot almost randomly. The bowling team may try ways to increase its chances of delivering dots.
Toward the end of the innings, you can often see bowling targets extending the entire length across the stumps. It is risky because it is likely the umpire will have to throw it again if it is too close.
Reasons for Dot Ball
Batsmen who get to use dot ball often have multiple reasons. One reason for it is if the batsman could not make an impact in the deliveries bowl, therefore preventing the team from scoring. This may be due to the possibility that the batsman would have difficulties running.
Another possible reason will be if an opponent doesn’t make a single effort to get more runs as a result of settling the ball with a wicket keeper or bowler. When you have dots on your score card, you have an encounter that results in a dead ball hitting your score card.
Records of Most Dot Balls
In test cricket, Englishman John Murray holds the record of playing out the most number of dot balls without scoring a run. The 1966 Wisden Cricketer of the Year is widely regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers to represent England, and he took 79 balls before opening his account in test innings.
In the 21st century, his compatriot Stuart Broad holds the record of playing the most balls in a test match without scoring a run, i.e., 63.
In team records, Australia played the highest number of dot balls as they faced 154 consecutive dot balls against Sri Lanka in away conditions. In the aforementioned test match, Steve O’Keefe and Peter Nevil tried to save the test match on the fifth day, but the home side struck two quick wickets in 86th and the 89th over to wrap up the win.
In the Indian Premier League, Harbhajan Singh has reached the dot ball record with 1268 dot balls in 569.2 overs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowling 1267 dot balls in 491.3 overs. In a single IPL inning, Deepak Chahar has bowled the most dot balls, i.e., 20 in 4 overs (against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2019).
Summary
Dot ball in cricket describes the ball delivered, and no runs are scored. It is also referred to as a “dead ball” or an “unscored ball”. A dot ball can result from a good defensive shot, a dead ball, a wide, a no ball, or, in extreme cases, a ball that is bowled and not played.
A dot ball counts as one score delivery and is recorded in the scorebook as such. Over the course of a match, a team will usually have a larger number of dot balls than runs scored, and the number of dot balls can heavily influence the outcome of the game. While it’s not always possible to avoid dot balls, an experienced and skillful batsman can minimize the number of times they occur. Knowing how to read the bowling and anticipate the delivery can help you to score runs more often than not.
While betting, one would be asked to guess whether the first ball would be a dot ball, the second ball would be a dot ball, and so on. Whilst analyzing the same, one should remember which bowler and batsman would be involved in the ball they are betting on. use our free betting tips and place your first wager on Parimatch!
Are you wondering what other cricket-specific metrics exist out there? We suggest you check out some of our other articles related to these topics:
FAQ
Is dot ball good in cricket?
The batter decides the ball will miss the stump because the pitching is shortened and will be hit. Alternative: Leave the ball at the line but decide it will never get through the stumps. Dot is the cricket word for a 0 run.
What is the difference between a lost ball and a dot ball?
When an opponent’s ball goes missing or is not recovered, the fielding team could call it a lost ball. A batting side will keep penalties (like no-balls and broads). Those who lose the ball can change it with a replacement that is similar to the damage.
Which bowler has most dot balls?
Bangladesh cricketer has the highest number of dots bowled during the T20I cricket tournament. He struck 922 balls with a total average of 6.82.