CricPulse
Follow-On Calculator
Find out instantly whether a team can enforce the follow-on. Pick the match length, enter the first-innings totals, and see the lead, the follow-on mark, and the runs needed to avoid it.
What the Follow-On Calculator Does
The follow-on lets a team that batted first force the opposition to bat again immediately — but only if its first-innings lead is big enough. This calculator does the maths for any match length: enter the totals and it tells you the required lead, the score Team 2 must reach to avoid the follow-on, and whether it can actually be enforced.
Required Lead by Match Length
- 5 days or more (Test): 200 runs
- 3–4 days (first-class): 150 runs
- 2 days: 100 runs
- 1 day (long-form): 75 runs
The Formula
Score to avoid the follow-on = Team 1 total − required lead + 1
Want the full picture, including why captains so often decline it? Read the follow-on rule explained. New to long-form scoring? Start with the beginner’s guide to cricket scoring rules and how to read a scorecard.
Track Leads Automatically with CricPulse
Scoring a multi-day match? CricPulse keeps the running lead and innings order visible ball by ball, so the follow-on margin is never a mental-maths scramble. Free on iOS and Android.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many runs do you need to enforce the follow-on? +
In a Test match of five days or more, the team batting first must lead by at least 200 runs. It is 150 runs in three- or four-day first-class cricket, 100 runs in two-day matches, and 75 runs in one-day long-form matches.
How is the follow-on target calculated? +
Subtract the required lead from Team 1's first-innings total. Team 2 must reach one run above that figure to avoid the follow-on. For example, if Team 1 scores 450 in a Test, the mark is 250, so Team 2 must reach 251.
Is the follow-on compulsory once the lead is reached? +
No. The follow-on is always optional. Reaching the required lead only gives the leading captain the choice to enforce it or to bat again.
Why do captains often decline the follow-on? +
To rest tired bowlers, to avoid batting last on a worn pitch, and to set a large target by batting again and declaring. Australia famously lost after enforcing it against India in 2001, which made many captains more cautious.
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