Cricket Follow-On Calculator
Whether a captain can enforce the follow-on from the two first-innings totals and the length of the match — and by how much.
Under the Laws of Cricket, the side batting second can be asked to follow on if it trails by a set margin after the first innings: 200 runs in a match of five days or more, 150 in a three- or four-day match, 100 in a two-day match and 75 in a one-day match.
How the cricket follow-on calculator works
Under the Laws of Cricket, the side batting second can be asked to follow on if it trails by a set margin after the first innings: 200 runs in a match of five days or more, 150 in a three- or four-day match, 100 in a two-day match and 75 in a one-day match. If the first day is lost entirely, the margin drops to that of the shorter match.
Formula: follow-on if (first-innings lead) ≥ margin for the match length
Worked examples
| Inputs | Lead after the first innings | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Test: 450 plays 240 | 210 | lead 210 — can be enforced |
| Four-day match: 320 plays 180 | 140 | lead 140 — 10 short of 150 |
| Second side leads | -100 | not available |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is the follow-on?
The option for a team with a big first-innings lead to make the opposition bat again straight away, aiming to win with time to spare. The trailing side must then overhaul the deficit just to make the leader bat again.
Why would a captain not enforce it?
Tired bowlers, a deteriorating pitch they would rather bat on last, or the memory of famous defeats after enforcing — Kolkata 2001 and Headingley 1981 among them. It is an option, not an obligation.
Does a lost first day change the margin?
Yes. If no play is possible on the first day, the match is treated as one day shorter for the follow-on: a Test then needs a 150-run lead.
Is it different in limited-overs cricket?
The follow-on does not exist in one-innings-a-side formats. The one-day margin here applies to single-day matches played over two innings a side.
Where these figures come from
- World Handicap System — Rules of Handicapping — the score differential and handicap index formula
- International Cricket Council — Playing Conditions — over structure and run-rate definitions
- England and Wales Cricket Board — the national body for the sport these statistics most often describe here
Last checked: September 2026. Formulas follow the governing bodies where one publishes them — the World Handicap System for golf, the ICC playing conditions for cricket run rates.