- The follow-on can be enforced when a team leads by 200 or more runs.
- A follow-on is when a team is forced to bat immediately after their first innings.
- The follow-on provokes some fascinating tactical decisions.
It’s important that bettors understand how the follow-on works before placing wagers on the cricket betting markets at the BetMGM online sportsbook.
A follow-on can change the course of a Test match. It has given teams a foundation to fight back, and on other occasions, enforcing the follow-on has bought time for a team to win a match.
What Is Follow-On in Test Cricket?
A follow-on is when the team batting second is forced to immediately bat again.
The team that batted first can choose to enforce the follow-on if they have a lead of at least 200 runs when both teams have completed their first innings.
How To Count Follow-On in Test Cricket?
Working out the follow-on is simple. If the team batting first scored 400, the team batting second must score at least 201 runs to avoid the risk of being asked to bat again.
Television coverage of Test matches will often show how many runs are required to avoid the follow-on if the batting team is trailing by over 200 runs with only a few wickets left.
Can You Bat Again After Follow-On?
Yes, a team can bat again after they have enforced the follow-on. If a team enforces the follow-on and the trailing team manages to get a lead, the team that batted first will be required to bat again.
For instance, if England scored 450 against Australia in the first innings and they enforced the follow-on after Australia scored 200, England would need to bat again if Australia scored 250 or more in their second innings.
How Much To Score To Avoid Follow-On in Test Cricket?
To avoid being asked to follow-on in Test cricket, a team must get to within 199 runs of the team that batted first.
If South Africa scored 300 batting first, for example, then New Zealand would need to score 101 in their first innings to avoid the follow-on.
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