Over in Cricket

A set of six legal deliveries bowled from one end, after which a different bowler takes over from the other end.

What is a Over?

The basic unit of a cricket innings. One bowler delivers six fair balls, wides and no-balls don't count toward the six, then the action switches ends and a different bowler starts the next over. This is why bowlers can't bowl two overs in a row — it's a structural rule, not a tactical choice — and why captains rotate their attack across a full session.

In play

Last ball of the over, two runs needed to win. Everything the match has built toward comes down to this single delivery.

More laws terms

• BoundaryThe rope marking the edge of the playing field — and the four or six runs scored when the ball reaches or crosses it.
• Run OutA dismissal where a batter fails to reach a crease before the fielding side breaks the stumps at that end.
• StumpedA dismissal where the wicketkeeper breaks the stumps while the batter is out of their crease, without a run being attempted.
• CaughtA dismissal where a fielder catches the ball on the full after it comes off the bat, before it touches the ground.
• LBWLeg Before Wicket — out when the ball strikes the pad and would have hit the stumps.
• MankadRunning out the non-striker before delivering the ball, when they back up too far.