The Follow-On Rule Explained: When and Why It Is Enforced
A plain guide to the follow-on in cricket: what it is, the lead needed to enforce it, when captains choose it and why many decline to use it.
What is the follow-on?
The follow-on is an option available in multi-innings matches. When a side that batted first bowls out its opponents for a total far lower than its own, its captain may require the opponents to bat again straight away. The side that was bowled out then bats a second time before the first team takes its own second turn.
It does not exist in limited-overs cricket, where each side has a single innings.
How big a lead is needed?
The lead required depends on the length of the match. In a match of five days or more, the side batting first must lead by at least 200 runs. In matches of three or four days the lead is 150 runs, in a two-day match it is 100 runs, and in a one-day match it is 75 runs.
The lead is calculated using the first-innings totals only. A captain who is ahead by the required margin can decide to enforce, but is never obliged to.
Why would a captain enforce it?
The main reasons are time and pressure. If a side has built a big total and bowled out the opposition cheaply, making them bat again keeps them in the field and may allow the bowlers to finish the match more quickly. It can also deny the opponents the chance to bat last, since the fourth innings on a worn surface is usually the hardest.
Enforcing the follow-on can also reflect confidence in the bowling attack and a belief that the match can be won inside the available time.
Why do many captains decline?
There are several reasons. The bowlers may be tired after dismissing the opposition, and bowling again straight away offers little rest. A captain may prefer to bat a second time, build an even bigger lead and have their bowlers attack a fourth-innings target on a pitch that has worn.
There is also the risk that the opposition bat well in the second innings, making the match harder to win and leaving the first team to chase a target late in the game. In recent decades, many captains have chosen not to enforce even when it was available.
What happens if it is enforced?
The opponents begin their second innings immediately. The order of innings becomes: first side bats, second side bats, second side bats again, then the first side bats once if needed. If the follow-on side fails to pass the first team’s total, the first team wins by an innings and does not have to bat again.
If the side following on does score enough to make the first team bat, the first team’s second innings is a chase of whatever small target remains.
Notable examples
The follow-on is famously associated with Headingley 1981, when England were made to follow on against Australia and won the Test by 18 runs after Ian Botham and Bob Willis starred. It remains one of the best-known examples of a team recovering from being forced to bat again.
Quick summary
Remember three things. The option belongs to the captain of the side that batted first. The lead needed depends on the match length. And it is a choice, not a requirement, so many leaders prefer to bat again rather than enforce it.
Frequently asked questions
What lead is needed for the follow-on in a Test?
In a Test of five days or more, the lead must be at least 200 runs.
Can the follow-on be used in T20 or ODI cricket?
No. It applies only to multi-innings matches because each side has just one innings in limited-overs games.
Does the captain have to enforce the follow-on?
No. The captain of the side that batted first may enforce it but may also choose to bat again.