What is the follow-on in Test cricket?
I · Intermediate · How does a match work, and how is it won? · 18 of 19In a Test, if the side batting first leads by at least 200 runs after both first innings, its captain can make the other side bat again straight away. This is "enforcing the follow-on". In shorter two-innings matches the lead needed is smaller: 150 runs for three or four days, 100 for two days, 75 for one.
How it works
- It is an option, not a requirement. The captain may choose to bat again instead.
- The captain tells the other captain and the umpires; the decision cannot be changed.
- If the whole first day is lost, the match counts as shorter: the margin follows the days left, with the day play starts counting as a full day.
Tricky cases
Does the leading side have to enforce the follow-on?
No. It is the captain's choice.
What if the first day of a five-day Test is washed out?
The match is then treated as a four-day match for this purpose, and the lead needed drops to 150.
Is there a follow-on in ODIs or T20s?
No. They have one innings a side.
Why the rule exists
A side far ahead can save time by batting last, giving itself the best chance to bowl the opponents out twice before the match runs out.
Where it differs
| Match length | Lead needed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Five days or more | 200 runs | L14.1.1; PC-T 14.1.1 |
| Three or four days | 150 runs | L14.1.2; PC-T 14.1.2 |
| Two days | 100 runs | L14.1.2 |
| One day (two-innings match) | 75 runs | L14.1.2 |
| ODIs and T20 internationals | Does not apply | PC-O 14 |
From the rule book
MCC Laws of Cricket, Laws 14.1 to 14.3, 4th Edition, in force from 1 October 2026. ICC men's Test playing conditions, clause 14, October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official documents: MCC Laws of Cricket (PDF); ICC playing conditions (PDF).