Over (cricket) facts for kids

In a cricket match an over is a set of six balls bowled from one end of a cricket pitch.

In a normal over, a single bowlers delivers six balls. After the over, the umpire calls "over". Some forms of cricket, like T20 cricket, limit the number of overs that can be bowled in a match/innings.

Historical number of balls per over in Test cricket

Since 1979/80, all Test cricket has been played with six balls per over. But sometimes it also played more than six or less than six.

Balls per over

In England

• 1880 to 1888: 4
• 1889 to 1899: 5
• 1900 to 1938: 6
• 1939 to 1945: 8 (though not in the "Victory" Tests)
• 1946 to date: 6

In Australia

• 1876/77 to 1887/88: 4
• 1891/92 to 1920/21: 6
• 1924/25: 8
• 1928/29 to 1932/33: 6
• 1936/37 to 1978/79: 8
• 1979/80 to date: 6

In South Africa

• 1888/89: 4
• 1891/92 to 1898/99: 5
• 1902/03 to 1935/36: 6
• 1938/39 to 1957/58: 8
• 1961/62 to date: 6

In New Zealand

• 1929/30 to 1967/68: 6
• 1968/69 to 1978/79: 8
• 1979/80 to date: 6

In Pakistan

• 1954/55 to 1972/73: 6
• 1974/75 to 1977/78: 8
• 1978/79 to date: 6

In India, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (venue, not host) all Test matches have been played with six ball overs.

Images for kids

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  Scoreboard showing the number of overs and maiden overs bowled by two bowlers.