Dot Ball Percentage
Also known as: dot ball percentage, dot ball, dot balls, dot ball percent, too many dot balls
A dot ball is a delivery a batter scores no runs from, shown as a dot in the scorebook. Dot ball percentage is dot balls divided by balls faced, times 100. A high figure means you are getting stuck, and cutting dots is often the easiest way to lift your strike rate.
Scorers mark a ball with no runs off it as a dot. For a batter, dot ball percentage is dots ÷ balls faced × 100. Thirty dots in 50 balls is 60%. Data providers differ on small details, such as whether byes or leg byes off a ball stop it being a dot. Compare like with like.
Dots matter because they build pressure. A run of them tempts a batter into a risky shot. In limited-overs cricket each dot also leaves fewer balls to score from. Two batters can have the same strike rate in very different ways. One hits a few boundaries and blocks the rest. The other scores off most balls with ones and twos. The second batter usually puts less pressure on themselves.
To cut dot balls, look for singles. Play with soft hands into gaps and run hard for the first run. Work the ball off your pads and into the leg side. Back up well at the non-striker's end. Against spin, use your feet or sweep to change the length. Practise in the nets with a scoring target for every ball, not just a rating for good shots.
Tips by skill level
In your next net session, try to score off every ball, even if only with a push into a gap. Count how many you manage.
Find out which bowlers and lengths cause most of your dots. Build a single-scoring option for each, such as a dab, a glide or a step down the pitch.
Example
In a T20, a batter faces 24 balls and scores 26 runs, but 13 of the balls are dots. A dot ball percentage of 54% shows he relied on a few big hits and was stuck the rest of the time.
Why it matters
Dot balls build pressure and eat into a limited-overs innings. Cutting them raises your scoring rate without extra risk.
Common mistakes
- Trying to fix a slow scoring rate with boundaries only
- Hitting good-length balls straight to fielders instead of into gaps
- Walking a single instead of running hard for the first run
- Defending every good ball in practice with no thought of scoring
Frequently asked questions
What is dot ball percentage?
The share of balls a batter faces without scoring. Divide dot balls by balls faced and multiply by 100. Twenty dots in 40 balls is 50%.
What is a dot ball in cricket?
A delivery from which the batter scores no runs. It is marked as a dot in the scorebook.
How do I stop facing so many dot balls?
Look for singles: play into gaps with soft hands, run hard for the first run and work the ball off your pads. Against spin, use your feet or sweep to change the length.
Related terms
- Batting Strike RateA batter's strike rate is the runs they score per 100 balls faced. Divide runs by balls faced and multiply by 100. Scoring 45 off 30 balls is a strike rate of 150. Balls faced include no balls but not wides.
- Soft Hands in BattingSoft hands means relaxing your grip at contact. The bat gives a little and the ball drops dead near your feet. It helps edges fall short of the slips and stops bat-pad catches against spin. Hard hands, pushing firmly at the ball, send edges flying.
- Finding Gaps in the FieldTo find gaps, look at the field before every ball and pick the space you will aim for. Then use the angle of the bat face and soft or firm hands to place the ball there. Hit along the ground into the space between fielders and run hard for the single.
- Calling Between the WicketsMany coaches teach that the striker calls for balls hit in front of the wicket and the non-striker calls for balls behind square, where the striker cannot see. Use three clear words: "yes", "no" and "wait". It is a coaching convention, not a Law. Agree it with your partner before you bat.
- T20 FormatT20 (Twenty20) cricket is the shortest mainstream format of the game — each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs — producing fast-paced, high-scoring matches usually completed in under three hours.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.