Overs are not ordinary decimals
In cricket scorecards, 10.3 overs does not mean ten-point-three decimal overs. It means ten completed overs plus three legal balls. The digit after the decimal point records balls in the current over, so it runs from zero to five.
Convert balls into overs
One over contains six legal deliveries. To convert a notation such as 10.3 into a mathematical over value, count 10 × 6 + 3 = 63 legal balls, then divide by six: 63 ÷ 6 = 10.5 overs mathematically.
Quick examples
5.0 means 30 legal balls, or 5 overs. 5.1 means 31 legal balls. 5.4 means 34 legal balls, or 5.6667 overs. 10.5 means 65 legal balls, or 10.8333 overs. A notation such as 5.7 is invalid because an over cannot have seven legal balls.
Why it matters in calculations
Run rate and bowling economy divide runs by overs completed, while required run rate divides runs needed by overs remaining. If you treat the notation as an ordinary decimal, the denominator is wrong and the result can be misleading.
Legal deliveries
Wides and no-balls do not count as legal deliveries in an over. The over advances when the required legal deliveries have been completed, subject to the Laws and scorekeeping conventions that apply. Use the completed-ball count from the scorecard rather than estimating from the number of deliveries attempted.
How to enter overs in CricketSquads
The calculators accept entries such as 8.0, 8.2 and 8.5. The final digit must be 0–5. If an innings has 8 overs and 4 balls, enter 8.4. Do not enter 8.67 as a decimal equivalent in the overs field.
Try it
Use the Run Rate Calculator or Bowling Economy Calculator with a partial over and compare the result with a complete-over example.
Editorial note: This guide explains general scoring and planning concepts. Check official scorecards and the playing conditions for your competition when a decision depends on an official ruling.
Explore more tools in the Cricket Calculators directory.