A result, be it that of a school or university exam or a lottery, is always eagerly awaited. The same holds true for a cricket match, be it a Test or a one-day international.

In simple terms, the team that finishes with a higher aggregate of runs in a two-innings-a-side game, all four innings of which have been 'completed', is declared the winner. An innings that ends through a declaration or forfeiture is considered a 'complete' effort.

Four types of results are possible when Team A plays Team B in a two-innings match:

1. Victory for Team A - defeat for Team B
2. Victory for Team B - defeat for Team A
3. Tie
4. Draw
 

If the team batting fourth (last) in a two-innings game loses all ten wickets while chasing a target set by its opponent, the latter is declared the winner by the margin of runs that separates its combined tally of runs from that of the former. If the side batting fourth achieves its target by surpassing its opponent's combined tally of runs, it is declared the winner by the number of wickets it has in store. Thus, if the batting team has lost four wickets when it overhauls the target, the margin of its win is six wickets. In such instances, if a batsman has retired without falling ill or sustaining an injury, his exit will be considered a 'wicket' while determining the margin of victory.

A side is regarded as having won a two-innings game by an innings and some runs when it's score in its only innings is greater than the combined total achieved by its opponent in two innings.

Test cricket has had two instances of the match finishing with both sides having the same combined total. Such a match is called a 'Tie'. Australia and the West Indies were involved in the first 'tied' Test, at Brisbane in 1960-61. The second 'tied' Test at Chennai in 1986-87 also featured Australia.

Test matches that do not finish are termed as 'draws'.

Although the difference between a 'tie' and a 'draw' seems fairly straightforward, there can be the odd instance wherein both these forms of results come close to becoming synonymous. It needs to be clarified that although they come close, they do not become synonymous.

For a match to be declared a 'tie', it is necessary that the side batting last is all out. But if it has lost nine or lesser wickets at the end of the final over and the scores are level, the match is declared a draw. A Test between England and Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 1996-97 produced such a finish. England needed three runs off the final ball to win, but Nick Knight, the batsman on strike, managed only two and the match ended in a draw with the scores level. England had lost six wickets at that stage.

I umpired a Kanga league game in the 1970s in which Shivaji Park Gymkhana lost their ninth wicket off the last ball of the match. Everybody knew that SPG's no. 11 batsman had already been hospitalized due to injury. National Cricket Club, the opponents, had started 'celebrating' a win when they received a shock. They could not believe their ears when my colleague and I told them that it was a draw. We explained to them that had they got the ninth wicket off even the penultimate delivery of the game, they would have been declared winners as the no. 11 was definitely not going to bat. But the ninth wicket had fallen off the final delivery of the game and not a single ball was left in the match! That was the difference.

The laws of cricket have a provision wherein a team batting fourth can win despite falling short of the target. This can happen if it gets 'penalty' runs that enable it to inch ahead of their opponent's combined total. A team that wins a match in this fashion will be said to have won 'by penalty'.

- By Piloo Reporter