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Simple guides to cricket rules, plus free calculators for net run rate, required run rate and player stats.
Cricket calculators
Net Run Rate Calculator
Work out a team's NRR across one match or a whole tournament.
Required Run Rate Calculator
See how many runs a chasing team needs per over.
Batting and Bowling Stats
Average, strike rate and economy in one place.
Overs to Balls Converter
Convert overs to balls, balls to overs, and cricket overs to decimals.
Run rate and projected score
Current run rate and a projected score table.
Popular rules explained
How Cricket Works
The basics of cricket in five minutes: teams, overs, innings, runs and how a match is won.
Test, ODI and T20 Formats
The differences between Test cricket, One Day Internationals and T20 explained.
Ways to Get Out
Every way a batter can be dismissed, from bowled to timed out.
The LBW Rule
Leg before wicket explained with the three questions an umpire asks.
DRS Explained
How the Decision Review System works, including ball tracking and umpire's call.
No-Ball and Free Hit
What makes a no-ball, what it costs, and how the free hit works.
New to cricket? Start here
Read these four guides in order and you will be able to follow any match.
Cricket in numbers
The three formats at a glance
| Test | ODI | T20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overs per innings | No limit | 50 | 20 |
| Innings per team | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Match length | Up to 5 days | About 8 hours | About 3.5 hours |
| Ball | Red or pink | White | White |
Rules people ask about most
The Wide Ball
When the umpire stretches out both arms, and what it costs the bowler.
Powerplay Rules
How many fielders can stand outside the circle, over by over.
Fielding Positions
Slip, gully, point and cover on a labelled map.
The DLS Method
How rain-affected targets are set, and why they can go up.
Extras in cricket
Byes, leg byes, overthrows and five-run penalties.
Super Over rules explained
How tied limited-overs matches are decided.
Why fans use CricHelper
Plain English
Every guide uses short sentences and real match examples, not legal wording.
Built for your phone
Pages load fast and the calculators work on any screen, even mid-match.
Private by design
Calculators run in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, and there is no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Is CricHelper free?
Yes. All guides, calculators and the quiz are free to use, with no sign-up.
How is net run rate calculated?
Net run rate is a team's runs per over scored minus its runs per over conceded, across all its matches. Use the NRR calculator to work it out.
What is the easiest cricket format to start watching?
T20 is the easiest. Matches last about three and a half hours and every over matters.
Are the rules the same in every competition?
The core Laws of Cricket are the same everywhere. Tournaments can add their own playing conditions, such as review numbers and powerplay lengths.