What Is An Innings?
An innings is a set period in a cricket match, during which one team is batting and the other is bowling. In first class matches, such as test matches, each team can bat for two innings, although the number of runs scored and wickets taken sometime dictates that this is not actually the case. In limited over matches such as T20 matches or One Day Internationals, each team will be given just the one innings during which to bat.
How is an Innings Used in Sports Betting?
There are numerous bets which can be placed during the course of an innings in a cricket match, such as how many boundaries will be scored, wickets taken, no balls delivered etc. The majority of these bets can also be placed on the basis of an entire match or even a series of matches, but there are specific bets which only apply to the innings in question, and these often hinge upon what happens during the first innings of a match. From the point of view of the bettor, first innings bets may be more attractive as the pattern of the match has yet to be established and so bookmakers are more likely to offer high value odds. Amongst the bets which can be placed on a specific innings are the following:
- Betting on which team will be in the lead after both teams have played their first innings.
- Betting on whether an individual batsman will score 100 runs during an innings.
- Betting on which team will be ahead after both have been in to bat for their first innings.
- Betting on which player will take the most wickets during the course of an innings. Bettors should be careful to check what restrictions, if any, the bookmaker has in place in the event of the number of overs in a limited overs match being reduced due to factors such as bad weather.
Bets can also be placed on the number of wickets a specified bowler will take during an innings – either as a set number or falling within a range – and on whether a bowler will take 5 or more wickets during an innings.