Ballbyball

Ballbyball refers to the per-delivery live coverage of a cricket match, in which every delivery bowled is described and recorded as it happens. The term is often used interchangeably with ball-by-ball commentary or live updates and appears across platforms that report on cricket in real time. In this format, an accompanying narrative notes the bowler and batsman for each ball, the outcome (runs scored, boundaries, wickets), and any extras, while updating the running total and reflecting the progress of the over and innings.

Over-by-over structure is central to ball-by-ball coverage. An over consists of six legal deliveries, and the coverage follows the sequence of these balls, marking the fall of wickets, partnerships, and the current run rate. Scoring uses standard notation such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, W for wicket, and abbreviations for extras like NB for no-ball and WD for wide, among others. This granular approach creates a chronological narrative that fans can follow closely, both during live play and in archived records.

Applications and platforms for ball-by-ball coverage include television and radio broadcasts, cricket websites, official match apps, and live blogs. Some formats combine textual ball-by-ball updates with synchronized scorecards, audio commentary, or video highlights, all aimed at delivering precise, time-stamped information.

Ball-by-ball reporting is valued for its detail, enabling fans, analysts, and fantasy cricket participants to track performance, study match dynamics, and compile statistics. It originated with early sports broadcasting and has grown with online media and mobile technology, becoming a standard feature of modern cricket coverage.