halfcenturies

Half-century is a term with two primary uses. In general English, a half-century denotes a period of 50 years, used to describe anniversaries, historical spans, or lifetimes. The compound is commonly hyphenated as half-century, though halfcentury occasionally appears in casual writing.

In cricket, half-centuries (plural) refer to a batsman’s score of 50 or more runs in a single innings but less than 100. A fifty is one of the most common individual milestones in the sport and is noted in scorecards and reports. Reaching fifty can represent the start of a larger innings and is often a precursor to a century, though many players exit the crease with a fifty without advancing to three figures. In Test cricket, ODIs, and T20Is, players accumulate varying numbers of fifties over their careers, and the rate at which fifties are converted into centuries is a statistic used to gauge consistency.

Records and statistics surrounding half-centuries track aspects such as most fifty-plus scores in a format, fastest fifty, and conversion rates to centuries. The concept also informs batting averages, strike rates, and match strategies, influencing both individual reputations and team planning.

In addition to cricket, half-century can denote a 50-year period in broader contexts, such as anniversaries of events or institutions.

Notable examples and analyses of half-centuries appear in cricket statistics, biographies, and ball-by-ball scorecards.