halfinnings

A halfinnings is a unit of play used primarily in bat-and-ball games such as cricket and baseball to describe one of two half portions of a formal inning. Unlike a full inning, which encompasses the entire opportunity for a team to bat or field, a halfinnings refers specifically to the first half or the second half, often divided according to a predetermined point such as a set number of overs or a fixed time limit. The term allows coaches, commentators and statistical analysts to track performance and strategy over more granular periods within a single inning.

The concept dates back to the late nineteenth century when cricket scorekeeping evolved to record performances in earlier increments. In baseball, wherein a half inning is already a common term denoting a team's turn at bat, the prefix “half” in sports journalism sometimes extended to refer to the first or second half of a standard inning when discussing pitch counts or batting order strategies. In both sports the division can aid in assessing momentum, pitch effectiveness, and player fatigue.

In practice, a halfinnings appears in scorecards, play‑by‑play commentary, and in the formulation of certain rules such as the Twenty20 format’s “maximum overs per team” guidelines, which effectively impose a practical halfinnings limit on a single innings. The notion is also adapted in some niche amateur leagues where play is shortened, designing each halfinnings as a mini innings of reduced overs.

Although the term is most closely linked to cricket and baseball, its utility has been extended to other ball sports that feature structured phases within a full game. The clarity it adds has led to its inclusion in modern statistical databases and sports‑analysis software, ensuring that data on halfinnings remain available for comparative research and performance assessment.