Cricket scorecards record zero runs in different formats depending on dismissal circumstances. A simple 0 indicates multiple balls faced.
A 0(1) shows one ball faced. A 0(0) means no legal delivery was made before dismissal.
The dismissal method determines duck classification when combined with balls faced. A batter bowled on the first ball gets a golden duck.
A batter run out without facing a ball gets a diamond duck. The method of getting out changes the duck type.
Balls faced create the primary classification system for ducks. One ball faced creates a golden duck. Two balls create a silver duck.
Three balls create a bronze duck. Four or more balls create a regular duck.
Scorecards must show both runs scored and balls faced for accurate record keeping.
The notation 0(5) tells scorers the batter faced five balls before dismissal.
The notation 0(0) tells scorers that no legal delivery was faced. This clarity prevents classification errors.
Commentators use specific duck terms to describe dismissals instantly.
Saying “golden duck” communicates more information than saying “out for zero.”
The term tells viewers exactly how many balls were faced before dismissal.
Types of Ducks in Cricket
Quick Answer:
Cricket recognizes nine duck types based on dismissal circumstances. Common ones are Golden Duck (0 runs off 1 ball), Silver Duck (0 off 2 balls), Bronze Duck (0 off 3 balls), and Regular Duck (0 off 4+ balls). Rare classifications include Diamond Duck (dismissed before facing a ball), Royal Duck (opener out first ball of innings), Titanium Duck (opener’s diamond duck), and Laughing Duck (last batter out for zero).
What is a Duck in Cricket?
A duck is any dismissal where the batter’s final score is zero runs. The scorecard records 0 with or without ball count notation.
All dismissal types qualify, including bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, run out, and hit wicket.
Scorecard notation varies based on balls faced. Standard notation uses 0(n), where n equals balls faced. A score of 0(7) means seven balls faced.
A score of 0(0) means zero legal deliveries faced. Some scorecards show just 0 without brackets for regular ducks.
Legal deliveries are fair balls bowled to the batter. Wide balls and no balls are illegal deliveries.
A batter dismissed off a wide ball without facing legal deliveries gets a diamond duck. The scorecard shows 0(0) because no legal ball was faced.
Duck classification applies to Test cricket, ODI cricket, and T20 cricket equally. Format length does not change how ducks are recorded.
A golden duck in a Test match uses the same scorecard notation as a golden duck in a T20 match.
Top 9 Ways Types Of Duck In Cricket
| Duck Type | Balls Faced | Dismissal Method | Scorecard Format | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Duck | 4 or more | Any legal dismissal | 0(4), 0(5), 0(6) etc. | Very common |
| Golden Duck | 1 | Any legal dismissal on first ball | 0(1) | Common |
| Silver Duck | 2 | Any legal dismissal on second ball | 0(2) | Uncommon |
| Bronze Duck | 3 | Any legal dismissal on third ball | 0(3) | Uncommon |
| Diamond Duck | 0 | Run out or stumped off wide/no-ball | 0(0) | Rare |
| Titanium Duck | 0 | Opener dismissed without legal ball | 0(0) – opener | Very rare |
| Royal Duck | 1 | Opener dismissed on innings’ first ball | 0(1) – opener | Rare |
| Laughing Duck | Any number | Last batter dismissed for zero | 0(n) – final wicket | Common |
| Golden Goose | 1 | First ball dismissal in new season | 0(1) – season start | Very rare |
Types Of Duck In Cricket – Explained
Regular Duck
A regular duck is recorded when a batter faces four or more legal deliveries and is dismissed for zero. The scorecard shows 0(4), 0(5), 0(6), or higher ball count. This is the baseline duck classification.
Any dismissal method qualifies for a regular duck. Bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, run out, and hit wicket all create regular ducks if four or more balls were faced. The dismissal type does not affect classification.
Golden Duck
A golden duck occurs when dismissal happens on the first legal delivery faced. The scorecard notation is 0(1). This applies to any batting position from opener to number 11.
Dismissal methods include bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, or run out on the striker’s first ball. A no-ball dismissal does not count as a golden duck because no-balls are illegal deliveries. The next legal ball becomes the first ball faced.
Silver Duck
A silver duck is recorded when a batter faces exactly two legal deliveries and gets dismissed. The scorecard shows 0(2). This classification sits between golden duck and bronze duck.
The batter must face two legal balls before dismissal. If the first ball is a wide or no-ball, it does not count toward the two-ball total. Only legal deliveries are included in scorecard ball counts.
Bronze Duck
A bronze duck happens when dismissal occurs on the third legal delivery faced. The scorecard notation is 0(3). This is less commonly used in modern commentary than golden or silver duck terms.
The three-ball requirement must be met through legal deliveries only. Wide balls and no-balls faced before the third legal delivery do not prevent bronze duck classification. Scorecard records count legal balls only.
Diamond Duck
A diamond duck is recorded when a batter is dismissed without facing any legal delivery. The scorecard shows 0(0). Common dismissal methods are run out at non-striker’s end or stumped off a wide ball.
Run out while backing up creates most diamond ducks. The batter leaves the crease before the bowler releases the ball. The bowler runs them out without delivering a legal ball to the striker’s end. Stumping off a wide ball also creates a diamond duck.
Titanium Duck
A titanium duck is a diamond duck specific to opening batters. The scorecard shows 0(0) for an opener. This occurs when the opener is dismissed without facing a legal delivery at the start of the innings.
The opening batter must be at the non-striker’s end when dismissed. Run out while backing up on the first ball of the innings creates a titanium duck. This is one of the rarest dismissals in cricket.
Royal Duck
A royal duck occurs when an opening batter is dismissed on the first ball of the innings. The scorecard shows 0(1) for the opener. This combines golden duck mechanics with first-ball-of-match timing.
The opener must face the first ball and get dismissed on it. Any legal dismissal method qualifies including bowled, caught, or LBW. The innings starts with team score 0/1 and opener score 0(1).
Laughing Duck
A laughing duck is recorded when the last batter of an innings is dismissed for zero. Ball count can be 0(1), 0(5), 0(0), or any number. The key factor is being the tenth wicket while scoring zero.
Number 10 or number 11 batters typically get laughing ducks. The innings ends with their dismissal. Scorecard shows their final score as 0 with whatever ball count they faced.
Golden Goose
A golden goose is a golden duck that occurs on the first dismissal of a new cricket season. The scorecard shows 0(1). This is informal terminology not used in official match records.
The timing requirement makes this classification rare. The batter must be dismissed on their first ball, and it must be the season’s first dismissal for that team or competition. Scorers do not officially track golden goose statistics.
Records on Ducks in Cricket
Most Ducks in Test Cricket
- Courtney Walsh (West Indies) — 43 ducks
- Chris Martin (New Zealand) — 36 ducks
- Glenn McGrath (Australia) — 35 ducks
- James Anderson (England) — 34 ducks
- Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) — 33 ducks
Most Golden Ducks in ODIs
- Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) — 13 golden ducks
- Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) — 11 golden ducks
- Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) — 10 golden ducks
- Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) — 10 golden ducks
- Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) — 9 golden ducks
Most Golden Ducks in T20Is
- Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) — 9 golden ducks
- Paul Stirling (Ireland) — 8 golden ducks
- Aaron Finch (Australia) — 8 golden ducks
- Rohit Sharma (India) — 7 golden ducks
- Quinton de Kock (South Africa) — 7 golden ducks
Value of Duck Out Rule in Cricket
Duck classifications help quantify dismissal risk in cricket. Every batter faces the potential zero-run dismissal on any delivery. Scorecard notation shows exactly when dismissal happened relative to balls faced.
Clear scorecard formats prevent confusion about dismissal circumstances. A 0(1) immediately tells readers the batter faced one ball. A 0(0) shows no legal ball was faced. A simple 0 indicates multiple balls without a specific count in some formats.
Early ducks affect team momentum and run rate significantly. A royal duck puts the team at 0/1 before any runs are scored. Multiple golden ducks in an innings indicate a batting collapse. Scorecard reflects these momentum shifts through duck notation.
Official cricket statistics track duck frequency because it measures batting consistency. Batters with fewer ducks show better survival ability. Duck records are maintained across all formats by ICC and national cricket boards.
FAQs on Ducks in Cricket
- What is the duck’s name in cricket?
A duck is the term for a zero-run dismissal. The name comes from the shape of zero resembling a duck’s egg. Different duck types include golden, diamond, silver, bronze, royal, titanium, laughing duck, and golden goose.
- What is a titanium duck in cricket?
A titanium duck occurs when an opening batter is dismissed without facing a legal delivery. The scorecard shows 0(0) for the opener. This typically happens through run out at the non-striker’s end on the innings’ first ball.
- What are two ducks in cricket called?
Two consecutive ducks in separate innings are called a pair. Two golden ducks in both innings of a Test match are called a king pair. The scorecard shows 0(1) in both innings for a king pair.
- What does 3 ducks in a row mean?
Three consecutive ducks mean dismissals for zero in three straight innings. No specific term exists for this sequence. Scorecard records show 0 with varying ball counts across three separate innings.
- What is a diamond duck in cricket?
A diamond duck is dismissed without facing any legal delivery. The scorecard shows 0(0). Common scenarios include running out at the non-striker’s end or being stumped off a wide ball before facing a legal delivery.
- Is number 69 banned in cricket?
No, jersey number 69 is not banned in cricket. Players can choose this number for their playing kit. No ICC rule prohibits any jersey number selection by players.
- What are the 8 types of ducks in cricket?
The eight main duck types are regular duck, golden duck, silver duck, bronze duck, diamond duck, titanium duck, royal duck, and laughing duck. A ninth informal type is golden goose. Each has a specific scorecard notation.
- What is a jaffa in cricket?
A jaffa is an unplayable delivery that beats the batter completely. The ball cannot be defended or attacked properly. Jaffas often result in dismissal through bowled or caught behind.
- Which batsman has 0 ducks?
No batter with a substantial career has zero ducks across all formats. All batters have been dismissed for zero at some point. Even top batters like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have multiple ducks recorded.
- What is a royal duck in cricket?
A royal duck is when an opening batter is dismissed on the first ball of the innings. The scorecard shows 0(1) for the opener. The match starts with the team score 0/1.
- What is a diamond duck in IPL?
A diamond duck in IPL follows the same rule as other formats. Dismissal without facing a legal delivery creates a diamond duck. The scorecard shows 0(0). Running out of backup is the most common cause.
- What is a laughing duck in cricket?
A laughing duck occurs when the last batter is dismissed for zero as the final wicket. Ball count does not matter. The scorecard shows 0(n) where n is balls faced, marking the innings’ end.
- What is a king duck in cricket?
King duck is another term for king pair. This means golden ducks in both innings of a Test match. The scorecard shows 0(1) in the first innings and 0(1) in the second innings.
- Who is known as Bombay duck in cricket?
Ajit Agarkar received the nickname Bombay Duck. This happened after seven consecutive ducks during the 1999-2000 Australia tour. The nickname referenced his dismissal pattern during that series.
- What level is a diamond duck?
A diamond duck is rarer than regular, golden, silver, and bronze ducks. The scorecard notation 0(0) occurs less frequently than 0(1) or higher ball counts. Only the titanium duck is statistically rarer.
- Who scored 36 runs in 1 over?
Yuvraj Singh scored 36 runs in one over against Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup. He hit six consecutive sixes in that over. This remains the record for most runs off one over.
- How many types of ducks are there?
Nine duck types exist in cricket terminology. Official types are regular, golden, silver, bronze, diamond, titanium, royal, and laughing duck. Golden goose is an informal ninth type used in cricket slang.
- What is howzat in cricket?
Howzat is an appeal to the umpire requesting dismissal. It is short for “How is that?” Fielding teams shout this when claiming a wicket. The umpire then signals out or not out.
Conclusion
Duck classifications follow standardized rules based on balls faced and dismissal circumstances. Regular ducks require four or more balls faced.
Golden, silver, and bronze ducks depend on the exact ball count from one to three. Diamond and titanium ducks involve zero legal deliveries.
Scorecard notation provides instant clarity about each duck type. The format 0(1) indicates a golden duck or royal duck, depending on batting position.
The format 0(0) indicates a diamond duck or titanium duck for openers. This notation system prevents classification confusion.
Common duck types like regular and golden ducks appear frequently in all formats. Rare duck types like titanium duck occur fewer than 20 times in ODI history.
Royal ducks and laughing ducks depend on specific match situations and batting order position.
Duck terminology serves as essential cricket language for scorers, commentators, and statisticians.
The terms provide precise communication about dismissal circumstances.
Cricket laws support duck tracking through mandatory scorecard ball count notation across all official matches.
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