The follow-on, declarations and forfeitures

Law 14 — Enforcing the follow-on

In a two-innings match, the side batting first may require its opponent to bat again immediately if its first-innings lead reaches the relevant threshold. This is an option, not an automatic consequence. Once communicated to the opposing captain and umpires, the decision is fixed.

• A match of 5 days or longer: lead of at least 200 runs.
• A match of 3 or 4 days: at least 150 runs.
• A 2-day match: at least 100 runs.
• A 1-day, two-innings match: at least 75 runs.
• If the first day has no play, use the number of days remaining when play begins; the first day actually played counts as a whole day.

Law 15 — Ending or giving up an innings

A batting captain may declare while the ball is dead. A captain may forfeit an innings before it starts. Either action makes that innings completed and must be notified to the other captain and umpires; the decision cannot be withdrawn.

The supplied 2026 edition expressly excludes the final innings of the match from both declaration and forfeiture. A side cannot use either mechanism to end that last innings.