Why trust is the product
Parents, players and sponsors refresh a live scorecard because they want the truth now. A scorecard that is wrong, late or quietly edited loses that trust for the rest of the season.
One source of truth
The public page should show the scorer's book, not a second spreadsheet typed up after the match. If the public page and the book can disagree, one of them is wrong, and nobody will know which.
Delay only by the ball
A few seconds of delay is normal: the scorer records the ball, then the page updates. A minute of delay is a guess waiting to happen. Do not type "probably 140" because the group chat is impatient. Publish the actual book. If you are two balls behind, say so on the page.
What to show
- The score, overs and wickets at the top, updated with each ball.
- Each batter's runs and balls, and the current partnership.
- Each bowler's overs, runs and wickets.
- The last few balls, so a viewer can see what just happened.
- A clear status: live, innings break, stumps, final.
Corrections
Mistakes happen. When a scorer corrects a ball, the history should show the change, the time and who made it. A silent correction is the fastest way to lose a crowd's trust.
Offline and poor signal
A scorer may be at a ground with no signal. The book should keep recording offline, and the public page should catch up when the phone reconnects. The viewer sees the last synced ball until then, and the page says so.
Citations
Club practice. The scoring events themselves are defined by the MCC Laws.
Match questions
Questions scorers actually ask
- 01 How often does a live scorecard update?
- With every ball the scorer records. Slower updates mean a slower scorer or a poor connection, and the page should say which.
- 02 Can a viewer see a scorecard without an account?
- Published matches can be followed from the live list without an account. Unlisted matches can be followed by anyone with the link.
- 03 What if a ball was scored wrong?
- Correct it in the book. The correction should show in the history, not disappear.
