Declaration in cricket: what it is and when to declare

A declaration is a captain's decision to end their side's innings voluntarily, before all ten wickets have fallen.

It exists because time is a resource in a Test match. A side 500 for 4 has more runs than it needs, but every over it bats is an over it cannot use to bowl the opposition out. So the captain declares, forfeiting the remaining wickets, and sends the other side in. Declarations are common in the first innings of a dominant side and almost universal in the third innings, where the batting side is setting a target.

The calculation is the hardest in cricket. Declare too early and you give the opposition a chance to chase; too late and you run out of time and settle for a draw. Captains weigh the runs on the board against the overs left, the state of the pitch, the weather forecast and the quality of their bowlers, and they usually try to give the opposition a tricky session before a break.

In Masterstroke: you can declare, enforce the follow-on or bat out the draw, and the pitch wears in front of you to inform the call.