Declaration bowling means bowling in a first class game in a way that makes it likely the batting team will quickly build a lead in the game and declare. This could be a (very rare) tactic by the bowling team to try to avoid a draw. Alternatively it could be the result of a collaboration between the two sides.
Normally it’s the batting team, usually batting its second innings (the third of the game overall), that pushes for a position where it can declare. The usual scenario is that the batting team thinks it can win the game, while the bowling team is behind by enough that it is hoping to get a draw. The batting team will try to build up a big enough lead to declare and be confident that it has enough time to bowl out the other team, with little risk of the other team scoring enough to win. In this scenario, the bowling team will be trying to stop the batting team scoring quickly, pushing back the point at which it feels confident in declaring.
Declaration bowling could happen if it’s the bowling team that is more concerned with avoiding a draw. This could be because a draw would make it impossible to win a series of matches, or because a draw would not give it enough points to reach a certain position in a league, such as winning a title or promotion, or avoiding relegation.
Declaration bowling could also happen if both sides want to reduce the chances of a draw. This could be because a draw isn’t enough for either side to achieve a certain outcome in a league, or if a series is already decided and the teams are more interested in producing an entertaining and exciting conclusion. This could lead to an informal agreement between captains to set a particular target and time remaining for the final innings.
Usually declaration bowling does not mean intentionally bowling badly. This could be seen as unsporting, while bowlers would be unhappy at the effect it would have on their bowling average. Instead, declaration bowling often involves giving the ball to players who aren’t skilled at bowling (such as specialist batters). Even while trying their best, they are likely to concede extras and boundaries very quickly.
Officially there’s no distinction between “declaration bowling” and normal bowling in the rules of cricket and the results are recorded in the scoreboard as normal. However, historians and statisticians may choose to exclude cases of declaration bowling when listing records, for example for the most runs in an over.
Some vintage declaration bowling on display from Leicestershire against Durham.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) August 18, 2020