Cricket Guides · 6 min read · English
A wide or no-ball adds a penalty run and does not use one of the six valid balls in an over. Byes and leg-byes are different: they record runs made when the ball does not score from the bat. Separate the umpire’s call, the extra runs and the over count to keep the scorebook clear.
This guide follows the current MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026). Laws set the baseline. A league, school or tournament can add or change playing conditions, so check the rules for your match before play. MCC explains how Laws and playing conditions work together.
On This Page
- Start With the Umpire’s Call
- Wide: The Ball Is Out of Reach
- No-Ball: Add the Penalty, Then Record the Rest
- Byes and Leg-Byes: Which Extra Applies?
- Worked Example: Six Valid Balls, Eight Deliveries
- Where Fours & Sixes Fits
- Questions Scorers Ask
- Related Guides
- Laws and Conditions
Start With the Umpire’s Call
Record the umpire’s signal. A delivery cannot be both Wide and No-ball: No-ball overrides Wide under MCC Law 21.12. A No-ball can also produce batter runs, Byes or Leg-byes; add its one-run penalty.
| Call or event | What the scorer records | Does it count in the over? |
|---|---|---|
| Wide | At least one Wide; further runs as Wides | No |
| No-ball | At least one No-ball; classify other runs separately | No |
| Bye | Ball passes without touching bat or person; not Wide | Yes, if valid |
| Leg-bye | Ball strikes person; subject to umpire’s decision | Yes, if valid |
Another call or incident can affect validity. MCC Law 17.3 covers valid balls; Laws 21.16 and 22.8 say a No-ball and a Wide do not count as one of the over’s six balls.
Wide: The Ball Is Out of Reach
Under MCC Law 22, the umpire judges whether the ball was within reach for a normal stroke, considering the striker’s position. A Wide carries a one-run penalty. If the batters run, or the ball reaches the boundary, those runs are added to the Wide total and debited against the bowler. It does not count in the over.
A fixed pitch line does not decide every Wide. Limited-overs conditions may set stricter tests, including for leg-side deliveries. Check the competition’s rule sheet.
No-Ball: Add the Penalty, Then Record the Rest
A No-ball also adds one run to the batting side and is not a valid ball. Under MCC Law 21, the penalty is recorded as a No-ball extra and charged to the bowler. Law 18.10.2 sets how non-bat runs are entered, while Law 18.10.3 identifies runs charged to the bowler. If the batters score from the bat, credit those runs to the striker. If they do not, additional runs can be recorded as Byes or Leg-byes as appropriate.
For example, suppose a No-ball passes the bat and the batters complete two runs after it touches the striker’s pad. If the umpire allows leg-byes, the team scores three extras: one No-ball and two Leg-byes. The bowler is charged with the one-run No-ball penalty, not the two Leg-byes. The delivery is still outside the over’s valid-ball count.
Free hits are not universal. Current ICC ODI conditions provide one after a No-ball, but local conditions vary. Check the rules for your fixture.
Byes and Leg-Byes: Which Extra Applies?
A Bye is scored when a delivery that is not a Wide passes the striker without touching bat or person and the batters run, or the ball reaches the boundary. MCC Law 23.1 says these runs belong to the batting side as Byes. They are not charged to the bowler.
A Leg-bye starts when the ball first strikes the striker’s person. The umpire must be satisfied that the striker either tried to play the ball with the bat or tried to avoid being hit. If that condition is met, runs not credited to the striker are recorded as Leg-byes under MCC Law 23.2. If it is not met, the runs may be disallowed. Record the umpire’s decision; the scorer does not judge intent.
Worked Example: Six Valid Balls, Eight Deliveries
The following invented example is for arithmetic only. Assume the umpire allows the Leg-byes and there are no further incidents.
| Delivery | Event | Batter runs | Extras | Team total | Valid ball? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dot ball | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
| 2 | Two from the bat | 2 | 0 | 2 | Yes |
| — | Wide, no further runs | 0 | 1 Wide | 1 | No |
| 3 | One Bye | 0 | 1 Bye | 1 | Yes |
| — | No-ball plus two Leg-byes | 0 | 1 No-ball + 2 Leg-byes | 3 | No |
| 4 | Four from the bat | 4 | 0 | 4 | Yes |
| 5 | Dot ball | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
| 6 | One from the bat | 1 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
| Total | Eight deliveries bowled | 7 | 5 | 12 | Six valid balls: 1.0 over |
The team has 12: seven batter runs plus five extras. The bowler concedes 9: seven from the bat, one Wide and the No-ball penalty. Byes and Leg-byes are not charged to the bowler. Scorecard displays can vary by competition.
Where Fours & Sixes Fits
Fours & Sixes currently stores one extras category per delivery. A combined No-ball plus Byes or Leg-byes needs separate categories under the Laws (MCC Laws 21.15 and 23) and is not fully represented yet. The scoring feature explains ball-by-ball scoring; Match Centre displays shared scorecards, and Analysis derives figures from recorded deliveries. Offline scoring remains local until shared.
Questions Scorers Ask
Does a Wide Count as a Ball?
No. Under MCC Law 22.8, a Wide does not count as one of the six valid balls. The bowler must deliver another ball for the over to be complete.
Can a No-Ball Also Include Byes or Leg-Byes?
Yes. The No-ball penalty is added, and other runs are classified separately according to what happened. MCC Laws 21.15 and 23 expressly allow the one-run No-ball penalty alongside Bye or Leg-bye runs.
Is There Always a Free Hit After a No-Ball?
No. Free-hit conditions depend on the format and competition. Check the rules before explaining a free hit.