Cricket Rules – Law 25 – Wide Ball
1. Judging a Wide
(a) If the bowler bowls a ball, not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if, according to the definition in (b) below, in his opinion the ball passes wide of the striker where he is and which also would have passed wide of him standing in a normal guard position.(b) The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within his reach for him to be able to hit it with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.
2. Delivery not a Wide
The umpire shall not adjudge a delivery as being a Wide(a) if the striker, by moving,either (i) causes the ball to pass wide of him, as defined in 1(b) aboveor (ii) brings the ball sufficiently within his reach to be able to hit it by means of a normal cricket stroke.(b) if the ball touches the striker’s bat or person.
3. Call and signal of Wide ball
(a) If the umpire adjudges a delivery to be a Wide he shall call and signal Wide ball as soon as the ball passes the striker’s wicket. It shall, however, be considered to have been a Wide from the instant of delivery, even though it cannot be called Wide until it passes the striker’s wicket.(b) The umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if there is then any contact between the ball and the striker’s bat or person.(c) The umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if a delivery is called a No ball. See Law 24.10 (No ball to over-ride Wide).
4. Ball not dead
The ball does not become dead on the call of Wide ball.
5. Penalty for a Wide
A penalty of one run shall be awarded instantly on the call of Wide ball. Unless the call is revoked (see 3(b) and (c) above), this penalty shall stand even if a batsman is dismissed, and shall be in addition to any other runs scored, any boundary allowance and any other runs awarded for penalties.
6. Runs resulting from a Wide – how scored
All runs completed by the batsmen or a boundary allowance, together with the penalty for the Wide, shall be scored as Wide balls. Apart from any award of 5 penalty runs, all runs resulting from a Wide shall be debited against the bowler.
7. Wide not to count
A Wide shall not count as one of the over. See Law 22.3 (Validity of balls).
8. Out from a Wide
When Wide ball has been called, neither batsman shall be out under any of the Laws except 33 (Handled the ball), 35 (Hit wicket), 37 (Obstructing the field), 38 (Run out) or 39 (Stumped).
© Marylebone Cricket Club 2010
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