Wides and No-Balls — The Laws and Local Rules
What the Laws of Cricket say about wides and no-balls, where the free hit comes from, and the local rules gully and tennis-ball tournaments use instead.
By The MyGully11 Team
6 min read
Under the Laws of Cricket, a wide and a no-ball each add a one-run penalty to the batting side, and neither counts as one of the six balls in the over, so the bowler has to bowl it again. The free hit after a no-ball is not in the Laws at all; it is a playing condition used in limited-overs cricket. Local tournaments then pile their own rules on top: no run for a wide, two runs for a no-ball, wides that only count in the last over.
None of those local rules are wrong, as long as they are agreed before the first ball. Here is what the Laws say, the common variations, and how to settle them in advance.
What the Laws say about a wide
Law 22 of the Laws of Cricket covers the wide. The umpire calls a wide when the ball passes wide of the striker and is not sufficiently within reach for the batter to hit it with a normal cricket stroke, judged both where the batter is standing and where they would stand in a normal guard position.
Key points:
- Penalty: one run, recorded as a wide extra and charged to the bowler.
- Extra ball: a wide does not count in the over and must be re-bowled.
- Runs taken: any runs the batters run, and any boundary, are all added as wides. A wide that races to the fence is five wides.
- Not a wide if the batter moves and brings the ball within reach, or if the ball touches the bat or the batter.
- Dismissals: off a wide, the striker cannot be bowled, caught or LBW, but can still be stumped, run out or out hit wicket.
- If a delivery is both a no-ball and a wide, it is called a no-ball.
In international limited-overs cricket, umpires use a stricter interpretation: almost any ball down the leg side that passes behind the batter is called wide, and guide lines are painted on the pitch for off-side wides. That is a playing condition, but it is the version most players know from TV.
What the Laws say about a no-ball
Law 21 covers the no-ball. The most common reasons are:
- Front foot: some part of the front foot, grounded or raised, must land behind the popping crease.
- Back foot: the back foot must land inside the return crease without touching it.
- Throwing: the arm must not straighten during delivery.
- High full toss: under Law 41, a ball that passes, or would have passed, above waist height of the batter standing upright at the crease, without bouncing, is a no-ball.
- Bounces too often: a ball that bounces more than twice, or rolls along the ground, before reaching the popping crease.
- Fielding positions: more than two fielders (not counting the keeper) behind the popping crease on the leg side, or the keeper or a fielder encroaching at the wrong moment.
The penalties mirror a wide:
- Penalty: one run, recorded as a no-ball extra and charged to the bowler.
- Extra ball: it does not count in the over.
- Runs off the bat: if the batter hits it, those runs go to the batter on top of the penalty.
- Dismissals: off a no-ball, the batter cannot be bowled, caught, LBW, stumped or out hit wicket. Run out is still possible.
The free hit is a playing condition, not a Law
Many players think the free hit is in the Laws. It is not. The International Cricket Council introduced it in 2007 for one-day and T20 internationals, originally only after a front-foot no-ball. Since 2015 it has followed every no-ball in those formats. Test cricket has no free hit, and neither does a match played purely under the Laws.
On a free hit, the batter can only be dismissed in the ways possible off a no-ball, which in practice means run out. If the free hit is itself a wide or a no-ball, the next ball is a free hit too.
If your tournament wants free hits, and most short-format local events do, write it into the rules.
Common local variations
Here is what you will run into on gully, box and tennis-ball grounds. These are local customs, not Laws.
| Local rule | How it works | Why people use it |
|---|---|---|
| No run for a wide | Ball re-bowled, no run added | Keeps scores honest on narrow pitches |
| Two runs for a no-ball | Penalty doubled | Punishes overstepping harder |
| Free hit on every no-ball | Copied from T20 | Adds excitement |
| Last-over wides | Wides earn runs only in the final over | Stops wides deciding close games |
A few more you will hear about:
- Wide but no re-ball: the run is added but the ball counts. Common when the ground is booked by the hour and overs must finish on time.
- Two runs for any wide in the last over: the opposite approach, so bowlers cannot spray it under pressure.
- Waist-high full toss: most tennis-ball games treat it as a no-ball, but whose waist is the standard? Agree on the batter standing upright at the crease, as the Laws do. Some groups only call it when the batter does not hit it, which saves arguments about a ball that went for six anyway.
- Chalk or tape wide lines: on a cemented or matting pitch, mark lines on both sides so wides are not a matter of opinion.
For more on tennis-ball and box rules, see tennis ball cricket rules and box cricket rules.
How to agree the rules before a tournament
Wide arguments start when rules are decided mid-over by whoever shouts loudest. Do this instead:
- Write a one-page rules sheet. Cover wides, no-balls, free hits, high full tosses and over limits. Put the runs value next to each.
- Share it at the captains' meeting. Ask every captain to confirm in the group chat. A thumbs-up counts.
- Appoint a neutral umpire for each match, ideally from a team that is not playing, and agree that their call is final.
- Set the rules in the scorer, too. If the scorer adds one run for a wide and the rules say zero, your points table and net run rate are wrong for the whole tournament.
- Do not change rules mid-tournament. If something is not working, fix it for next season.
In MyGully11, the organiser sets the format once per tournament, including your own runs for wides and no-balls, and the scorer follows it in every match. The tennis ball cricket tournament app page walks through it.
Planning the rest of the event? Our guide to how to organise a gully cricket tournament covers teams, grounds and fixtures, and how to score a cricket match explains how extras end up on the scorecard.
Frequently asked questions
How many runs is a wide in cricket?
Under the Laws, a wide is a one-run penalty plus any runs the batters take, and the ball is bowled again. Many local tournaments change this, for example to zero runs or two runs, so check your tournament rules.
Is a free hit part of the Laws of Cricket?
No. The free hit is a playing condition used in limited-overs international cricket and many T20 leagues. It began in 2007 for front-foot no-balls and has applied after every no-ball in those formats since 2015. Test cricket does not use it.
Is a waist-high full toss a no-ball?
Yes. Under the Laws, a full toss that passes or would have passed above the waist of the batter standing upright at the crease is a no-ball, whatever the pace of the bowler. Local tennis-ball games usually follow this, sometimes with their own twists.
Can a batter be out off a no-ball?
Yes, but only in a few ways, most commonly run out. A batter cannot be bowled, caught, LBW, stumped or out hit wicket off a no-ball.
Does a wide count as a ball in the over?
Not under the Laws: a wide must be re-bowled. Some local games count it anyway to keep matches on time, which is fine as long as everyone agrees beforehand.