LAW 25         WIDE BALL

(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 standing and would also 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.

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) above

or (ii) brings the ball sufficiently within his reach to be able to hit it

with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.

(b) if the ball touches the striker’s bat or person.

(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).

The ball does not become dead on the call of Wide ball.

A penalty of one run shall be awarded instantly on the call of Wide ball. Unless

the call is revoked (see 3 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 penalties awarded.

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 a 5

run penalty, all runs resulting from a Wide ball shall be debited against the

bowler.

A Wide shall not count as one of the over. See Law 22.4 (Balls not to count in the

over).

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).