GuideOct 27, 20264 min read
Extras in Cricket: Wides, No-Balls, Byes and Leg Byes Explained
Extras are runs that do not come off the bat. They appear on every scorecard and can decide close matches.
Wide
A ball bowled too far from the batter for them to hit with a normal shot. It adds one run to the batting side and the ball must be bowled again. The run is charged to the bowler.
No-ball
An illegal delivery, such as overstepping the line or a high full toss above waist height. It adds one run and the ball is bowled again. In limited-overs cricket the next ball is a free hit.
Byes
Runs scored when the ball passes the batter and the wicketkeeper without touching the bat, and the batters run. The runs go to the team total as extras, not to the batter or the bowler.
Leg byes
Runs scored after the ball hits the batter's body, not the bat, while the batter was attempting to play a shot or avoid it. Like byes, they are extras and not credited to the bowler.
Penalty runs
Rarely, five penalty runs are awarded, for example if a fielder illegally uses a helmet to stop the ball.
Why extras matter
Extras are free runs and extra balls. A side that bowls many wides and no-balls gives away runs and tires its bowlers, so extras often show which team is under pressure.
Quick answers
Do wides count as a ball faced?
No. A wide is not counted as a legal ball for the over or for the batter.
What is a free hit?
The ball after a no-ball in limited-overs cricket. The batter can only be out in a few ways, such as run out.
Who is charged with byes?
Neither the bowler nor the batter. They are team extras.