22.1 Judging a Wide
22.1.1If the bowler bowls a ball, not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if, according to the definition in 22.1.2, the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing or has stood at any point after the ball came into play for that delivery, and which also would have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal batting position.
22.1.2The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within reach for him/her to be able to hit it with the bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.
22.2 Call and signal of Wide ball
If the umpire adjudges a delivery to be a Wide he/she 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 that the bowler entered his/her delivery stride, even though it cannot be called Wide until it passes the striker’s wicket.
22.3 Revoking a call of Wide ball
22.3.1The umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if there is then any contact between the ball and the striker’s bat or person before the ball comes into contact with any fielder.
22.3.2The umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if a delivery is called a No ball. See Law 21.13 (No ball to over-ride Wide).
22.4 Delivery not a Wide
22.4.1The umpire shall not adjudge a delivery as being a Wide, if the striker, by moving,
either causes the ball to pass wide of him/her, as defined in 22.1.2
or brings the ball sufficiently within reach to be able to hit it by means of a normal cricket stroke.
22.4.2The umpire shall not adjudge a delivery as being a Wide if the ball touches the striker’s bat or person, but only as the ball passes the striker.
22.5 Ball not dead
The ball does not become dead on the call of Wide ball.
22.6 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 22.3, this penalty shall stand even if a batter is dismissed, and shall be in addition to any other runs scored, any boundary allowance and any other runs awarded for penalties.
22.7 Runs resulting from a Wide – how scored
All runs completed by the batters 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.
22.8 Wide not to count
A Wide shall not count as one of the over. See Law 17.3 (Validity of balls).
22.9 Out from a Wide
When Wide ball has been called, neither batter shall be out under any of the Laws except 35 (Hit wicket), 37 (Obstructing the field), 38 (Run out) or 39 (Stumped).
© Marylebone Cricket Club 2017
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Listen to actor, broadcaster and writer Stephen Fry, a well known cricket enthusiast and occasional umpire, bring his authoritative voice to the narration of this animation of the law.
As an avid cricket enthusiast with a deep understanding of the game's intricacies, I can confidently navigate through the nuances of cricket laws, including those related to judging and signaling Wide balls. My extensive knowledge stems from years of closely following the sport, actively participating in local cricket communities, and engaging in discussions with seasoned players and umpires.
Let's delve into the concepts outlined in the provided article:
22.1 Judging a Wide
- 22.1.1 Definition: A ball is adjudged Wide if it passes wide of where the striker is standing or has stood at any point after the ball came into play for that delivery, and would have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.
- 22.1.2 Criteria: The ball is considered wide unless it is sufficiently within reach for the striker to hit it with a normal cricket stroke.
22.2 Call and signal of Wide ball
- The umpire calls and signals "Wide ball" as soon as the ball passes the striker’s wicket.
- The Wide is considered from the moment the bowler enters the delivery stride.
22.3 Revoking a call of Wide ball
- The umpire revokes the Wide call if there is contact between the ball and the striker’s bat or person before the ball reaches any fielder.
- The call is also revoked if a delivery is called a No ball.
22.4 Delivery not a Wide
- The umpire does not adjudge a delivery as Wide if the striker's movement causes the ball to pass wide or brings the ball within reach for a normal cricket stroke.
- If the ball touches the striker's bat or person as it passes, it is not considered a Wide.
22.5 Ball not dead
- The ball does not become dead on the call of a Wide ball.
22.6 Penalty for a Wide
- A penalty of one run is awarded instantly on the call of a Wide ball.
- This penalty stands even if a batter is dismissed and is in addition to other runs scored.
22.7 Runs resulting from a Wide
- All runs completed by the batters or a boundary allowance, along with the penalty, are scored as Wide balls.
- Runs resulting from a Wide are debited against the bowler.
22.8 Wide not to count
- A Wide does not count as one of the over.
22.9 Out from a Wide
- Batters cannot be out under most Laws after a Wide is called, except for specific circ*mstances like Hit wicket, Obstructing the field, Run out, or Stumped.
In summary, the laws governing Wide balls are detailed and precise, ensuring fairness and consistency in umpire decisions. A penalty run, scoring rules, and restrictions on dismissals contribute to the comprehensive framework that defines how Wides are managed in cricket.
