Cricket · Guide
Wides, no-balls and free hits
Wides and no-balls are illegal deliveries. Each gives the batting side an extra run and has to be bowled again. In white-ball internationals, a no-ball is followed by a free hit.
The wide
The umpire calls a wide when the ball passes too far from the batter for them to hit it with a normal shot. The umpire judges it from where the batter was standing, and in white-ball cricket the umpires apply stricter guide lines on the leg side.
- One extra run, plus any runs taken or a boundary.
- It does not count as a ball in the over.
- The batter can still be out stumped or run out, but not bowled, caught or LBW.
The no-ball
The most common reasons:
- Overstepping: no part of the bowler's front foot is behind the popping crease when the ball is delivered.
- Back foot: the back foot touches or goes over the return crease.
- Height: a full toss above waist height, or a bouncer over head height.
- Too many bouncers in the over for the format.
- Throwing: an illegal bowling action.
- Fielding restrictions broken in white-ball cricket.
In international cricket a no-ball adds one run, plus anything scored off the bat, and does not count in the over. The batter can only be out run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field.
The free hit
In ODIs and T20 internationals, every no-ball is followed by a free hit. On that ball the batter can only be dismissed the same ways as off a no-ball, so they can swing at it without fear of being bowled or caught. If the free hit is itself a wide or a no-ball, the next ball is a free hit too.
There are no free hits in Test cricket.
Quick answers
- How many runs is a wide?
- One extra, plus any runs the batters take or any boundary. The ball does not count as one of the six in the over and has to be bowled again.
- How many runs is a no-ball?
- One extra in international cricket, plus anything the batter scores off it. It must be bowled again.
- What is a free hit in cricket?
- The ball after a no-ball in ODIs and T20 internationals. The batter cannot be out bowled, caught, LBW or stumped off it, so they can swing freely.
- Can you be out off a no-ball?
- Only run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field. Not bowled, caught, LBW or stumped.