GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
How do No balls and Wides affect over length, extras and permitted dismissals?
Under the MCC's 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), neither a No ball nor a Wide uses one of an over's six valid balls. Each normally adds a one-run extra, but the calls are not interchangeable: No ball overrides Wide, and the available dismissals depend on which call was made and the full circumstances.
For Cricket fans interpreting extras, overs and delivery counts · Updated
An over is six valid balls, not always six deliveries
The MCC over contains six valid balls. A delivery called No ball or Wide is excluded, so the bowler must deliver another ball toward the six-valid-ball count. An over can therefore include more than six deliveries.
Keep the two calls distinct
A No ball adds its one-run penalty as a No ball extra. A Wide adds its one-run penalty, and any completed runs or boundary allowance from that Wide are also recorded as Wides. If both calls might otherwise apply, the No ball call overrides the Wide call.
The permitted dismissal depends on the call
After a No ball, the MCC exceptions are Hit the ball twice, Obstructing the field and Run out. After a Wide, the exceptions are Hit wicket, Obstructing the field, Run out and Stumped. These are rule lists, not a conclusion that a dismissal occurred: the relevant conditions of the dismissal law still have to be met.
For example, a batter can be Run out while attempting a run after a No ball. A striker may be Stumped from a Wide when out of their ground and not attempting a run, provided the stumping conditions are met.
Check the competition's playing conditions
This explanation follows the MCC Laws in the 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), including its six-valid-ball rule. No competition-specific Playing Conditions were checked, so verify the current conditions for a named match or format.
Eight deliveries, six valid balls
In a fictional over, four valid balls are followed by a No ball, then a separate valid ball, then a Wide, then another valid ball. The No ball adds one No ball extra and does not count; the Wide adds one Wide and does not count. The final delivery is the sixth valid ball, so the over contains eight deliveries in total. In a separate No ball example, a batter attempting a run is Run out; the No ball extra and dismissal are recorded separately. In a separate Wide example, a striker is out of their ground, is not attempting a run, and the wicket-keeper breaks the wicket under the stumping conditions; the score includes a Wide and the dismissal is Stumped.
Related questions
Is a Wide just another kind of No ball?
No. They have different scoring and dismissal rules. The MCC Law says a No ball overrides a Wide if both calls would otherwise apply.
Does a Wide stop a striker from being Stumped?
No. Stumped is one of the MCC's dismissal exceptions after a Wide, but the striker must meet the stumping conditions, including being out of their ground and not attempting a run. A No ball has a different exception list and does not permit Stumped under that list.