THE LAWS OF CRICKET 2017 CODE (2^nd edition – 2019)

© Marylebone Cricket Club

LAW 23 BYE AND LEG BYE

23.1 Byes

• If the ball, delivered by the bowler, not being a Wide, passes the striker without touching his/her bat or person, any runs completed by the batsmen from that delivery, or a boundary allowance, shall be credited as Byes to the batting side. Additionally, if the delivery is a No ball, the one run penalty for such a delivery shall be incurred.

23.2 Leg byes

• 23.2.1 If a ball delivered by the bowler first strikes the person of the striker, runs shall be scored only if the umpire is satisfied that the striker has
  either attempted to play the ball with the bat
  or tried to avoid being hit by the ball.
• 23.2.2 If the umpire is satisfied that either of these conditions has been met runs shall be scored as follows
  • 23.2.2.1 If there is
    either  no subsequent contact with the striker’s bat or person,
    or   only inadvertent contact with the striker’s bat or person
    any runs completed by the batsmen or a boundary allowance shall be credited to the striker in the case of subsequent contact with his/her bat but otherwise to the batting side as in 23.2.3.
  • 23.2.2.2 If the striker wilfully makes a lawful second strike, Laws 34.3 (Ball lawfully struck more than once) and 34.4 (Runs permitted from ball lawfully struck more than once) shall apply
• 23.2.3 The runs in 2.2.1, unless credited to the striker, shall be scored as Leg byes.
  Additionally, if the delivery is a No ball, the one run penalty for the No ball shall be incurred.

23.3 Leg byes not to be awarded

• If in the circumstance of 23.2.1 the umpire considers that neither of the conditions therein has been met, then Leg byes shall not be awarded.
• If the ball does not become dead for any other reason, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as the ball reaches the boundary or at the completion of the first run.
• The umpire shall then
  • disallow all runs to the batting side;
  • return any not out batsman to his/her original end;
  • signal No ball to the scorers if applicable;
  • award any 5-run Penalty that is applicable except for Penalty runs under Law 28.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side).