Byes and Leg Byes in Cricket: What They Mean and How They're Scored
Byes and leg byes are batting extras in cricket. Learn the difference, when they're awarded, how they're signalled, and why they're important in tight finishes.
Byes and leg byes are runs scored by the batting team without the ball touching the bat. They count as extras in the scorebook but are charged against the fielding side, not the bowling figures.
What is a bye?
A bye is a run scored when the ball passes the bat and the wicketkeeper without the batter making contact. The batters then run between the wickets (or the ball reaches the boundary for a boundary bye). Byes can occur off any delivery that is not a wide or no-ball. They are the wicketkeeper's 'fault' — a clean take should prevent byes.
What is a leg bye?
A leg bye is a run scored when the ball hits the batter's body (but not the bat) and the batters run. For a leg bye to be awarded, the batter must have been attempting to play a shot OR attempting to avoid the ball. Leg byes off balls where the batter neither played a shot nor tried to avoid the ball are not awarded.
Umpire signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bye — raised open hand, flat palm above head | Runs awarded as byes (no bat contact) |
| Leg bye — raised bent leg, touch knee | Runs awarded as leg byes (body contact) |
| No runs available — both hands crossed at wrists | Dead ball — no byes or leg byes given |
When no runs are given
If a batter plays no shot and makes no attempt to avoid the ball, and it hits their pad, leg byes are not awarded even if runs are completed. The umpire signals 'dead ball' (crossing wrists) and the completed runs do not count. This prevents deliberate padding to score leg byes.
Significance in tight finishes
Byes and leg byes can be decisive. A bye off the last ball of a match can win or draw a match. Wicketkeepers who allow too many byes are penalised tactically — their captain may choose to bowl spinners that are harder to collect. In Test cricket, wicketkeepers who allow 5+ byes per day are considered to be underperforming.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a bye and a leg bye?
A bye occurs when the ball passes the bat and keeper — no contact with bat or body. A leg bye occurs when the ball hits the batter's body (not the bat).
Are byes charged to the bowler?
No. Byes and leg byes are extras charged to the team's total but do not appear in the bowler's figures. They show separately in the extras column.
Can you score leg byes off your helmet?
If the ball hits the batter's helmet (worn on their head), runs completed count as leg byes. If the ball hits a fielder's helmet left on the pitch, 5 penalty runs are awarded to the batting team.