All Types of Extras in Cricket Explained — Wides, No Balls, Byes, Leg Byes and Penalties
Extras are runs that don't come off the bat. Learn all five types of extras in cricket — wides, no balls, byes, leg byes, and penalty runs — how each is recorded in a scorecard, and whether they count against the bowler.
Extras are runs added to a team's total that do not come from the batter's bat. In a close match, conceding too many extras — wides, no balls, or unnecessary byes — can be the difference between winning and losing. There are five distinct types of extras in cricket, each with different rules about attribution and whether they count against the bowler.
Summary of all five extras
| Extra Type | Symbol | Against Bowler? | Common Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | W | Yes — adds to bowler's runs | Ball too wide or high to play |
| No ball | NB | Yes — adds to bowler's runs | Front foot overstepping, beamer |
| Bye | B | No — kept's account | Ball misses bat and body; keeper misses |
| Leg bye | LB | No — awarded if shot attempted | Ball hits body; batters run |
| Penalty | P | No — captain's account | Helmet on ground; misconduct |
Wides
A wide is called when the ball is delivered too wide or too high for the batter to play with a normal cricket stroke. In Tests, this is more lenient; in T20 cricket, wides are called strictly for any ball outside the batter's reach. A wide adds 1 run to extras and must be rebowled.
No balls
A no ball (most commonly from overstepping) adds 1 run to extras and must be rebowled. In T20 and ODI cricket, a front-foot no ball results in a free hit on the next delivery. See our full no ball types article for every type.
Byes
Byes are awarded when the ball misses both bat and body and the wicketkeeper fails to collect it, allowing the batters to run. They are credited to extras, not to the batter's score or the bowler's figures. They reflect wicketkeeper performance.
Leg byes
Leg byes are awarded when the ball hits the batter's body (not the bat) and they run. Leg byes are only awarded if the batter attempted a legitimate stroke or genuinely tried to avoid the ball. If they deliberately used their body to deflect the ball for runs, leg byes are not given.
Penalty runs
5 penalty runs are awarded for misconduct — most commonly when a fielding side's helmet placed on the ground stops the ball. Penalty runs go to the batting side's extras and do not count against any individual player.
Frequently asked questions
What are extras in cricket?
Extras are runs added to a team's total that do not come off the bat. There are five types: wides, no balls, byes, leg byes, and penalty runs.
Which extras count against the bowler?
Wides and no balls count against the bowler's figures (added to their runs conceded). Byes, leg byes, and penalty runs do not affect the bowler's statistics.
Can you score a six as a wide or no ball?
If a wide is hit for 6, only 6 runs are scored (not 6+1). If a batter hits a no ball for 6, both the 6 runs and the 1 no ball run are counted — a total of 7 runs from that delivery.
Do extras appear on the scorecard?
Yes. The scorecard lists a separate 'Extras' row at the bottom of the batting innings, broken down by Wide (W), No Ball (NB), Bye (B), Leg Bye (LB), and Penalty (P).