Overthrows in Cricket: Runs Scored, Boundaries and the Rules
Overthrows — when a fielder's throw goes past the stumps or wicketkeeper and allows extra runs — have specific rules governing how many runs are scored. The 2019 World Cup final changed everything.
Overthrows occur when a fielder throws the ball toward the stumps or wicketkeeper and the throw misses, allowing the batters to continue running or the ball to reach the boundary. The rules governing overthrow scoring are specific and became the subject of intense scrutiny after the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand, when an overthrow boundary in the final over contributed to England's tied match. The outcome of that match has reshaped how overthrow rules are understood and debated.
How Overthrow Runs Are Scored
Under Law 19 of the Laws of Cricket, runs scored from overthrows are added to any runs already completed by the batters at the time of the throw. If the batters were in the middle of crossing for a run when the overthrow was made, they receive credit for any runs already completed (if they had crossed) plus any overthrow runs. If the throw reaches the boundary, four boundary runs are scored in addition to any runs completed before the throw.
The 2019 World Cup final incident involved Ben Stokes diving for a run when the ball hit his bat and deflected to the boundary. The MCC Laws committee later reviewed the situation and clarified that under Law 19.8, if the ball is deflected off the bat or body of a batter who is running, the runs completed plus the overthrow should be counted from when the throw was made — not from when the batters were running. The specific interpretation applied during the final was later acknowledged to have been incorrectly applied, though the result was not changed.
Fielder Penalties and Wickets Off Overthrows
If an overthrow allows the batting side to score runs but no batter is run out — because they safely reached the crease or turned back in time — no penalty applies to the fielder. If the batters attempt another run off the overthrow and are run out, they are dismissed. The fielding team receives no additional benefit beyond the run-out. The bowling side cannot prevent overthrow runs once the throw has been made — the umpire's role is simply to count the runs correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Can a batter be out off an overthrow?
Yes. If the batters attempt a further run following an overthrow and a fielder effects a run-out, the batter is dismissed. Run-outs off overthrows are relatively common in lower-level cricket where fielding throws are erratic and batters are tempted to take extra runs.
Do overthrows count as extras or batter's runs?
Overthrow runs are credited to the batter who was at the striking end when the overthrow occurred — they count as the striker's personal runs. They are not extras. This is why Ben Stokes received credit for the overthrow runs in 2019 — they were his personal score.
What happens if an overthrow goes for six over the boundary?
A ball cannot be hit over the boundary for six off an overthrow — six runs require the batter to hit the ball with the bat in a normal batting stroke. If a deflection off the batter's body or bat reaches the boundary on the ground, it counts as a boundary four. A ball reaching the boundary off a deflection without grounding counts as a boundary — but only four, not six, because the batter has not hit it in the conventional sense.