Leg bye
Encyclopedia
In the sport
of cricket
, a leg bye is a run scored by the batting team when the batsman has not hit the ball
with his bat
, but the ball has hit the batsman's body or protective gear.
, the batsmen may have the opportunity to score runs safely, and may choose to do so. The number of runs scored are scored as leg byes - they are added to the team's total, but not to the number of runs scored by batsman and will not be considered as runs conceded by the bowler.
If the ball deflects off the batsman's body and travels all the way to the boundary
, the batting team immediately scores four leg byes, similar to if the ball had been hit to the boundary for a four.
Leg byes may only be scored if the ball hits the batsman while the batsman was either:
If the batsman was attempting neither of these, and the ball hits his body, it is a dead ball and runs may not be scored. The batsmen may, however, attempt to score runs and may be run out. If they complete such a "run" when the ball is dead, the umpire
signals dead ball, the run is not scored, and the batsmen must return to their wicket
s as before the run attempt.
Leg byes are relatively common. A typical number of leg byes scored in a Limited Overs match is 10 or fewer, in a Test match may be 10-20. The most leg byes in a single Test innings is 35, conceded by England against South Africa in the Proteas' tour of England, on 1 August 2008.
called for leg byes to be removed from the sport, he commented: "I don't think you should get runs when you miss the ball".
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, a leg bye is a run scored by the batting team when the batsman has not hit the ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
with his bat
Cricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball. It is usually made of willow wood. Its use is first mentioned in 1624....
, but the ball has hit the batsman's body or protective gear.
Scoring leg byes
If the ball deflects off the batsman's body and needs to be gathered by a fielderFielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
, the batsmen may have the opportunity to score runs safely, and may choose to do so. The number of runs scored are scored as leg byes - they are added to the team's total, but not to the number of runs scored by batsman and will not be considered as runs conceded by the bowler.
If the ball deflects off the batsman's body and travels all the way to the boundary
Boundary (cricket)
Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket:# the edge or boundary of the playing field, and# a manner of scoring runs.-Edge of the field:...
, the batting team immediately scores four leg byes, similar to if the ball had been hit to the boundary for a four.
Leg byes may only be scored if the ball hits the batsman while the batsman was either:
- attempting to hit the ball with his bat, or
- attempting to evade being hit by the ball.
If the batsman was attempting neither of these, and the ball hits his body, it is a dead ball and runs may not be scored. The batsmen may, however, attempt to score runs and may be run out. If they complete such a "run" when the ball is dead, the umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
signals dead ball, the run is not scored, and the batsmen must return to their wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
s as before the run attempt.
Leg byes are relatively common. A typical number of leg byes scored in a Limited Overs match is 10 or fewer, in a Test match may be 10-20. The most leg byes in a single Test innings is 35, conceded by England against South Africa in the Proteas' tour of England, on 1 August 2008.
Validity
Prior to his retirement from Test cricket Australian captain Steve WaughSteve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
called for leg byes to be removed from the sport, he commented: "I don't think you should get runs when you miss the ball".