Laws of Cricket 1980 Code - Law 25
1. Judging a Wide
If the bowler bowls the ball so high over or so wide of the wicket that, in the opinion of the umpire it passes out of reach of the striker, standing in a normal guard position, the umpire shall call and signal "wide ball" as soon as it has passed the line of the striker's wicket.
The umpire shall not adjudge a ball as being a wide if:
a. The striker, by moving from his guard position, causes the ball to pass out of his reach.
b. The striker moves and thus brings the ball within his reach.
2. Penalty
A penalty of 1 run for a wide shall be scored if no runs are made otherwise.
3. Ball Coming to Rest in Front of the Striker
If a ball which the umpire considers to have been delivered comes to rest in front of the line of the striker's wicket, "wide" shall not be called. The striker has a right, without interference from the fielding side, to make one attempt to hit the ball. If the fielding side interfere, the umpire shall replace the ball where it came to rest and shall order the fieldsmen to resume the places they occupied in the field before the ball was delivered.
The umpire shall call and signal "dead ball" as soon as it is clear that the striker does not intend to hit the ball, or after the striker has made one unsuccessful attempt to hit the ball.
4. Revoking a Call
The umpire shall revoke the call if the striker hits a ball which has been called "wide".
5. Ball Not Dead
The ball does not become dead on the call of "wide ball" - see Law 23.4 (The Ball is Not Dead).
6. Runs Resulting from a Wide
All runs which are run or result from a wide ball which is not a no ball shall be scored wide balls, or if no runs are made 1 shall be scored.
7. Out from a Wide
The striker shall be out from a wide ball if he breaks Law 35 (Hit Wicket) or Law 39 (Stumped). Either batsman may be run out and shall be out if he breaks Law 33 (Handled the Ball) or Law 37 (Obstructing the Field).
8. Batsman Given Out Off a Wide
Should a batsman be given out off a wide, the penalty for bowling it shall stand unless runs are otherwise made.
Note
1. Wide Ball not Counting in Over
A wide ball shall not be reckoned as one of the over - see Law 22.3 (No Ball or Wide Ball).
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