The small update to the Laws of Cricket that could have a big change on how wides are called

Controversy erupted earlier this week when Sanju Samson appeared to use up a review as a form of protest against a wide call in the IPL. That incident prompted questions over what should be considered a wide and whether wides should be available to be reviewed.

As things stand, clause 22.1.1 in the MCC Laws of Cricket, which talks about Judging a Wide, states: “If the bowler bowls a ball, not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if, according to the definition in 22.1.2, the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing and which also would have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal guard position.”

Clause 22.1.2 states: “The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within reach for him to be able to hit it with the bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.”

The new rule, though, would considerably change the way the game is officiated. In March 2022, the MCC announced a new Code of Laws set to take effect from October 1, thus affecting Clause 22.1.

“In the modern game, batters are, more than ever, moving laterally around the crease before the ball is bowled,” read a statement from the MCC. “It was felt unfair that a delivery might be called ‘Wide’ if it passes where the batter had stood as the bowler entered his/her delivery stride.

“Therefore, Law 22.1 has been amended so that a Wide will apply to where the batter is standing, where the striker has stood at any point since the bowler began their run up, and which would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.”

Once this law change comes into effect, bowlers will have more leeway with their deliveries. If, for example, a batter backs away to the leg-side while the bowler is running in, before returning to a “normal guard position”, the umpires could call for a wide if the ball is speared down the leg-side.