Leg Byes – II
This is one of the most interesting rules I have personally ever come across. Imagine a situation (some people swear to have watched this happen in a county game) where the ball hits the helmet when the batsman is taking evasive action (we just discussed it is counted as runs) and the ball flies all the way to the third man or fine leg boundary without bouncing in the field of play, it is declared as four leg byes and not a six!
Indeed, this peculiar rule ensures that even a ball that goes out of the boundary ropes directly will not be signalled as a six if no shot is offered. Not only leg byes, a ‘boundary six’ cannot be scored in Byes, Wides or No balls even. It can be scored only and only off the bat.
Quoting rule 19.5 ©, A Boundary 6 will be scored if and only if the ball has been struck by the bat and pitches beyond the boundary.
Unbelievable? Read the whole rule here.
