Wide ball has been one lasting burning issue in cricket with respect to any delivery that strays too far away from the batsman. Many regulations have changed through time, regarding the wides and their punishments due to the constant changes that crop into the game.

In the early, widish bowls were deemed littler severe than they are in recent times. A wide ball had not even been seen as a fault for batsman and was not considered an act of run back until the mid-19th century. Nor, however, did the thought of a wide ball evolve until around the 1860s when some legislation of width came into force.

The 20th century set the scene for the present era of wides. According to a new rule that was instituted in 1934 by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), a wide ball would earn one bonus run much to the detriment of the batman runs. This change in rules could be stated as a paradigm shift within the game, suddenly placing the ball in the accuracy of the bowler.

The modern day has found further evolution in the wides law. With the effects of technology, like the Decision Review System (DRS), umpires courier accurate wides judgment. Also, the other new rules that ICC sets for bowler rules include width spalks within which to deliver the ball.

However, wide ball has undergone major changes in its definition between the early history of cricket and now. Once a minor offense in the earlier days, this now has become one of the most important and playing factors in the game. The dynamic sport of cricket is now going to be left to see how the laws and regulations of wides change for the game as it gradually develops.

No doubt, however, that the effect of wides on the game can never be overstated. A well-directed wide ball can be one of the most potent weapons a bowler has in achieving either maintaining tight reins on runs or increasing the pressure on batsmen; conversely, although a wide ball is thrown with great distance off-line, it can turn out to be an expensive wide ball, giving up easy runs and lose momentum for the bowler.