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[BobbySheldon]

Hi guys,

I'm playing in a newly formed 25over regional Stockholm league (Yep the one in Sweden). I'm playing for an ex-pats team and I'm probably the youngest at 33. In our first four games of the season any ball going near leg side is being given as a wide. Playable shot's where they swing and miss onto leg side are also given wide. This really gets up the more senior players who have been playing for 40+ years.

We're playing against teams heavily populated with Indian and Pakistani players and I'm wondering if its the IPL's doctrine of pitch the ball up so a giant Aussie can smash it for a six is starting to affect the basic club game. Is this becoming the case back in Blighty?

[Bruce]

Yes, leagues I play in anything down leg is a wide.

I think this will be changed to umpires discretion soon though.

[tim2000s]

All the 20 over leagues I've played in over the last 6 years have had anything down legside given as a wide, you get two runs and no extra ball in the over. This is primarily to encourage offside bowling and also because by the time they generally get started, if you don't do this the matches end in the dark...

And let's face it, you are always being told to bowl at the off stump, so I'm not too fussed by it. If anything it's improved my bowling accuracy in Saturday games.