An over has six valid balls; bowler quotas come from the match format.

The rulesets used on this page

The general baseline is MCC's Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 3rd Edition (2022), principally Laws 17 and 20. It remains the effective MCC Code on this page's check date, 26 August 2026.

The format examples use the ICC Men's Test Match Playing Conditions effective June 2025, the ICC Men's Standard ODI and Men's T20I Playing Conditions effective July 2025, and the ICC Women's ODI and T20I Playing Conditions effective July 2026. National boards, domestic leagues, junior competitions and short-form events can replace these quotas, so their appointed playing conditions control.

Six valid balls make the over

MCC Law 17.1 requires overs of six balls, bowled from alternating ends. Law 17.2 says the over has started when the bowler begins the run-up—or, with no run-up, begins the action—for its first delivery.

Only a valid ball advances the count. Under Law 17.3, a No-ball or Wide is not one of the six. The one-run No-ball or Wide penalty and any other permitted runs are still dealt with under Laws 21 and 22; saying that the ball “does not count” means that another valid ball is needed, not that the event disappears from the score.

No-balls and Wides are not the only exclusions

Law 17.3 also excludes an incident before a ball is delivered, even if a batter can be dismissed—for example, a run-out of the non-striker under Law 38.3. A delivered ball is excluded if it becomes dead before the striker has had an opportunity to play it, or in the specific distraction and unfair-fielding cases listed in Law 17.3.2.

This is why “every Dead ball is re-bowled” is too broad. MCC Law 20.7 says a delivered ball that becomes dead after the striker had an opportunity to play it will normally be valid, unless it was a No-ball, a Wide, or one of the listed exceptions. If the striker is not ready, Law 20.4.2.5 makes the ball invalid only when the striker made no attempt to play and the umpire accepts there was an adequate reason.

Sixth valid ball, then dead ball, then the call

Reaching six valid balls is not by itself the end of live play. Under Laws 17.4 and 20.3, the umpire waits until the ball is dead and then calls Over before leaving the wicket. A boundary, dismissal or the ball finally settling can make the ball dead under Law 20; the precise trigger depends on the play.

The over need not be finished if the innings ends. A winning Wide, for example, can conclude the chase even though it is not a valid ball and another ball would otherwise have been required.

Changing ends does not create an extra turn

MCC Law 17.6 permits a bowler to change ends as often as desired, but not to bowl two overs consecutively or parts of each of two consecutive overs in the same innings. There must therefore be an intervening over by another bowler before the first bowler can operate from the other end.

The same test applies to replacement bowlers. A captain cannot use an injury, suspension, interval or change of ends to give one player part of one over and part of the immediately following over.

The starter normally returns to finish

Other than at the end of an innings, Law 17.7 requires the bowler to finish an over in progress unless incapacitated or suspended. If an interval or interruption begins with the over unfinished, the same over is completed on resumption; the break does not turn it into a new over or reset its valid-ball count.

Under Law 17.8, an incapacitated or suspended bowler is replaced from the same end. The replacement must be eligible under the consecutive-over rule: that player cannot have bowled the preceding over or any part of it, and after completing the interrupted over cannot bowl any part of the next over.

The numerical quota is a playing condition

• MCC Law 17: no fixed number of overs per bowler; it supplies the six-ball and consecutive-over rules.
• ICC men's Tests, June 2025: clause 17 contains no per-innings numerical quota. Long spells are legal, but consecutive overs are not.
• ICC men's ODIs, July 2025: the “Number of Overs per Bowler” provision caps a bowler at 10 in a full 50-over innings.
• ICC men's T20Is, July 2025: clause 13.9 caps a bowler at 4 in a full 20-over innings.
• ICC women's ODIs and T20Is, July 2026: clauses 13.9 use the same full-innings maxima of 10 and 4 respectively.

A competition can adopt a different innings length, quota, youth workload limit or injury rule. “ODI means 10” and “T20 means 4” are safe only when the governing playing conditions actually say so.

Divide the revised allocation by five

Under the ICC ODI provisions cited above, when overs are reduced for both teams or for the side bowling second, no bowler may bowl more than one-fifth of the revised innings. If the total is not divisible by five, only the number of bowlers needed to cover the remainder may receive one additional over.

Worked allocation: in a 43-over ICC ODI innings, divide 43 into five groups: eight overs each accounts for 40, leaving three. Up to three bowlers may therefore bowl 9 overs; the other two may bowl no more than 8. It is not a blanket 9-over maximum for every bowler.

Five-to-nine-over innings use a special cap

ICC Men's T20I clause 13.9 uses the one-fifth rule for a rescheduled innings of at least 10 overs, with the same one-extra-over distribution where required. For a rescheduled innings of 5 to 9 overs, no bowler may bowl more than 2 overs.

Worked allocation: in a 17-over ICC men's T20I innings, two bowlers may bowl 4 overs and three may bowl 3. In an 8-over innings, the special rule applies instead: no bowler may exceed 2 overs, so at least four bowlers are needed to complete the allocation.

One match over can charge two bowlers

The current ICC ODI and T20I quota provisions add a special rule for a bowler who breaks down and cannot complete an over. The remaining balls may be bowled by another eligible bowler, but each bowler's part counts as a full over for that player's individual limit.

Worked case: in an ICC men's T20I, Bowler A is injured after two valid balls and Bowler B legally completes the remaining four. The innings record has one completed over, but for the four-over individual limit A is charged one over and B is charged one over. Bowler B also cannot bowl the next over because that would be parts of consecutive overs.

Removal from the attack is not the same as using the quota

Law 17 explains how to finish the over after a bowler is suspended; the trigger for suspension comes from another Law or from the competition's playing conditions. Current ICC clause 41, for example, contains suspension procedures for specified dangerous or unfair bowling sequences.

A suspension can bar the bowler for the rest of the innings even when overs remain in that player's format quota. Reaching the numerical quota is different: it simply makes that bowler ineligible to bowl another over under the limited-overs playing condition.

The umpire's over count stands

MCC Law 17.5 says that if the umpire miscounts valid balls, the over as counted by the umpire stands. If play has continued beyond six valid balls, the umpire may call Over when the ball becomes dead after any later delivery—even if that delivery itself was not valid.

The ICC versions add clause 17.5.3: whenever possible, the third umpire should liaise with the scorers and inform the on-field umpires of a miscount. That assistance does not replace the rule that the umpire's count governs the over.

A No-ball is the sixth delivery attempted

Situation: the over contains five valid balls, then the bowler oversteps.

MCC 2022 ruling: apply the No-ball consequences, but the over still contains only five valid balls. Another valid delivery is required unless the innings ends first. The decisive fact is validity, not the number of physical deliveries.

A legal ball becomes dead after it is played

Situation: the striker has a fair opportunity to play a legal delivery; the ball is then fielded and finally settles.

MCC 2022 ruling: the delivery counts. “Dead ball” describes when play from that delivery has ended; it does not automatically make the delivery invalid under Laws 17.3 and 20.7.

Rain arrives during a bowler's fourth over

Situation: an ICC men's T20I is interrupted at 11.2 overs while Bowler A is delivering a fourth over. The innings is rescheduled to 12 overs.

ICC men's T20I, July 2025 analysis: the 12-over allocation allows two bowlers up to 3 overs and three up to 2. Clause 13.9 says no bowler may exceed the revised maximum, so A cannot resume without conflicting with that limit. However, the published clause does not state a separate transition procedure for a bowler already over the new maximum in an interrupted, unfinished over, while clause 17.7 normally tells the starter to finish. Treat replacement as the necessary reading of the two provisions, not as a quoted ICC casebook ruling; the match officials' application of the appointed conditions controls.

A Wide supplies the winning run

Situation: the chasing side needs one run, and the bowler delivers a Wide when the over has five valid balls.

MCC 2022 ruling: the Wide does not become a sixth valid ball, but its penalty run can end the match. The bowler does not deliver a replacement ball because the innings and match have already concluded.

How to decide whether the over or bowler is finished

1. Name the ruleset. Start with MCC Law 17, then identify the international, domestic, junior or tournament playing conditions.
2. Count only valid balls. Exclude No-balls, Wides, undelivered incidents and the specific Dead-ball or unfair-play cases in Law 17.3.
3. Wait for the ball to become dead. The umpire calls Over only after the sixth valid ball is dead.
4. Ask whether the innings has ended. If so, no one has to finish the over.
5. Check the bowler's eligibility. Apply the consecutive-over rule, any suspension and any individual format quota.
6. If overs were reduced, recalculate. Use the competition's exact formula and special short-innings rule; do not assume the full-match limit survives.
7. If the bowler cannot continue, choose a legal replacement. Apply both the adjacent-over restriction and any split-over quota accounting.

Three limits that viewers often combine

• Individual quota: how many overs one bowler may bowl in the innings.
• Team over rate: whether the fielding side is bowling quickly enough. ICC in-match fielding penalties for falling behind schedule do not add to or reset an individual's quota.
• Delivery or field restrictions: limits on short-pitched balls, dangerous full tosses, bowling action and fielder positions. These can cause a No-ball, warning or suspension, but they are separate tests.

Always identify which restriction the replay or scorecard is discussing before applying an outcome.

Claims to avoid

• “Six attempts always finish the over.” It takes six valid balls.
• “Every Dead ball is re-bowled.” Some count because the striker already had an opportunity to play.
• “A bowler can switch ends and continue.” Not if that produces consecutive overs or parts of consecutive overs.
• “Every T20 bowler gets four in a 17-over innings.” Under current ICC T20I rules, only two may bowl four; three are limited to three.
• “A split over is half an over against each quota.” In the ICC breakdown provision, each part is charged as a full over for the individual limit.
• “The MCC Law itself creates the ODI and T20 limits.” Those figures come from the relevant competition playing conditions.

Governing-body sources and effective versions

• Marylebone Cricket Club — Laws of Cricket editions and the distinction between Laws and competition regulations
• Marylebone Cricket Club — Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 3rd Edition (2022), Law 17: The over
• Marylebone Cricket Club — Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 3rd Edition (2022), Law 20: Dead ball, especially 20.3 and 20.7
• International Cricket Council — current Playing Conditions index
• ICC — Men's Test Match Playing Conditions, effective June 2025, clause 17
• ICC — Men's Standard ODI Playing Conditions, effective July 2025, “Number of Overs per Bowler” and clause 17
• ICC — Men's T20I Playing Conditions, effective July 2025, clauses 13.9 and 17
• ICC — Men's and Women's T20I Playing Conditions addendum for Green status Members (no change to bowler quotas)
• ICC — Women's ODI Playing Conditions, effective July 2026, clause 13.9
• ICC — Women's T20I Playing Conditions, effective July 2026, clause 13.9
• MCC — 2017 Code, 4th Edition announcement; effective 1 October 2026
• MCC — Changes to the Laws of Cricket for the 2026 edition, amended 20 February 2026; Law 17.5.2 note

Checked on 26 August 2026 against the effective MCC Code, the current ICC documents listed above and the T20I addendum, which does not amend the quota clauses. ICC playing conditions incorporate and modify the Laws for their stated international formats. Domestic, junior and tournament rules may supplement or replace the ICC quota provisions; use the playing conditions appointed for the match.