If you’ve just started playing or watching cricket, a “no ball” can be one of the confusing things to wrap your head around.

So, what is a no-ball in cricket?

To put it as simply as possible, a no-ball is a delivery from the bowler that is not within the rules of the game. Cricket has a complex set of rules, mainly designed to ensure that it is a fair contest.

If you start watching cricket, you will notice that there are fairly regular no-balls signalled and called by the umpire, especially in formats like T20 and one-day cricket.

Why do they exist?

Without the option to call a no-ball, bowlers would be free to use tactics and techniques that give them an advantage and make it nearly impossible for the batter to hit the ball. Some of these methods could even put the bowler in danger.

If a no-ball is called, the main methods of dismissal are out of the question for that delivery (bowled, LBW, and caught), and there is usually a free run, and the bowler has to bowl the delivery again. A no-ball also results in a free hit, where the batter can swing without fear of being called out. Runs scored off a no-ball still count, too.

You can see why bowlers are so keen to avoid them.

Rules evolve, and one high-profile incident in the 1980s shows the importance of the no-ball in cricket.

It occurred in the World Series Cup at the MCG in 1981, when the Australian team used a technicality to avoid possibly having to tie the match. After the last ball of the match, Trevor Chappell, instructed by his brother and captain Greg, decided to bowl a slow underarm delivery to avoid being hit for six. This would’ve resulted in a tie.

In this article, learn about over 15 types of no-balls in cricket with our comprehensive guide and enhance your knowledge of the game.

It’s crucial to comprehend the no-ball regulations when playing cricket. A no-ball is awarded when a bowler steps outside of the bowling crease or when the ball is bowled too high for the batter to strike. 

 However, these are not the only circumstances in which this rule applies! A delivery may be deemed unlawful and a no-ball in some different situations. The front foot law is the most prevalent of them.

Cricket has 17 different varieties of no-balls. A bowling team may be deemed to have bowled a no-ball in several ways aside from the bowler stepping over the popping crease.

Let’s examine each category of no-ball in cricket.

The most common type of illegal delivery is a front-foot no-ball. For a delivery to be considered legal, the bowler must have some part of their front foot behind the popping crease when the ball leaves their hand. If a bowler’s foot lands behind the line and subsequently slides over it, then that’s OK, as the no-ball can only be called and signalled at the point at which the foot hits the ground.

It’s important to remember that the crease itself belongs to the umpire, so if the foot is on the line, then it’s a no-ball. The delivery is only considered to be fair if there is a part of the foot behind the popping crease.

In the case of a front foot with no balls, one run is added to the batting side’s total, and the bowler must bowl the ball again. Additionally, if the game is a one-day or T20 match, the next ball is a free hit.

When a ball is delivered front foot, the only means by which a batsman can be out is via the following methods: Hit the Ball Twice, Run Out, or Obstructing the Field.

The return crease is represented by the two vertical lines to the side of the stumps at either end. When delivering the ball, the bowler must stay within the confines of these lines, and if he were to break them with either foot, the standing umpire shall call and signal no ball.

Unlike the front foot no-ball, both feet must be entirely within that return crease at the point of delivery. If either foot touches the line, a no-ball should be called. A run will be added to the batting team’s total, and the bowler must send down the delivery again. In addition, a free hit will be called in one-day or T20 cricket.

Cricket is working hard to eliminate dangerous play, and, as such, a no-ball can now be called if a full toss is delivered above waist height. To be called a no-ball, the delivery must be deemed to be above waist height at the point that it would reach the batsman in their normal stance.

If it is determined that a no-ball has been sent down, one run will be added to the batting total, and the bowler must bowl it again. A free hit must be declared in one-day cricket, and the batsmen can only be given out by those three methods – run out, hit the ball twice, or obstructing the field.

There is another point to note for umpires here: If the delivery is accidental, then the bowler should be cautioned. If the same bowler bowls another no-ball in this fashion, they should then be taken out of the attack. If, however, the initial no-ball is deemed to be deliberate, they should be removed from the attack without warning.

Height is also an issue in our next type of no-ball, but in this instance, the delivery can bounce. If, after the ball has bounced, it travels over the batsman at above head height, a no-ball should be called. 

To be deemed an illegal delivery in this way, the square leg umpire shall determine that the ball is higher than the batsman’s head if he were upright.

The usual supplementary laws to this type of no-ball will apply, so there will be an extra run given to the batting side. The possibilities for dismissal are limited, and the next delivery will be a free hit in one-day cricket.

This is another instance of a no-ball when the bowler is tossing the ball.

Chucking is the phrase used to describe a bowler’s illegal bowling motion in cricket. Such a bowling motion frequently gives the bowler an unfair edge.

Throwing is another name for chucking. To ascertain whether a bowler is chucking when bowling, use the 15-degree rule. The umpire indicates “no ball” if a bowler is tossing the ball or otherwise making an illegal delivery.

The leg umpire is typically responsible for judging whether the bowling action was fair. The umpire at the bowling end can, however, also make the same call for a no-ball.

It’s interesting to observe that the umpire just declares a no-ball and issues a warning to the bowler when the bowler is called out for chucking for the first time. However, the bowler might be immediately barred from bowling again for the remainder of the innings if they are discovered to be tossing once more.

A no-ball call will also be made for the second delivery.

The no-ball rule that applies when the ball rebounds above the batter’s head is analogous to this one. There is a slight difference, though.

The umpire has the authority to give a no-ball if they believe the bowler is bowling short deliveries that are risky for the batter, regardless of whether or not the batter is wearing protective equipment.

It’s important to notice that in this situation, the delivery may not have needed to bounce over the batter’s head. A delivery can be deemed a no-ball if it has the potential to harm the batter or is unjust.

The umpire must first give the bowler the first and last warning for such a delivery before declaring it a no-ball. The ball shall again be deemed a no-ball, and the umpire may instantly suspend the bowler if he or she continues to bowl risky or unfairly short-pitched deliveries.

This kind of no-ball is another uncommon variety.

According to Law 21, “the ball delivered by the bowler can be called a no ball if it makes contact with any part of the fielder before it makes contact with any part of the bat or the batsman, or before it passes the wicket of the batsman.”

If such an incident occurs during a game, the umpires must first call and signal a no-ball before calling and signaling a “dead ball” right away.

Along with the more common examples of no balls listed above, there are other possibilities. These are much rarer and will hardly ever be seen, but they do constitute a no-ball under the laws, so they do need to be mentioned.

Under law 21.4, the umpires shall call and signal no ball if the bowler throws the ball towards the striker’s end before he or she delivers it. This could potentially happen, and is an action that could be used to prevent the batters from stealing a run.

If the bowler completes their delivery and the ball stops before reaching the striker’s wicket without it having been touched by the bat or the batsman, the umpire shall call and signal no ball.

Once again, this is rare, but it could happen if the ball slips out of the bowler’s hand

A leg-side no-ball is an extremely rare event, and it happens through no fault of the bowler. As the ball is delivered by the bowler, a no-ball will be called if there are more than two fielders behind square leg on the onside.

The law was introduced following the infamous Ashes Bodyline series in the 1930s. Facing a strong Australian side, the English tourists packed the leg side with fielders and delivered what was widely considered to be intimidating bowling. As a result, no more than two onside fielders can be behind the square.

At the point of delivery, the bowler’s arm must be straight. There is a small degree of flexibility, and this can be contentious at times, but if the square leg umpire feels that the bowler throws the ball, as opposed to bowling it, then they shall call and signal a ball.

That level of flexibility is up to 15 degrees in the elbow joint, which is extremely difficult to call in a live match. The umpire must, therefore, be completely certain that the bowler has gone beyond this point. If a bowler infringes in this way twice in a match, the fielding team’s captain should be consulted, and the bowler would be removed from the attack for the rest of the innings.

In ancient games of cricket, it was more prevalent for the ball to be delivered with underarm bowling, but these days the practice is outlawed. This is another relatively new law that has been brought in to ensure fair play following an infamous incident in a one-day international between Australia and New Zealand. With New Zealand needing a six to win, Australia’s Trevor Chappell was ordered to bowl underarm so that the Kiwis couldn’t clear the boundary.

In the modern day, if a bowler delivers underarm, the umpire shall call and signal no ball, and it doesn’t matter how many times the ball bounces before reaching the batsman.

This is a relatively new addition to the list of no-balls, and it underlines how cricket’s laws have evolved over the years. For the bowler breaking the wicket at his own end after the ball comes into play and before he completes the delivery stride, the umpire shall call and signal no ball.

This law was introduced after England’s Steven Finn had issues with breaking the wicket. South African captain Graeme Smith argued that this was distracting to the batsman, and it was agreed that this should be classed as an illegal delivery.

This no-ball rule doesn’t apply to ‘Mankading’, where the bowler runs out the non-striking batsman who has left his or her crease. I’ll cover this in more detail, but this doesn’t count as a no-ball as the bowler would have stopped in their delivery before completing the runout.

It’s fascinating to see a no-ball of this kind. Few people are aware that if the bowler or the bowling team violates the on-side rule, the umpire may call a no-ball.

So, what exactly is the cricket onside rule? According to the on-side rule, only a certain number of fielders may be positioned behind the popping crease of the batter on the on-side or leg side. On the leg side behind a batter’s crease, no more than two fielders may be positioned.

Law 28 of “The Fielder” covers topics related to the onside rule.  According to regulation 28.4, there cannot be more than two fielders, excluding the wicketkeeper, behind the popping crease of the on-side batter at the time of the bowler’s delivery.

The leg umpire or the umpire at the striker’s end can indicate “no ball” if any fielder violates this rule.

When the ball never even reaches the batter at the striker’s end, the umpires might award a no-ball.

Some of us might mistake this for a dead ball. But it’s crucial to remember that if a delivery misses the batter, the umpire will first give a no-ball signal, and then the ball will be considered dead right away.

 Under Law 21.8 of the Laws of Cricket, “the umpires shall call and signal a no ball and immediately also call and signal a dead ball if a bowl delivered by the bowler comes to rest in front of the line of the striker’s wicket without it having previously touched the bat or the batsman.”

Can you be Stumped Off a No Ball? 

A batsman cannot be given out stumped off a no-ball. It’s considered to be an unfair delivery and, as the bowler gets credit for a stumping, these are not allowed if a no-ball has been sent down.

This is slightly at odds with the fact that you can be stumped off a wide, but the law is very clear in each case.

A batsman can be run out off a no-ball. With these types of dismissals, it’s a team effort, and no credit is given to the bowler, so this is completely admissible.  It’s also common sense, as, in theory, batsmen could just keep running on a no-ball without fear of being dismissed.

There is some debate about this, with a popular article in place suggesting that Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Dennis Lillee, Lance Gibbs, and Imran Khan never bowled a no-ball.

However, this simply isn’t true, and each of those five delivered at least one no-ball. What we so know is that Graeme Swann holds the record for most test deliveries without a no-ball at over 15,000.