Extras are also runs awarded to the batting side that is part of the team total but not credited in the batter’s score points. No balls, byes, wides, leg byes, leg no ball, and penalties are the five types of extras in cricket. Among all these, no ball is the only extra with multiple variants.
Understanding the rules of no ball in cricket is essential. Many of us know that a no ball is given when the ball bowled is too high for the batsman to hit or when a bowler oversteps the bowling crease.
However, no ball rules are not limited to just these situations. There are many. Here we look at the different types of no balls in cricket and various reasons and conditions when an umpire can give a no ball in cricket.
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Different Types Of No Ball In Cricket Explained
There are 15 no ball types in cricket. And also, there are multiple ways by which an umpire can judge a fielding team to have bowled a no ball apart from the bowler stepping over the popping crease. Let’s look at the all types of no balls in cricket.
#1 Front Foot No Ball
When no part of the bowler’s foot is behind the popping crease, the umpire signals a front foot no ball in cricket. A line approximately four feet parallel from the stumps is the popping crease. For the disbanded to be legal, the bowler should have some part of the foot behind the popping crease at the point of landing while delivering the ball.
If the bowler’s foot slides before the crease after landing, the ball is termed a legal delivery, provided some part of it was behind the popping crease during landing.
#2 Back Foot No Ball
The umpire will signal a back foot no ball in cricket when the trailing foot of the bowler cuts the return crease at the time of releasing the ball. The two lines refer to the return crease on either side of the wicket. They are at the right angles to the popping and bowling crease, marking the designated place where a bowler must deliver the ball.
As per the law 21.5 of the MCC, the cricket law guardians, the bowler’s back foot should land within and not touch the returns crease appertaining to the player’s stated mode of delivery behind the popping crease. If the bowler’s end umpire is not satisfied, then the three conditions have been met: the umpires can call and signal no ball.
#3 Waist Height No Ball
The umpire will declare no ball in cricket if a bowler bowls a full toss above the waist of the batter.
Suppose a bowler bowls two waist high full tosses in a match, according to the ICC’s match clause 41, for unfair play. In that case, the umpire has the right to ban the bowler from bowling if he feels the non-pitching deliveries are risky with a potential risk of injury to the batter at the striker’s end, and all should know the waist height no ball rules.
#4 Bouncer No Ball Over The Head
As per the no ball MCC’s law 21.10, the umpire will signal a no ball in cricket if the ball bowled by the bowler passes over or would have passed over the head of the striker while standing upright in the popping crease.
Also, according to laws 41.6 and 41.7, the one-field umpire will declare a no ball in cricket if he feels the bowler is continuously deemed to bowl risky and unfair short-pitched deliveries. The delivery can be considered legal, and as a result, the opposite team will get an extra run and a free hit.
#5 No Ball – Ball Bouncing Multiple Times
According to the law 21.7 of the MCC, delivery can be declared as a no ball in cricket if it bounces more times before reaching the batter at the popping crease or if the ball rolls through the surface before reaching the batter.
#6 No Ball – Delivery Pitching Outside The Playing Area
If delivery of a bowler pitches outside the playing area or the cut strip, either entirely or partially, before reaching the striker, the umpire will declare the disbanded as a no ball.
#7 No Ball – The Bowler Breaking Wickets While Delivering The Ball
Suppose the delivery of a bowler and the non-striker is not dismissed, and the non-striker leaves the crease. In that case, the umpire will declare the delivery as a no ball in cricket if the bowler breaks the wickets at the non-striker’s end after the ball comes into play and before the delivery of a ball.
This also includes an object or clothing that falls onto the stumps and breaks the wickets during the delivery stride.
#8 No Ball – Ball Throwing (Chucking)
Chucking is an illegal type of bowling action in cricket when a bowler straightens the bowling arm beyond the permissible limit. The bowlers are allowed a minimum elbow or arm extension of up to 15 degrees, and failing to comply with the same will result in no balls per the law.
#9 No Ball For Delivering Underarm
A ball delivered underarm by a bowler will be signaled a no-ball cricket except for a special agreement as per law 21.1.2.
Underarm bowling or lob bowling has been considered illegal after the infamous 1981 World Series match where Trevor Chappell bowled an underarm ball for Australia to beat the Kiwis, with New Zealand needing six off the final ball of the match.
#10 No Ball – Throwing The Ball Toward The Striker Before Delivery
The umpire will declare the delivery as a no ball in cricket if a bowler delivers the ball towards the striker before his delivery stride.
#11 No Ball – Failure To Notify Umpires Of The Mode Of Delivery
A bowler must inform the umpire whether he intends to bowl left-handed or right-handed as per the law 21.1.1 of the MCC, as the spin or pace and over or round the wicket before bowling. If it fails, the umpire will signal a no ball in cricket.
#12 No Ball For The Fielder To Intercept The Delivery
If a ball of a bowler touches any fielder before making contact with the striker, it passes or hits the bat above the stumps, and the umpire will deem the delivery as a no ball in cricket and signal it as a dead ball.
#13 No Ball – Breaching The Number Of Fielders On The Sideline
Due to the MCC’s law 28.4, two fielders who exclude the wicketkeeper should be positioned behind the square leg by a fielding team. The umpire will declare the delivery as a no ball in case of infringement of the above the law.
#14 No Ball – Delivery Coming To Rest Before Reaching The Striker
A ball can be declared as a no ball if it rests in front of the striker without touching the bat after the bowler has delivered it as per law 21.8.
#15 No Ball If The Wicketkeeper Is In Front Of The Stumps
A wicketkeeper is to remain behind the stumps at the striker’s end from when the ball comes into play.
The umpire will signal a no ball if the wicketkeeper collects the ball in front of the stumps or lines up with the stumps before the ball touches the batter or the body of the batter as per law 27.3.1. The wicketkeeper can collect the ball in front of the stumps if batters attempt to run.
What Does A No Ball Mean In Cricket?
In cricket, a no ball is a delivery that is not considered one of the six illegal deliveries that a bowler needs to bowl to complete an over. 1 Run will be given as a penalty for a no ball in cricket. Free hit usually follows the no ball in the shorter formats of cricket.
All no balls and wide balls count against the bowler in the bowling analysis. It is a type of illegal delivery to a batter and also a type of extra.
Most No Balls In India ODI
#1 India vs Pakistan, 2004
On 13 march 2004, India played an ICC match at the Karachi ground. Team India for their bowling performance in the year 2004, during the ODI match between India and Pakistan, India bowled a total of 20 no balls in this innings, and this was the highest count of no balls in cricket bowled in an ICC match.
#2 India vs Pakistan, 2005
On 12 april 2005, India played an ICC ODI match in Ahmedabad. The team in the 10th spot is team India. During the ODI match India vs Pakistan, India bowled a total of 15 no balls in this innings for India’s inconsistent bowling attack.
Most No Balls In India Test Cricket
India bowled a startled 25 no balls against England in the first test in Chennai. The most no ball in cricket involving India in a test match is 65, in 2004 against Australia in Sydney. Bowlers of India have delivered a maximum of 34 no balls in a single dig that came against the West Indies in Delhi in 1979.
India has bowled most no balls in the last 10 years. Three possible reasons are there behind this precipitous surge in no balls. Firstly, the scope of errors from on-field umpires has decreased as the third umpire checks to overstep every ball.
Secondly, players like Shahbaz Nadeem and Ishant Sharma have overstepped the many in Chennai because they have not had much practice. Thirdly, the Indians have been careless about the issue of the nets. Whatever the reason, the number of no balls hasn’t hurt the hosts yet, but it may be in the future.
Most No Balls In India T20
Jasprit Bumrah, since 2016 has been quite a revolution for India. The unorthodox pacer wore the Indian-colored jersey for the first time against the Aussies, and there was no stopping him.
The primary concern of the bowler is his habit of overstepping pretty often. Since his introduction to the international level, he has created a record for the most no balls by any bowler.
No Balls In Cricket FAQ
1. What is the symbol for no ball in cricket?
The lifting the right hand to his waist height by the umpire is the symbol to display no ball.
2. Which bowler has never bowled a no ball in cricket?
The top 5 players who have never bowled any ball in cricket are Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Dennis Lillee, and Lance Gibbs.
3. Which match has most no balls?
103 no balls was bowled during the West Indies and Pakistan match at 1977.
Conclusion – How To Avoid No Ball In Cricket
Ground or tv umpires decide on no ball disbandment for various reasons. No ball types in cricket are many. This article helped you to know the kinds of no ball in cricket. No ball gives an extra run to the batting team and an additional delivery on that over. Every bowler should keep types of no ball in mind while bowling.
