A no ball is an illegal delivery in cricket. When an umpire calls a no ball, the batting side receives a penalty run, the delivery does not count as one of the six legal balls in an over, and the ball generally remains in play. No balls can occur for several reasons, including an illegal bowling action, a bowler overstepping the crease, dangerous deliveries and certain fielding or wicketkeeping infringements.
The official laws governing no balls are primarily covered under Law 21 of the MCC Laws of Cricket, while specific international formats also operate under ICC playing conditions. The basic consequences are consistent: a no ball gives the batting team one penalty run and requires the bowler to deliver another legal ball.
What is a No Ball in Cricket?
A no ball is a delivery that does not meet the requirements of a fair delivery under the Laws of Cricket. The umpire signals a no ball by extending one arm horizontally.
A no ball can be called before or during the delivery for a number of reasons. The most common is a front-foot no ball, where the bowler’s front foot fails to land correctly behind the popping crease. Other reasons include an illegal bowling action, dangerous deliveries, certain fielding restrictions and a ball that bounces more than once before reaching the popping crease.
Importantly, a no ball is not the same as a wide. Under Law 21, a no-ball call overrides a wide call whenever both could otherwise apply.
1. Front-Foot No Ball Rules
The front-foot no ball is one of the most common types seen in cricket. Under the MCC Laws, the bowler’s back foot must land within and not touch the return crease corresponding to the bowler’s stated mode of delivery. The bowler’s front foot must also land with some part of the foot on the correct side of the imaginary line joining the middle stumps and behind the popping crease.
If these conditions are not met, the bowler’s end umpire must call a no ball. This is why modern cricket frequently uses television replays and front-foot technology to determine whether the bowler has overstepped.
A deliberate front-foot no ball can result in more serious consequences. Under Law 41.8, if the umpire considers the front-foot no ball deliberate, the bowler can be suspended from bowling for the remainder of the innings.
2. Throwing or Illegal Bowling Action
A bowler must deliver the ball without throwing it. Under the Laws, once the bowling arm reaches shoulder level during the delivery swing, the elbow joint must not be straightened partially or completely before the ball leaves the hand. If the umpire considers that the ball has been thrown, a no ball is called.
The first such offence by a bowler results in a first-and-final warning for that bowler during the innings. If the same bowler throws again during that innings, the umpire can call another no ball and direct the captain to suspend the bowler from bowling for the rest of the innings.
ICC playing conditions also contain regulations concerning illegal bowling actions and their assessment.
3. No Ball for Dangerous Short-Pitched Deliveries
A short-pitched delivery is not automatically a no ball simply because it bounces.
Under Law 41.6, a short-pitched delivery becomes dangerous when, in the umpire’s judgment, its speed, length, height and direction are likely to cause physical injury to the striker. The umpire can also consider repeated short-pitched deliveries unfair when they repeatedly pass above the head height of a striker standing upright at the crease.
When the umpire determines that the bowling has become dangerous or unfair under this law, a no ball is called. Further dangerous deliveries by the same bowler can result in the bowler being suspended from bowling for the remainder of the innings.
This means there is no universal rule that every bouncer above a particular fixed height is automatically a no ball. The laws give the umpire judgment in assessing dangerous and unfair short-pitched bowling.
4. Waist-High Full Toss No Ball
A full toss can also be called a no ball if it is dangerous or unfair under the relevant laws.
Law 41.7 states that a delivery which passes, or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is unfair and must be called a no ball. This is commonly referred to as a waist-high full toss.
The important point is that the measurement is based on the striker standing upright at the popping crease. It is therefore not simply a matter of estimating the height of the ball relative to the batter’s body while the batter is crouching or moving.
If such a delivery is considered dangerous, additional disciplinary action can apply to the bowler. A deliberate unfair non-pitching delivery can result in the bowler being suspended immediately for the remainder of the innings.
5. Ball Bouncing More Than Once
A delivery can also be called a no ball if it bounces more than once before reaching the popping crease, provided it has not previously touched the striker’s bat or person.
The same applies if the ball rolls along the ground before reaching the popping crease. A delivery that pitches wholly or partially off the pitch before reaching the line of the striker’s wicket can also be called a no ball.
These rules prevent bowlers from deliberately delivering balls that do not behave like conventional legal deliveries.
6. Bowler Breaking the Wicket
A no ball can be called if the bowler breaks the wicket at the non-striker’s end during the delivery.
If the ball has been delivered and the non-striker is not dismissed under the relevant non-striker leaving-the-ground law, the umpire can call a no ball when the bowler breaks the wicket during the specified part of the delivery stride. This can include a piece of clothing or another object falling from the bowler and breaking the wicket.
7. Other Situations That Can Result in a No Ball
Law 21 also links no-ball calls to other laws of the game. These include certain infringements involving:
- The wicketkeeper’s position
- Restrictions on on-side fielders
- Fielders encroaching on the pitch
- Dangerous and unfair short-pitched deliveries
- Dangerous and unfair non-pitching deliveries
- Deliberate front-foot no balls
Therefore, a no ball is not limited to a bowler’s front foot crossing the crease.
Read More: Cricket Bowling Rules
How Many Runs is a No Ball?
The penalty for a no ball is one run.
Under Law 21.15, this one-run penalty is awarded immediately when the umpire calls no ball. Unless the call is revoked, the penalty remains even if a batter is subsequently dismissed from that delivery. The penalty is added to any other runs scored from the delivery.
For example:
- No ball + no further runs = 1 run
- No ball + batter runs 1 = 2 runs
- No ball + batter hits a four = 5 runs
- No ball + batter hits a six = 7 runs
The exact scoring of additional runs depends on how they are obtained. Runs made off the bat are credited to the striker, while appropriate byes or leg byes are scored separately. The one-run no-ball penalty is recorded as a no-ball extra and is charged to the bowler.
Does a No Ball Count as a Legal Delivery?
No. A no ball does not count as one of the six valid balls in an over. The bowler must therefore deliver another ball.
For example, if a bowler bowls six deliveries but one of them is a no ball, only five legal balls have been completed. Another legal delivery is required before the over is complete.
MCC Law 17 states that only valid balls count toward the six balls required for an over.
Can You Be Out on a No Ball?
A no ball provides significant protection to the batting side, but it does not make the batter immune from dismissal. Under Law 21.18, when a no ball has been called, a batter cannot be dismissed under most dismissal laws. However, the exceptions are:
- Run out
- Hit the ball twice
- Obstructing the field
Therefore, a batter cannot normally be out bowled, caught, LBW or stumped from a no-ball delivery. This is one of the most important no-ball rules for players and spectators to understand.
Is the Ball Dead After a No Ball?
No. A no-ball call does not automatically make the ball dead. The ball remains in play, allowing the batters to score additional runs or potentially be dismissed in one of the permitted ways.
There are specific circumstances in which the umpire can subsequently call Dead ball, such as when the delivery falls under provisions requiring the ball to be made dead.
No Ball vs Wide Ball
A no ball and a wide are both extras, but they are different infringements. A no ball generally relates to the legality of the delivery itself, such as an overstep, illegal bowling action or dangerous delivery. A wide is called when the ball is judged too far from the striker to be within reach under the applicable conditions.
A no ball takes precedence over a wide. If a delivery qualifies for both, the umpire calls no ball.
Why No Ball Rules Matter
No-ball rules are designed to ensure that bowlers deliver the ball fairly and safely while preventing unfair advantages for the fielding side.
The rules cover much more than simply checking whether a bowler’s foot crosses the crease. They regulate the bowler’s delivery action, foot placement, dangerous bowling, the behaviour of the ball after release and certain positioning requirements for fielders and wicketkeepers.
For the batting team, the main advantages are the automatic one-run penalty, the fact that the delivery does not count towards the over, and the restriction on most forms of dismissal. For bowlers, repeated or deliberate infringements can result in warnings, further penalties or even removal from the bowling attack for the remainder of the innings.
Conclusion
Understanding cricket no ball rules is essential for players, coaches, officials and fans because a no ball can significantly change the outcome of a delivery. The most common causes include a front-foot infringement, an illegal bowling action, dangerous bowling and certain fielding or wicketkeeping violations.
The key rules to remember are simple: a no ball gives the batting side one penalty run, does not count as one of the six legal balls in an over, and the ball normally remains in play. A batter generally cannot be dismissed on a no ball except by run out, hitting the ball twice or obstructing the field.
For official interpretation, the MCC Laws of Cricket and the playing conditions of the relevant competition should always be consulted, as international and domestic competitions can apply specific playing-condition provisions alongside the Laws.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A no ball carries a one-run penalty for the batting team. Any additional runs scored from the delivery, whether from the bat or as applicable extras, are added to the total.
No. A no ball does not count as one of the six legal deliveries required to complete an over. The bowler must bowl another delivery.
Yes, but only in limited circumstances. A batter cannot normally be dismissed bowled, caught, LBW or stumped from a no-ball delivery. The permitted dismissals are run out, hit the ball twice and obstructing the field.
A front-foot no ball occurs when the bowler’s front foot does not land with some part of the foot behind the popping crease at the point required by the Laws. The umpire calls a no ball when the bowler fails to meet the required foot-placement conditions.
Yes. A delivery that passes, or would have passed, above the waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease without pitching is called a no ball under the Laws. Such deliveries can also attract additional consequences when they are considered dangerous or unfair.
