No-balls explained: Different types of no balls in cricket

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• A no ball is an illegal delivery penalised with an extra run and, in white-ball cricket, a free hit.
• No balls fall into three groups: bowler faults, dangerous deliveries and fielding breaches.
• Overstepping the popping crease is the most common type of no ball in the game.

No-balls explained in a cricket game

The no ball is one of cricket's most familiar yet most misunderstood rulings, capable of swinging a match with a single delivery. Governed by Law 21 of the MCC Laws of Cricket, it penalises the bowling side for an illegal delivery, adding a run to the total and denying the bowler a legitimate ball in the over.

What many fans do not realise is that overstepping the crease, while the most common cause, is only one of well over a dozen ways a no ball can be called. The offences range from foot faults to dangerous deliveries and even fielding infringements, each designed to keep the contest fair and the batter safe.

In limited-overs cricket, the stakes are higher still, as every no-ball is followed by a free hit. Understanding the different types helps explain why a delivery is ruled illegal and how the game protects the balance between bat and ball. Here is a breakdown of the main no balls, grouped by category.

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Illegal bowling action

If a bowler is deemed to have thrown, or "chucked", the ball rather than bowled it with a legal action, the umpire will call a no ball. The law permits a maximum elbow extension of 15 degrees, and any delivery judged to exceed that in real time can be ruled illegal, separate from the formal reporting process for a suspect action.

Breaking the wicket or changing mode of delivery

A no-ball is also called if the bowler breaks the stumps during the act of delivery or if they change their bowling arm or their side of the wicket from over to round, for example, without first informing the umpire. These lesser-known infringements exist to ensure the batter is not caught off guard by an unexpected change.

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No balls for fielding infringements

Not every no ball is the bowler's fault, as the fielding side can also concede one by breaking positioning rules at the moment of delivery.

Fielding restriction breaches

A no-ball is called if the fielding side has more players outside the 30-yard circle than the playing conditions allow, a common occurrence during powerplay overs in white-ball cricket. The restriction forces captains to keep fielders up and encourages attacking cricket.

Wicketkeeper and fielder encroachment

The delivery is illegal if the wicketkeeper moves in front of the stumps before the ball is played or passes the bat, or if any fielder encroaches onto the pitch during the bowler's delivery stride. Both laws prevent the fielding side from gaining an unfair positional advantage.

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