Beamer in Cricket — What It Is, Why It's Dangerous & The Rules
A beamer is a full-toss delivery aimed above waist height at the batter — one of cricket's most dangerous and penalised deliveries. Learn the rules, how umpires respond, and famous incidents.
A beamer is a full-toss delivery (a ball that reaches the batter without bouncing) aimed at or above the batter's waist. It is considered one of the most dangerous deliveries in cricket because a batter has almost no time to react or protect themselves from a ball travelling at high speed aimed directly at their upper body or head. Beamers are illegal and penalised strictly under the Laws of Cricket.
Beamer Rules — What Happens?
- A beamer is immediately called a no-ball by the umpire
- One run is added to the batting side's extras; an extra delivery must be bowled
- The bowler receives an official warning from the umpire
- A second beamer from the same bowler results in immediate removal from bowling for the rest of the innings — there is no second warning
- If the umpire deems the beamer was intentional, the bowler may be reported for misconduct
Beamer vs Bouncer — The Difference
A bouncer (a short-pitched delivery that rises above shoulder height after bouncing) is a legal delivery — subject to limits on how many can be bowled per over, but otherwise permitted. A beamer reaches the batter above the waist WITHOUT bouncing — making it fundamentally different and far more dangerous, because the batter cannot 'read' the ball's path from the pitch surface.
Slow Beamers
Not all beamers are from fast bowlers. Slow bowlers (spinners) sometimes bowl accidental full-tosses above the waist — called 'slow beamers'. These are still illegal under the same rules: a no-ball and a warning. While less immediately dangerous than a fast beamer, they can catch a batter by surprise as the lower arm-speed changes the flight path significantly.
Jofra Archer Beamer — 2021 Ashes
During the 2021 Ashes series, Jofra Archer bowled a beamer at Travis Head — the ball clocked at 93mph aimed at chest height. Archer was warned by the umpire. Had another beamer followed, he would have been removed from bowling for the rest of the innings. The incident highlighted how even elite bowlers occasionally lose control of a delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Can you be dismissed by a beamer?
No. A beamer is automatically called a no-ball, and the batter cannot be dismissed off a no-ball (except via run-out). The delivery does not count as one of the over's legitimate balls.
What if a batter ducks and the beamer misses them?
The no-ball call is based on the height of the delivery when it passed the batter, not whether it made contact. If the umpire deems it would have been above the waist had the batter been in normal position, it is still called a no-ball and a warning is issued.
Is a full-toss below the waist a beamer?
No. A full-toss that reaches the batter at below-waist height is a legal delivery (unless bowled by a slow bowler at above-knee height, which can be called a no-ball in some competitions). The full-toss-below-waist is not penalised and is often attacked by batters as a free-scoring opportunity.