Dangerous and Unfair Bowling in Cricket: Bouncers and Body-Line

Cricket's Laws include protections for batters against bowling that is considered dangerous or deliberately intimidating. While bouncers — short-pitched deliveries rising toward the batter's head or shoulders — are a legitimate weapon, repeated or targeted use against tail-end batters without the skill to play them is regulated under Law 41.6 and ICC playing conditions.

Bouncer Limits per Over

In all major formats, a bowler is limited to a certain number of bouncers per over. In ODIs and T20Is this is typically one bouncer per over — defined as a delivery passing above shoulder height of the batter in their normal stance. A second bouncer in the same over is called a no ball. In Test cricket two bouncers per over are generally permitted under ICC conditions.

Persistent Short Bowling

Even within the allowed number of bouncers, persistent short-pitched bowling directed at the batter's body can be deemed unfair if the umpires decide it poses an unreasonable risk of physical harm. The umpires warn the bowler first, then the captain, and ultimately can take the bowler off for the rest of the innings if the intimidatory bowling continues.

Protection for Tail-Enders

Umpires are especially alert when lower-order batters — those from number nine down — face sustained short-pitched bowling. A recognised batter is expected to have the skills to handle bouncers; a genuine tail-ender may not. If the umpire deems the bowling dangerous in this context, they can intervene earlier and with less warning than they would for a specialist batter.