Full Toss in Cricket — What It Is, Rules, and When It Helps
A full toss reaches the batter without bouncing. Learn when it is called a no-ball, when it is legal, and how batters and bowlers treat it.
What Is a Full Toss?
A full toss — also called a 'full pitch' delivery — is a ball that reaches the batter without bouncing on the pitch. It travels directly through the air from the bowler's hand to the batter at varying heights. Depending on the height at which it arrives, a full toss can be either a legal delivery, a no-ball, or a dangerous ball.
The Three Categories of Full Toss
- Legal full toss — below waist height; not called no-ball; batter is expected to deal with it.
- High full toss — above waist height; called a no-ball (in international cricket); treated as dangerous.
- Beamer — a full toss above waist height, especially one aimed at or near the batter's head; illegal in all formats; often followed by an immediate warning or banning of the bowler from further deliveries.
When Bowlers Intentionally Bowl Full Tosses
Intentional full tosses (below waist height) are rare in Test cricket but appear in T20 as deliberate 'wide yorkers at ankle height' — sent along the ground with no bounce to restrict batters from getting under the ball for a six. Slower full tosses can also be deliberately bowled to deceive a batter expecting pace.
Why Full Tosses Often Go for Runs
A full toss is generally easier to hit than a pitched delivery because the height is known in advance, there is no unpredictable deviation off the pitch, and the batter can judge the ball's trajectory from the moment it leaves the bowler's hand. For this reason, unintentional full tosses (especially from slow bowlers) are frequently struck to the boundary.
The Beamer: A Dangerous Delivery
A beamer is a full toss directed at the batter's head, usually bowled accidentally when a fast bowler slips during delivery. It is potentially fatal — before helmets, beamers caused serious facial injuries. Even with modern protective gear, a 90 mph beamer at the head with a hard cork ball is dangerous. The Laws treat it as a serious danger rather than just an illegal delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Is a full toss always a no-ball?
No — only a full toss above waist height is called a no-ball. A full toss below waist height is a legal delivery. The batter may hit it freely and the bowler does not concede an automatic extra run.
Can a batter be dismissed off a high full toss?
If the umpire calls it a no-ball, the batter cannot be dismissed (except by run-out). If the umpire does not call no-ball (e.g. they judge it below waist height), a dismissal stands. In practice, high full tosses near the waist are borderline — umpire judgment applies.