Full Toss in Cricket Explained
What a full toss is in cricket, how it differs from a yorker, and when a high full toss becomes a no-ball.
What Is a Full Toss?
A full toss is a delivery that reaches the batter without bouncing — the ball travels from the bowler's hand to the batter's hitting zone without touching the pitch. Unlike a yorker (which pitches at the batter's feet) or a half-volley (which pitches just in front of the batter), a full toss pitches nowhere — it arrives at whatever height the bowler released it at.
Scoring off a Full Toss
A low full toss (arriving at waist height or below) is easy to hit — the batter has a clear view of the ball and can swing freely without worrying about the ball's movement off the pitch. Full tosses in the hitting arc (waist to hip height) are routinely dispatched for boundaries by competent batters. Low full tosses from spinners are often called 'pie-chuckers' — ideal hitting deliveries.
When Is a Full Toss a No-Ball?
A full-pitched delivery that arrives above waist height is called a beamer and is automatically a no-ball under the Laws of Cricket. If the ball is above waist height on the full when it reaches the batter's position, the umpire immediately calls no-ball and issues a warning to the bowler. A second beamer in the same spell may result in the bowler being suspended from bowling for the rest of the innings.
Slow Full Toss in Death Overs
Some bowlers deliberately bowl a slow full toss as a variation in T20 death overs — a slower ball at full length designed to deceive the batter's timing. If it arrives below waist height and the batter mistimes it (swinging through the ball too early), it produces a skied shot or an edge. It is a high-risk variation if the batter reads it correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Is a full toss always bad bowling?
Not always — a slow full toss is sometimes a deliberate variation that produces wickets. However, a fast full toss at waist height is generally bad bowling that offers an easy scoring opportunity to the batter.
Can a spinner bowl a full toss?
Yes — spinners occasionally bowl full tosses when their flight slips and the delivery doesn't dip to pitch. A spinner's full toss is slower and easier to hit than a fast bowler's but is still an error rather than a deliberate delivery (except as a variation).
What is the difference between a full toss and a no-ball full toss?
A low full toss (below waist height) is legal and counted as a regular delivery. A high full toss (above waist height on the full) is a no-ball — it is illegal because of the danger it poses to the batter.