Cricket No Ball Explained
A no ball is an illegal delivery in cricket — it results in a free hit in limited-overs cricket and cannot dismiss the batter in most ways. This guide covers every type of no ball and its consequences.
What Is a No Ball?
A no ball is a delivery that breaches the Laws of Cricket in some way — most commonly when the bowler's front foot lands beyond the bowling crease (overstepping). When a no ball is called, the batting team receives one extra run, the delivery must be rebowled, and the batter cannot be dismissed in most ways off that delivery.
Causes of a No Ball
- Front foot no ball: the bowler's foot lands fully beyond or on the popping crease
- Back foot no ball: the bowler's back foot lands outside the return crease
- Fielder in prohibited position: a fielder is standing in a disallowed position when the ball is bowled
- Ball bouncing over head height: a full-pitch or bouncer delivery above the batter's head
- More than two bouncers per over: in limited-overs cricket, only two bouncers per over are permitted
Free Hit in Limited-Overs Cricket
In ODI and T20 cricket, a front-foot no ball results in a free hit on the next delivery. On a free hit, the batter can only be dismissed by a run out — they cannot be caught, bowled, stumped, or trapped lbw. The free hit penalty was introduced to penalise overstepping and give the batting team a genuine reward for the error.
No Ball Dismissals — What Can Still Get You Out
Even on a no ball, the batter can be dismissed by run out (they run and are short of the crease), obstructing the field, handling the ball (rare), or hit the ball twice. All other modes of dismissal — bowled, caught, lbw, stumped, hit wicket — are not valid off a no ball delivery.
The Third Umpire and No Ball Checking
In major international cricket, a third umpire monitors all deliveries for no balls using slow-motion camera footage. If the third umpire spots a front-foot no ball missed by the on-field umpire, they alert the on-field umpire via earpiece and the no ball is called retrospectively. This has significantly reduced the number of overstepping no balls going uncalled in high-profile matches.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when a no ball is called in T20 cricket?
The batting team receives one extra run, the batter cannot be dismissed (except by run out), the delivery must be rebowled, and the next delivery is a free hit — meaning the batter can only be dismissed by a run out off the free hit.
Can a batter be out off a no ball?
A batter can be run out, obstruct the field, or hit the ball twice off a no ball. They cannot be bowled, caught, lbw, stumped, or hit wicket.
What is overstepping in cricket?
Overstepping is when a bowler's front foot lands fully beyond or on the popping crease at the moment of delivery. It is the most common cause of a no ball and was historically difficult to enforce consistently before third umpire technology.