Cricket No Ball — All Types and Rules Explained
A complete guide to cricket no balls — front foot no balls, beamers, waist-height full tosses, and the consequences including the free hit in limited-overs cricket.
A no ball is an illegal delivery in cricket that results in an extra run for the batting side and, in limited-overs cricket, the mandatory bowling of a free hit delivery on the following ball. No balls can be called for multiple reasons — from the bowler's foot overstepping the crease to dangerous deliveries above waist height. Understanding no ball rules is essential for both bowlers (who concede runs and free hits) and batters (who cannot be dismissed off a no ball except by run out).
Front Foot No Ball
The most common form of no ball occurs when the bowler's front foot lands on or beyond the popping crease at the moment of delivery. Law 21 requires that some part of the foot behind the popping crease must be grounded at the moment of delivery. If the entire front foot crosses the line, it is a no ball. Modern ultra-motion cameras allow third umpires to review front foot no balls from specific deliveries (such as wickets), though real-time front foot monitoring remains inconsistent.
All Types of No Ball
| No Ball Type | When Called | Free Hit Applies? |
|---|---|---|
| Front foot | Front foot entirely beyond popping crease | Yes (limited-overs) |
| Back foot | Back foot on or outside return crease at delivery | Yes (limited-overs) |
| Full toss above waist height | Ball reaches batter above waist without pitching | Yes (limited-overs) |
| Beamer | Full toss above shoulder height — dangerous delivery | Yes + warning |
| Bouncer limit exceeded | More than 2 bouncers per over in limited-overs | Yes |
| Ball bounces more than twice | Ball bounces twice before reaching the batter | Yes (limited-overs) |
The Free Hit
In T20 Internationals and ODIs, a front-foot no ball results in a free hit — the very next delivery, from the same end, on which the batter can only be dismissed by a run out. The fielding side cannot change the field setting except to the extent they were already positioned when the no ball was called. Free hits create significant value for batting sides — a batter facing a free hit on a full delivery is almost certain to score runs.
Batter Dismissals Off No Balls
A batter cannot be dismissed off a no ball by any method except run out, hit the ball twice, handled the ball (now 'obstructing the field'), or obstructing the field. This means a bowled, LBW, caught, stumped, or hit wicket dismissal off a no ball is invalid — the no ball takes precedence. This rule protects batters from being dismissed by illegal deliveries.
Frequently asked questions
What is a front foot no ball in cricket?
A front foot no ball is called when the bowler's front foot has no part of it behind the popping crease at the moment of delivery. The entire foot must be on or beyond the line for a no ball to be called.
Can a batter be out on a no ball?
A batter cannot be dismissed off a no ball by most methods — bowled, caught, stumped, LBW, and hit wicket do not count off no balls. However, a batter can still be dismissed by run out off a no ball, even on a free hit.