No-Ball Types in Cricket: Overstepping, Full Tosses, Free Hit Rules Explained
A complete guide to the different types of no-balls in cricket — front-foot overstepping, head-height full tosses, dangerous bouncers, underarm deliveries — and what happens next, including the free hit in T20 and ODI cricket.
A no-ball in cricket is an illegal delivery that results in the batting team receiving a penalty run, the delivery being replayed (the batter cannot be dismissed off a no-ball in most circumstances), and in limited-overs cricket, a free hit on the following delivery. There are multiple ways a delivery can be called a no-ball, and understanding each type helps explain why umpires signal them differently and why some no-balls carry greater consequences than others.
Front-Foot No-Ball: The Most Common Type
The most frequent no-ball is the front-foot no-ball, called when a bowler's front foot lands with no part of it behind the popping crease at the point of delivery. The popping crease is the white line across the pitch 4 feet in front of each set of stumps. A bowler must have at least some of their front foot behind (or on) this line when they release the ball. Crucially, the heel of the foot can be in the air as long as part of the foot — even just the toes — are behind the line. The third umpire reviews front-foot no-balls in international cricket using technology, and replays frequently show that fast bowlers who are borderline-legal occasionally overstep. High-profile front-foot no-balls have changed the outcome of major matches: Stuart Broad was not given out caught behind off a no-ball in the 2013 Ashes despite not realising he had survived.
Height No-Balls: Full Toss and Bouncer Rules
Any full-toss delivery that reaches the batter at above waist height is called a no-ball. If a full-toss arrives above the batter's shoulders (head height), the delivery is both a no-ball and a dangerous delivery — the umpire will warn the bowler and further offences can result in the bowler being removed from the attack. Similarly, a bouncer (short-pitched delivery) becomes a no-ball if it passes or would pass above the batter's shoulder height in their normal stance. Each team is permitted a limited number of bouncers per over in all formats (one per over in ODIs, two per over in Tests and T20s), and exceeding this limit also results in a no-ball.
The Free Hit: T20 and ODI Consequence
In T20 International and ODI cricket, any no-ball from a front-foot overstepping results in a free hit on the very next delivery. On a free hit, the batter cannot be dismissed in any way other than run-out, handling the ball, or obstructing the field. The umpire signals the free hit to the fielding side and scoreboard by rotating the index finger above their head. The batter can swing freely without fear of being caught or bowled — making free hits particularly valuable in the death overs, where a no-ball followed by a free hit can produce six or more extra runs. Height no-balls and other technical no-balls do not automatically produce a free hit, though this varies slightly between formats and ICC playing conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Why was underarm bowling banned in cricket after the 1981 Australia vs New Zealand incident?
The ban on underarm bowling in international cricket was the direct result of one of the most controversial moments in cricket history — a deliberate tactical choice by Australian captain Greg Chappell in the final over of a World Series Cup ODI against New Zealand on 1 February 1981 in Melbourne. The context is important. Australia were playing New Zealand in the final game of the third final. New Zealand needed six runs from the last ball to tie the match (which would have forced a Super Over or similar tiebreaker). The match was effectively in New Zealand's hands — a tied match would give them a chance to progress. Brian McKechnie was the non-striking batter, needing to hit a six from one ball. Greg Chappell instructed his younger brother, Trevor Chappell (who was bowling the final over), to deliver the last ball underarm, along the ground. An underarm grubber along the pitch is, by definition, impossible to hit for a six. McKechnie blocked the ball in disgust and threw his bat down. The crowd booed loudly and sustained the booing for several minutes. The incident caused an immediate international diplomatic incident. New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon called it 'the most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket' and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser agreed, calling it 'contrary to the spirit of the game'. Richie Benaud, commentating, said simply: 'It was a most gutless decision. The worst thing I have ever seen on a cricket field.' Greg Chappell himself later acknowledged it was the worst decision he ever made on a cricket field. While underarm bowling was technically legal in the 1981 playing conditions (it had not been explicitly banned because nobody had thought it necessary to do so — the spirit of the game had always been assumed to preclude it), the ICC acted quickly. Underarm bowling was banned in international cricket shortly after the incident, with the law codified to require that all deliveries in international cricket must be bowled with an overarm action. The ban also reinforced the broader concept in cricket law of 'the spirit of the game' — an acknowledgment that the Laws of Cricket cannot anticipate every possible unsporting act, and that players are expected to compete within the spirit as well as the letter of the rules.