This article is a simplified version of various scenarios of no-call in cricket. A typical question might be how many types of NO Ball are there in Cricket?. Let’s try to answer this in this article. The content covers all clauses related to Cricket NO BALL as per MCC Laws of Cricket. The rules here are arranged and described for easy understanding.
In Overall, there 24 scenarios in which an umpire can call NO ball in Cricket. CRICKET NO BALL LIST goes as below
MCC Law 21.1.1 states The umpire shall ascertain whether the bowler intends to bowl right-handed or left-handed, over or around the wicket, and shall so inform the striker.
If the bowler after initial notification changes the arm with which he/she bowls without notifying the umpire, the Umpire shall call and signal No ball.
The MCC Law 21.5.2 states that the bowler’s front foot must land with some part of the foot whether grounded or raised and on the same side of the imaginary line joining the two middle stumps as the return crease described in 21.5.2 and behind the popping crease.
In the image, various scenarios are illustrated. Note that the thickness of the painted line does not affect the crease itself.
The crease will always be back edge of the line.
Law makes clear that It is not mandatory to have front foot landed on or between Popping and return crease. It means that Batsman can choose to bowl with front foot landed outside of return crease but his/her back foot must remain inside the return crease.
MCC Law 21 explicitly states that delivery will be considered legitimate in respect of the feet, in delivery stride, if the bowler’s back foot lands “within and not touching the return crease appertaining to his stated mode of delivery.”
Law 24 does not associate the front-foot with the return crease which means a delivery where the back-foot lands inside the return crease and the front foot on it completely legal. This could be very well exploited by left-arm bowlers but it would be highly difficult to get the angle from at this position.
If fast bowlers deliver a ball that does not touch the ground in its flight between the wickets and reaches the batsman at a height above either his waist.
41.7.1 Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is unfair. Whenever such a delivery is bowled, the umpire shall call and signal No ball.
The umpire shall call and signal No ball if the ball which is considered to be delivered pitches wholly or partially off the pitch as defined in Law 6.1 (Area of pitch) before it reaches the line of the striker’s wicket.
When a non-turf pitch is being used, this will apply to any ball that wholly or partially pitches off the artificial surface.
If the bowler throws the ball towards the striker’s wicket before entering the “delivery stride”, either Umpire (main or leg umpire) shall call and signal No ball. Reference is also available in Law 41.17 (Batsman stealing a run).
In this case, procedure stated in 21.3 of first and final warning, informing, action against the bowler and reporting shall not apply.
The wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves and external leg guards. If these are worn, they are to be regarded as part of his/her person for the purposes of Law 28.2 (Fielding the ball).
If by the wicket-keeper’s actions and positioning when the ball comes into play it is apparent to the umpires that he/she will not be able to carry out the normal duties of a wicket-keeper, he/she shall forfeit this right and also the right to be recognized as a wicket-keeper for the purposes of
Laws 33.2 (A fair catch), 39 (Stumped), 28.1 (Protective equipment), 28.4 (Limitation of on-side fielders) and 28.5 (Fielders not to encroach on the pitch).
If the wicket-keeper decides to field at boundary line while keeping gloves on. By doing this, he or she forfeits position as a wicketkeeper.
It shall be considered illegal fielding if the fielder intentionally fields or throws somethings towards a ball in play with a piece of clothing, equipment or any other object which has not accidentally fallen from the fielder’s person.
In such a situation,
– the penalty for a No ball or a Wide shall stand.
– any runs completed by the batsmen shall be credited to the batting side, together with the run in progress if the batsmen had already crossed at the instant of the offence.
– the ball shall not count as one of the over.
and Umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.