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The
Rules
RULE
12. NO BALL
- "No
Ball" will be called when:
- The
ball is thrown, not bowled. With many indoor cricket players not
having a background in outdoor cricket, suspect bowling actions
are not uncommon. However, unlike the gutless International Cricket
Commission, indoor cricket umpires are able to call "no ball"
for throwing when it happens, not 3 months later. If the umpire
is not totally satisfied with the fairness of the delivery, "No
Ball" will be called at the moment of delivery. Note:
to be deemed a legal delivery, the bowler's arm must not be straightened
in the delivery action. If the elbow remains bent, to the same
degree, throughout the delivery action, it's probably a fair delivery.
This is a subtle but important distinction, and one not well understood
by many players. The arm does not have to be straight ... but
it cannot go from bent to straight (or vice versa) during the
delivery action.
- Any
part of the bowler's front foot is not grounded inside the return
crease and behind the popping crease at the moment of delivery.
(Note: Any part of the front foot on the line is a "No Ball").
Further discussion on this particular rule can be found in the
Umpiring section.
- Any
part of the ball, when bowled underarm, pitches on or before the
underarm line. Self-explanatory ....
- There
are more than 4 fielders in either half of the court at the commencement
of the bowler's run up. [See Rule 9A - Field Placement]. Again,
the Umpiring section contains some further discussion on this
rule.
- The
wicket keeper moves outside the 'keeper's designated area before
the ball leaves the bowler's hand, or the 'keeper takes the ball
in front or from the side of the stumps. [See Rule 9D(iv) and
Rule 9D(viii)].
- A
fielder, other than the wicket keeper, has any part of their body
in the wicket keeper's area, the exclusion zone, or on the pitch,
before the ball is played at by the striker or passes the striker's
wickets. [See Rule 9D(i) and 9C - Field Placement]. "Any
part of their body in" or "on" in this rule means
over the defined area's edge. It does not have to be touching
the ground in the defined area - just leaning over the exclusion
zone or edge of the pitch etc, within the qualifications above,
constitutes a breach of this rule. Players are not always aware
of this important aspect of this rule.
- A
bowler changes style of bowling (ie. overarm to underarm, left
arm to right arm or vice versa) or changes which side of the wicket
they are bowling from (ie. from over the wicket to around the
wicket or vice versa) without first informing the umpire and
receiving verbal and signalled acknowledgement from the umpire
[See Rule 14]. This last condition is particularly important.
If a bowler signals, but the umpire does not see it, that bowler
is going to be particularly unimpressed if he gets a wicket but
the umpire calls "no ball" for not indicating change
of direction. It is therefore very important that umpires keep
an eye on the game (discussed elsewhere) and, where a bowler indicates
he did in fact indicate the change which the umpire failed to
see, the bowler gets a full explanation of the need to gain verbal
and signalled acknowledgement from the umpire. There are some
tips related to this in the Umpiring section.
- The
bowler depresses the net or any part of the netting's support
structure in Zones D or C with any part of their body (usually
their foot or back) during the course of their run up. This rule
is usually transgressed by the bowler using the net to push-off,
with their foot or back, at the beginning of their run-up.
- The
ball, when bowled, passes over, or would have passed over,
the striker's front shoulder, either on the full or bounce, when
the striker is in a normal stationary batting stance. The rules
define normal batting stance as the stance the batsman adopts
at the time of the bowler's delivery stride, though umpires usually
just make a judgement based on the height of the batsman and what
would be considered a "normal" batting stance - it is
asking a bit too much for the umpire to be looking at the bowler
in his bowling stride and the stance of the batsman at the same
time, although obviously peripheral vision can give some indication.
This is regardless of the ball hitting the striker's bat or person.
The striker must have part of their back foot behind the batting
crease when the ball passes or would have passed the batting crease
to be entitled to the call of "No Ball" in this case.
The back foot need not be grounded behind the batting crease.
Note: The umpire may regard an exaggerated batting stance in the
crouched position as unfair play, unless of course that is the
stance the batsman adopts every ball ... there are many styles
in cricket, and even more in indoor cricket.
- Any
part of the ball, when bowled, initially lands off the pitch before
reaching the line of the batting crease. Questioning a number
of umpires on this one, I have found a couple of different opinions
on what the call should be if the ball initially lands
on the pitch, but on its second or third bounce it lands off
the pitch. Most state they would call "no ball", although
the rules don't actually state this. I would suggest you ask your
centre management or tournament management, if this situation
is not more clearly stated in the applicable set of rules.
- A
mankad is illegally attempted. The umpire will call "No Ball,
Dead Ball". The ball will not count as part of the over
and 2 runs will be added to the batting team's score. See Rule
17F(iii) for the definition of an illegal mankad attempt.
- A
bowler makes more than 2 unsuccessful (but otherwise legal) mankad
attempts in any one over - the 3rd unsuccessful attempt will be
called "No Ball, Dead Ball". The ball will not be counted
as part of the over and 2 runs will be credited to the batting
team's score. [As in Rule 17F(iv)].
- The
ball, after being bowled, hits the top or side net before reaching
the batsman. Now, don't laugh. I have seen some very good indoor
cricketers do this, having totally lost control of the ball. Always
good for a laugh, as long as you're not the fielder who cops the
ball in the back of the skull. The umpire, having no sense of
humour, will call "No Ball, Dead Ball". The ball will
not be rebowled and 2 runs will be credited to the batting team's
score - as if the bowler's embarrassment isn't enough penalty.
- A
fielder, or a permanently attached part of a fielder (with the
exception of the bowler) moves onto or extends over the pitch
from the commencement of the bowler's run up until the ball is
played at by the striker or passes the striker's wickets. [See
Rule 9B]
- A
batter can be given "Out" off a "No Ball" in any
of the following ways (detailed definitions can be found at the bracketed
references):
- If
the ball is hit twice (other than to protect the wickets) [See
Rule 17G(iii)].
- If
either batsman deliberately interferes with the fielding team
[See Rule 17G(ii)].
- If
in attempting a run, either batter is run out [See Rule 17C(ii)].
- If
the striker is run out by the wicket keeper [See Rule 17C(i(c))].
- Any
batsman dismissed off a "No Ball" will be penalised the
standard for any wicket, 5 runs. The 2 run bonus for the "No
Ball" is cancelled-out by the dismissal.
- The
AICF's rules still state that "A 'No Ball' is included as
part of an over except in the last over of the innings".
Many centres, if not most, now play this rule for the last over
of each partnership, especially since the introduction
of skins. AICF tournaments also play this rule for the last over
of each partnership - it appears the AICF rulebook hasn't caught
up with AICF practise.
- Any
"No Ball" bowled in the last over of a partnership may
be rebowled at the batter's discretion (again, the AICF's rules
currently state "in the last over of an innings"). The
umpire must ask the batsmen immediately if they want the ball
to be rebowled. The batsmen must decide and inform the umpire
before the next ball is bowled. Any penalties, runs or wickets
resulting from the "No Ball" delivery will count regardless
of whether the ball is rebowled or not. Umpire's
tip: for some strange reason, many umpires
feel compelled to announce at the beginning of the last over of
each partnership "all no-balls, wides and leg-sides will
be rebowled at the batsmen's discretion". Now just why they
suffer this compulsion is beyond me. Why not announce at the beginning
of each and every over "all instances of bowled, caught,
run-out, stumped etc will cost the batting side five runs"?
.. or "all wides, leg-sides and no-balls will score 2 runs
for the batting side"? Silly.
- A
"No Ball" incurs a penalty of 2 runs, which is added
to the batting pair's score. Other runs scored off the no-ball
by hitting any net zone and/or physical runs are also added to
the score. For the purpose of individual player statistics, the
score for a wide, no-ball etc is usually added to the score of
the batsman who was on strike when it occured. Check your centre's
standards on this one.
RULE
13. WIDE AND LEGSIDE WIDE BALLS
- A
"Wide" will be called when: any part of the ball passes
on the striker's off-side, outside the intersection of the batting
crease and the edge of the pitch, without being touched by the striker's
person or equipment. Any part of the ball passing on the line
will be deemed "Wide". . . . . UNLESS ..... the markings
of the court are not as they should be .... if the lines which defnine
the edge of the pitch, at the batting crease, are as they should be,
they are drawn OUTSIDE the edge of the pitch (i.e. the inside edge
of the line is on the actual edge of the pitch). Therefore, any ball
pitching on the line is obviously outside the edge of the pitch. However,
if the lines are incorrectly drawn (and I have seen this in some centres)
they can be set up so that the OUTSIDE edge of these lines is on the
actual edge of the pitch. Therefore, a ball landing square on the
line would clearly be inside the edge of the pitch, and should not
be called "wide".
This should not be confused with a ball landing on the edge
of the pitch .... these comments are related to the thick lines
which are almost always drawn on the edge of the pitch, at the striker's
end, to help the umpire determine the position of the edge of the
pitch. Of course, if all centres marked their courts as they should,
there would be no room for such annoying little variances.
- A
"Legside" will be called when: any part of the ball passes
outside the intersection of the batting crease and the legside line
without being touched by the striker's person or equipment. NOTE:
A ball passing between the batsman (in other words, in front
of the batsman) and the stumps is not a legside wide, even if it is
well outside the leg-side line - this can occur if a batsman steps
way back toward 'leg', he can be outside the legside line, so a ball
passing in front of him can also be outside the legside line.
Any part of the ball passing on the line, at the defined intersection,
will be deemed "Legside".
- For
the purpose of identification, the edge of the pitch will be taken
as the offside line (notwithstanding the comments above re: the placement
of that line), and the point 45cm from the centre stump will be taken
as the legside line.
- The
AICF rules state that a "batsman may be dismissed by all forms
of dismissal when a "Wide" is bowled, bearing in mind that
if a ball is struck by the striker's person or equipment, it is no
longer a 'Wide' ". Hmmm, I know what they mean, but ......
- A
batsman dismissed off a "Wide" will be penalised the standard
5 runs, as for any wicket lost. The 2 run bonus for the wide is cancelled-out
by the dismissal.
- A
"Wide" counts as part of the over, except in the last over
of each partnership (or "either innings" if you still want
to believe the outdated AICF rules).
- All
"Wides" bowled in the last over of a partnership (or innings
blah blah AICF blah blah) may be rebowled at the batsmen's discretion.
The umpire must immediately ask the batsmen if the ball is to be rebowled,
and the batsmen must decide and inform the umpire before the next
delivery is bowled. All scores, penalties or wickets from the "Wide"
or "Legside" delivery will count regardless of whether the
ball is rebowled or not. Umpire's and player's
note: the reverse also applies ... all wides, no-balls
and leg-sides will be rebowled if the batsmen so desire, whether a
wicket fell off them or not. Many players and umpires assume that,
because a wicket fell off the no-ball (or wide etc), it should not
be offered to the batsmen to be rebowled. This is an incorrect assumption.
- The
penalty for a "Wide" is 2 runs, which will be added to the
batting pair's score, plus any physical runs scored.
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