What if the ball pitches outside the pitch in cricket? Is it called a dead ball or a no ball? Ever wondered about the end consequences once the ball lands outside the pitch? Have such thoughts crossed your mind earlier? Well, not to worry. In this cricket rules & regulations guidebook, we will closely examine the ball pitching outside the pitch rules and unravel what the possible outcome might be depending on the scenario.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that bowlers are not permitted to pitch the ball outside the pitch. The width of the pitch is roughly 10 feet (3.05 m). Bowlers need to land anywhere on the pitch and within the wide guidelines (limited-overs cricket) for their deliveries to be legal. If any bowler fails to abide by this principle, that’s when the outside pitch no ball rules kick in. Law 21 of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) clearly states that if the ball pitches outside the pitch or any part of it lands either partially or entirely outside the pitch area, then the bowler is deemed to be have delivered a no ball.

Extract from the Official MCC Website

21.7 Ball bouncing more than once, rolling along the ground or pitching off the pitch

The umpire shall call and signal No ball if a ball which he/she considers to have been delivered, without having previously touched bat or person of the striker,

• bounces more than once or rolls along the ground before it reaches the popping crease

or

• 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.

So what if the ball pitches outside the pitch in cricket? Will it be given a no-ball? Yes, technically, the short answer is a no-ball! In most instances, the umpire will call it a no-ball. But in some cases, a dead ball can also be signalled if the umpires believe that the ball slips out of the bowler’s hand and lands outside the pitch as a consequence. We’ll present two real match examples to show when a delivery pitching outside the pitch should be called a no-ball or a dead ball, giving you a clear understanding of the ball pitching outside the pitch rules.

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Ball Pitching Outside The Pitch Rules (No-ball scenario)

So far, we are clear on what happens if the ball pitches outside the pitch in cricket. In most cases, it’s a clear case of a no-ball, though the possibility of a dead ball can’t be ruled out either. Not to mention, the laws make no mention of a wide ball. Now that we’ve established the fact that any ball that lands outside the pitch is generally a no-ball, it’s time to delve a little deeper into the nuances of the ball pitching outside the pitch rules.

The diagram above demonstrates when the umpire should call and signal a no-ball. For it to be called a no-ball, the ball has to land beyond the pitch before it passes the striker’s wicket. In other words, before the ball passes the crease at the other end, it must pitch outside the pitch. The magnitude of the distance WILL NOT be taken into account. The ball may land considerably outside the pitch zone or have half of its part pitched within the pitch, while the remaining part pitches outside the pitch. Either way, the umpire concerned will signal no-ball.

Ball Pitching Outside The Pitch Rules (Dead-ball scenario)

What if the ball pitches outside the pitch in cricket, but according to the umpire’s opinion, it wasn’t delivered? This adds a new twist to the existing ruling, which cricket lovers from all walks of life need to bear in mind. While it’s true that any ball that pitches miles outside the cut strip is deemed to be a no-ball, the umpire might need to make a judgment call on whether the ball was intentionally released or accidentally slipped out of the bowler’s hand.

In the above footage from the West Indian legend Courtney Walsh, one can see how far wide the ball went. Walsh got it absolutely wrong, sending the ball completely sideways to the batter’s offside. The delivery was so wide that it wasn’t even captured in the frame. It even forced the batter to leave the pitch, which caused the umpire to step in and signal dead ball. In an ideal scenario, this would have been a clear case of a no-ball. But the dead ball law does make provisions for such comical occurrences on the field. From the given video, there are signs to suggest that the ball had indeed slipped and was not intentionally delivered by Walsh in his follow-through.

FAQs On Ball Pitching Outside The Pitch

What If The Ball Pitches Outside The Pitch In Cricket? (Decoding the reasons behind why bowlers get it wrong)

It will be naive to assume that bowlers intentionally try to land the ball outside the pitch in cricket. We are all well and truly aware of the negative consequences of conceding a no-ball, especially when it’s a limited-overs cricket match. No bowler will be foolish enough to give it to the opposition in a plate. So, why do we see instances of ball pitching outside the pitch?

There are ideally two main reasons that can cause a bowler to pitch the ball outside the pitch.

Wide Yorker: Firstly, in their quest to execute a wide yorker, the bowlers tend to occasionally lose their line and end up bowling deliveries that land too far beyond the wide guideline, eventually causing the umpire to signal a no-ball.

Slippery Conditions: The slippery conditions or a wet outfield can make it very hard for the bowlers to grip the ball. Without a proper grip on the cricket ball, bowlers risk spraying it in all directions.

Did you find this guide helpful? For more interesting insights on cricket rules and regulations, visit our website regularly, and don’t forget to check out our pitching outside leg LBW rule in cricket.