Fast Bowlers' No-Balls

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28210, 23 February 1957, Page 5

Fast Bowlers' No-Balls

Fis not uncommon for spectators at cricket matches to confer they see far more than the Spires, who are rather better placed to make decisions than .j,ose in the crowd. It is certainly -bsurd for spectators to criticise .eg-before-wicket decisions. ' B U t at Lancaster Park during fte Australians’ match with Canterbury, the difficulty umpires jave in detecting no-balls bowled jv fast bowlers was apparent. An who has to make decipons on catches behind the ricket and on leg-before-wicket 2 ppeals has to concentrate on the ether end of the pitch, and he earmot do that if he is trying to ,-atch the bowler's hand and foot, for the fast ball takes about half I second to reach the batsman. There was no mistaking, even from the spectators’ seats, that the Western Australian. R. Gaunt, was guilty of no-balling with almost every delivery. In the picture at right, he is a long way over the mark —but this delivery was not no-balled. It is a difficult task to determine where a fast bowler's foot drag should begin if he is to keep within the law. but to allow such i bowler much latitude is placing an unfair handicap on opposing batsmen. The fast bowler's pace is, to all intents and purposes. increased when he goes a yard over the line.