Cricket is a game with many rules. These rules make the sport more competitive and tactical for the players to devise a better strategy. Bowling is a major part of the game, and a legal delivery can be challenging. 

One of the rules of bowling is that the bowler should always land behind the crease line when bowling. But how far should he/she land? Can a bowler land far behind the stumps? Let us explore the possibilities of bowling behind the stumps in cricket.

Can We Bowl Behind the Stumps in Cricket?

A bowler can bowl by landing behind the stumps. But he should make sure to be in front of the umpire when releasing the ball to avoid a dead ball warning. The umpire should be able to look at the bowler’s arm action and the way he releases the ball. If you land far back from the stumps and behind the umpire, he cannot look at the bowler’s action. Therefore, you should always land in front of the umpire behind the crease line which may or may not lie behind the stumps.

To understand this ruling, let us get to know the position of the umpire, the position of stumps, and the distance of the crease line. Then we can know how it is possible to bowl behind the stumps while we land in front of the umpire.

Umpire’s Position

There are two umpires who stand on the pitch in a game of cricket. One umpire stands at the bowler’s end and the other umpire usually stands at the square leg position (that is why popularly known as leg umpire). 

Here, we are going to consider the umpire at the bowler’s end. This umpire will usually stand behind the stumps at a distance where the crease line, wicket, and the bowler’s landing will be well known. 

So, the distance is quite far from the stumps and the crease line. There are no fixed rules regarding this distance since it is up to the comfort of the umpire’s viewing and physical height. Taller umpires might stand slightly closer while shorter umpires tend to stand far back.

Stump Position and Crease Position

Two sets of stumps will be present at the pitch. One at the bowler’s end and one at the batsman’s end.

The length of the pitch is around 22 yards which is the distance between the two stump ends.

There will be two crease lines at the bowler’s end. One crease line runs with the stumps known as the bowling crease.

Another crease line known as the popping crease sits 1.2m (4ft) in front of the bowling crease. 

This popping crease is what we are considering in our discussion. Every bowler must land before this popping crease to avoid no-ball warnings. 

Now, if we look at the order of subjects present in the pitch on the bowling side,

• The popping crease sits in the front.
• Around 1.2m back of this crease line sits the stumps along with the bowling crease.
• Behind the stumps, the umpire stands according to his comfortable viewing distance.

Considerations when Bowling Behind the Stumps

Since the popping crease sits in front of the bowling end stumps, a bowler can comfortably land in front of the stumps and avoid touching the popping crease.

This will also be in front of the umpire, and it enables the umpire to watch the bowling action easily.

If the bowler wants to land behind the stumps, he/she is safe from touching the popping crease line. But he/she might land behind the umpire, disabling him from viewing your bowling actions.

So, if you want to bowl behind the stumps, make sure to land in front of the umpire to avoid dead ball warnings.

This is the only thing you must consider when bowling behind the stumps. If you land in front of the umpire, you will not be warned.

Why Do Some Bowlers Want to Bowl Behind the Stumps?

Bowling behind the stumps is a strategy used by fast bowlers and medium-pace bowlers to trick the batsman from knowing the trajectory of the ball. The speed of the ball will also reduce when bowling from such far distances.

So, a batsman expecting a fast-paced ball might be surprised with a slower ball and can get out due to poor shot selection or leaving the ball.

At the same time, this strategy is not used by many bowlers since landing behind the stumps requires extra effort to properly line the ball and achieve a target speed. Without proper landing, the bowler may fail to target the batsman. 

Landing behind the stumps will not always provide fruitful results. Since bowlers aim for line and length while practicing, it is not their usual practice method to bowl behind the stumps.

Especially if the bowler is looking for a full-length ball or a yorker, it is very tough to deliver landing behind the stumps.

List of Myths in Bowling

There are some popular myths in cricket bowling and if you were believing them to be true, get ready to be amazed.

• Fast Bowling cannot be taught.
• Only tall people can bowl at high speeds.
• Flicking the wrist when releasing the ball will increase the speed.
• The ball can swing more when the weather is cloudy.
• You need to have high strength to fast bowl.
• Cricketers can perform well in baseball.

These are some of the myths in cricket bowling. These are not facts, and they are not true in any situation. Because we can see many short bowlers bowling at a speed of 150kmph effortlessly.

Also, fast bowling is widely taught. Similarly, all the other information is completely mythical and doesn’t have any base for the claim.

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Conclusion

The best way to bowl can vary according to the bowler’s strategy and the target line and length. But sometimes if the bowler likes to land behind the stumps, it is allowed until the landing stays in front of the umpire.

Consider this if you are meaning to practice bowling behind the stumps or surprising your batsman in a cricket match.