Ball bouncing above head height

[bighairyjack]

Hi all,
I've only been playing cricket for around 10 years but am now trusted to umpire at square leg!

During a recent match, a delivery pitched at just back of a length and went on to pass just over the batman's head at the popping crease.

I called a no ball.

The bowler asked why and I explained my decision.

My decision was over-ruled by the umpire at the bowler's end who said I should have signalled a wide.

Having later discussed it with others on my team, the general concensus was also that this should have been signalled as a wide.

Can anyone clarify if a ball which bounces above the batters head at the popping crease should be called a no ball or a wide?

Many thanks.

[tashman]

21.10 Ball bouncing over head height of striker

The umpire shall call and signal No ball for any delivery which, after pitching, passes or would have passed over head height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease.

[rmurphy65]

The laws say No Ball - but you'll need to check what the playing regs for your competition say (they may say call it Wide).

[sillypoint]

Good question! The answer should be simple, but it isn't.
1.  Laws of Cricket say:
"21.10 Ball bouncing over head height of striker
"The umpire shall call and signal No ball for any delivery which, after pitching, passes or would have passed over head height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease." (Laws of Cricket)
This definition was introduce several years ago, and makes far more sense than Wide for a ball passing above the batter because the definition of a Wide is:
"22.1.2 The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within reach for him/her to be able to hit it with the bat by means of a normal cricket stroke." (Laws of Cricket)
NOTE: There is no "normal cricket stroke" that is played, tennis like, above the head.
Unfortunately, however, the ICC (to its eternal discredit, in my view) chose to stick with the old law which defined this type of delivery as a Wide:
"22.1.1.2 the ball passes above the head height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease." (ICC Rule for men's Test matches)
Sadly, many competitions follow this lead.
So—
– under the Laws of Cricket your call was correct
– if the local rules vary this definition, then the local rules apply—local rules override Laws where they are in contradiction