Beamer (cricket)

In cricket, a beamer is a delivery that, without bouncing, passes the batsman at or above waist height. It is considered a dangerous and unfair delivery, and is illegal according to the Laws of Cricket.

The Laws of Cricket explicitly prohibit a ball that is delivered in a manner that would be dangerous or unfair. A beamer is considered to fall squarely within this category due to the batsman's limited time to react and the potential for serious injury, particularly if the ball is directed at the head.

Umpires typically have the discretion to warn the bowler and their captain after the first instance of a beamer bowled by that bowler in an innings. Subsequent beamers from the same bowler may result in the bowler being removed from the attack for the remainder of the innings. The severity of the action taken depends on factors such as the perceived intent of the bowler and the degree of danger posed by the delivery. Some particularly egregious beamers may result in the bowler being suspended from bowling for a longer period.

The Laws of Cricket also allow the umpire to call "no ball" for a beamer. The batsman is awarded a run, and a free hit is awarded in limited-overs cricket following a no-ball for a beamer.

Accidental beamers can occur due to a bowler losing control of their delivery, particularly in fast bowling. However, deliberate beamers are rare and considered a serious breach of the spirit of the game.