Delivery (cricket)

No-balls are considered a more serious infraction than wides, with the batters being shielded from most methods of dismissal, and in some competitions result in the batting team being awarded two additional runs and/or a "free hit" on the next legal delivery (on a free hit delivery, the batters have the same protections against being dismissed as on a no-ball).

The bowler also varies the amount of loop and pace imparted to various deliveries to try to cause the batter to misjudge and make a mistake.

Sometimes, the team captain will offer advice or even issue a direct order regarding what deliveries to bowl, based on his observations of the batter and the strategic state of the game.

Another player who occasionally offers advice to the bowler is the wicket-keeper, since he has a unique view of the batter and may be able to spot weaknesses of technique.

The pitch is a natural ground and its state is subjected to variation over the course of the cricket, some of which are multi-day events such as test matches.

They revealed that experienced batters possessed a unique ability which enabled them to adjust their feet as well as their positioning on the crease accordingly based upon their reading of the body language and movements enacted by the bowler prior to the release of the ball.

Moreover, Müller's research outlined that the presence of this 'advance information' was not as evident among the lesser skilled batters in comparison to the experienced ones.

After the game, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rob Muldoon, described it as "the most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket.

[8] A recently retired cricketer who was greatly embroiled in controversy and under scrutiny from critics over his method of executing deliveries was the Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Michael Selvey describes the accusations placed on the bowler in relation to his widely disputed bowling action and delivery, stating the Australian prime minister's reference to the Sri Lankan as a 'chucker.'

However, Suresh Menon takes an adamant stance on the topic of the controversy surrounding the spinner by displaying appreciation for Muralitharan's actions.