Simon Hughes
Movement in the air
Swing bowling is an incredibly fragile art. Some bowlers seem to
have the action and aptitude to achieve it, others don't. Even those who can, find that there are days when they can't. Some new balls swing and others don't. Even if I could, there is absolutely no point in trying to explain why swing happens. Thousands of scientists have had a go and, while all their efforts are admirable, they seem to end up just confusing each other and everybody else. What is certain is that a shiny cricket ball does swing – the amount depends on the
conditions, the bowler and the ball itself.
Outswing
Where Walsh is more of a seam bowler, Darren Gough (above) – with his lower, slingier action – is more of a swing bowler. He bowls predominantly outswing to the right-hander (also known as away swing), this is when the ball veers to the left).
He will release the ball seam-up and aim it at the right-hander's off stump, on a fullish length, hoping that it will curve away from the bat and take the edge (or better still, bowl him). This (above) is a classic example, with the ball angling in towards the stumps. It starts to 'bend'
late in flight and finishes up six inches outside the off stump. Because it all happens so quickly, the batsman is drawn towards the ball. It grazes the edge and he is caught at second slip. The batsman's lack of foot movement didn't help him.
Bowling to left-handers
 Through the gate
The outswinger becomes a lethal inswinger to the left-hander.
The outswinger to the right-hander can be equally lethal to left-handers (above). The batsman above, is deceived into thinking that this ball is a juicy half volley he can drive comfortably to the fence. The swing seems only to take effect in the second half of the ball's journey and, to the batsman's horror, it ducks in past his flailing bat and rearranges his furniture. All he would know about this dismissal is the deathly clatter of ball on stump, and then the long walk back.
Scrambling the seam
 Good variations
Andrew Caddick also bowls outswing, but uses a clever variation to confuse the batsman. His normal delivery (far left), held seam-up, swings away from right-handers, but releasing the ball with a scrambled seam (near left) makes it swing the other way.
 Past the edge
The left-hander here (Warell Hinds) is expecting this ball from Caddick to swing in, but it's a scrambled seam delivery and it veers the other way.
Copyright material reproduced under license from Macmillan Publishers Ltd. London, England
Copyright © Simon Hughes 2001
Click for full terms and conditions
|
