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[uknsaunders]

Apologies if a similar topic has been posted elsewhere but it's been a few hours since I've moaned about something lol

Last Saturday we played on a deck covered in small cracks. It looked a bit dirty, bare, didn't bounce much (as I found out to my cost when batting) and should of been absolutely ideal for the attack we had. The oppo had a virtually all seam attack and we had spin/trundle. All it needed was somebody to bowl some cutters on the gripping surface and we were home. I bowled my spin, getting some real turn and bounce which is unusual for me. Redders turned into Swann and bowled the number 3 through the gate. However at the other end and for parts of the innings it looked a different pitch. Our seamers, with one exception, just couldn't make use of the deck. If it doesn't seam or swing, no plan B. It was a shame as it just needed someone to roll their fingers over it but we duly lost by 5 wickets. Should've been by 3 wickets but 2 plumb decisions got turned down - they were clinging on. Made me think about how many bowlers could bowl old fashioned cutters. I learnt playing Sunday cricket on worn batting tracks, but while everybody knows how to swing a ball very few know how to bowl a cutter. Many out there will argue it's a wet wicket delivery but it can be used on any surface taking spin. It's easier to bowl than a slower ball and can be bowled at a similar speed to seam up. Does seem to have gone out of the game, when I was younger many teams had bowlers sticking it on a length and cutting the ball back in.

Is it me or has it gone out of the game?

[fasteddie]

I've not seen this skill being taught at two Middlesex league clubs.
The young seamers, faste(r)eddie is my test subject, hasn't been taught this, nor has anyone even mentioned it to him.

Hopefully when he gets into the Army he'll get picked-up by the U25 development squad and then get taught.

I'm with you Nick, maybe clubs don't see the benefit, or have forgotten the art themselves, or the ECB coaching manuals ignore this completely.

[19reading87]

Mark 'Swanny' Reading

[uknsaunders]

Mark 'Swanny' Reading

You should of bowled your 10 the amount of turn you were getting. Never really a seam up deck. I think Cookies lack of pace helped him as well.

[uknsaunders]

I've not seen this skill being taught at two Middlesex league clubs.
The young seamers, faste(r)eddie is my test subject, hasn't been taught this, nor has anyone even mentioned it to him.

Hopefully when he gets into the Army he'll get picked-up by the U25 development squad and then get taught.

I'm with you Nick, maybe clubs don't see the benefit, or have forgotten the art themselves, or the ECB coaching manuals ignore this completely.

Still in Pont's fast bowlers bible. I've even seen Hoggard bowl it in a test match on a dry deck at Edgbaston back in 2006 and take wickets with it. Underwood used to bowl primarily leg cutters for a long time. Just very odd it's not taught anymore.

[gdb19]

As a youngster I was taught to bowl cutters but I think this was mainly down to my dad doing a lot of the coaching. Having said that since I started playing again a few years ago my bowling has bed awful and I don't think I've managed to get many balls to move either off the seam or using cutters.

I've got the Ian pont book and its pretty good, though obviously some proper coaching is better.

[lethalshrapnel]

The bread, butter and knife of my bowling!

[ajmw89]

I originally started bowling off cutters and leg cutters before I learnt to swing the ball.  When it's swinging, I use them sparingly, but when the ball is sticking in the pitch, I basically do what Collingwood would do and bowl off cutters.

I can get my offcutter right about 7/8 times out of 10, but my leg cutter only comes out right when I'm bowling well.

[acko109]

i find theres nothing better than a seamer bowling cutters especially later in the innings when teams are going after it . but i agree you do see them going out the game as a lot of the young lads (like myself) dont get taught how to bowl them by coaches. just something you pick up from old players

[Gelds]

Cutters do seem to have gone out of fashion. Hard to why when it so effective but it's not something that was ever mentioned to me when I was learning to bowl medium pace. Definitely going to try a couple when I next net.

[tim2000s]

The daft thing is that the cutter action is an excellent way to bowl a slower ball for quicker bowlers off all types.

Well worth learning to do well.

[Tomm92]

I have a natural swinging action, where I can swing the ball in swinging and out swinging.  I was never taught to bowl cutters, but I do vary my bowling: swinging both direction, cross seam, slower balls etc.  I must learn cutting the ball though, seems very affective.

Edit: why are posts ending with ";" by the way?

[tim2000s]

I have a natural swinging action, where I can swing the ball off and leg side. I was never taught to bowl cutters, but I do vary my bowling: swinging both direction, cross seam, slower balls etc.  I must learn cutting the ball though, seems very affective.

Edit: why are posts ending with ";" by the way?

I removed the like function earlier and left a little something behind!

[RightArmRapid]

Off cutter is fine. But i absolutely cannot bowl a leg cutter, i've practiced alot but it just moves the same way as the off cutter despite the fact i roll my fingers the opposite way. Hard for me to control too as i have a habit of pushing the attempted leg cutter onto middle stump which along woth the angle ends up outside leg for an easy glance. Much more practice required really!

[lethalshrapnel]

It's not so much the direction of the roll. In fact, changing the direction too much will make it obvious. For the leg cutter, your index finger needs to do the bulk of the work. For me it's been the opposite actually. I've been bowling a leg cutter all my life but just beginning to master the off cutter. I'm finding it a little hard to switch from one to the other in match situations though....

It was the off cutter that took McGrath to a different plane in my opinion. Without it he would have had far less wickets.

But this man stands alone when it comes to cutters. Utterly mind blowingly unplayable.

Muhammad Asif Destroys Indian Batting

Too bad he has a brain the size of a walnut.