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[Rob580]

Afternoon All,

Bit of a change of pace (pun fully intended) but a topic on Pace Bowling, rather than Batting or Spinners.

I'm primarily an Inswing bowler, always have been, always will be. This is mostly because I still come past the perpendicular with my arm when bowling and then effectively point my wrist towards leg slip to get the ball to go in the right direction. I've been bowling like this for years, and it's always been pretty effective, as it tends to go quite late. I can seam the ball a bit both ways if it's not swinging as I'm pretty good at hitting the seam consistently and hit the pitch relatively hard. But I've always wanted to be able to bowl an outswinger, as much as anything just to learn a new skill. I'm always messing around with slower balls, angles on the crease etc.

I've started to be able to swing it out slightly, although it's pretty inconsistent. I've just lowered my arm a bit, pointed the seam and tried to run my hand down the back of the ball with it pointing towards the slips. It works, but tends to go from the hand and isn't exactly difficult to pick.

I'm really just after some advice on any training methods / tips on how to get my wrist in the right position, different grip and anything else which might help.

Any help is greatly appreciated, as are smutty jokes about wrist exercise / strengthening.....

Cheers,
Rob

[Churchy1989]

@Rob580 I'm in the same boat but cant bowl away swing

[Six Sixes Cricket]

The Wasim Akram masterclass is good to watch on sky, was shown this morning, showcasing his swing bowling

[Seniorplayer]

From experience the newer the ball the more likely it will swing also
Rather than keep the seam upright find it helps the  ball to outswing  if you tiilt the seam around twenty degrees toward first and second slip

[edge]

Ah the swing bowlers' problem, outswing has always come naturally to me but struggle to get it going in! If you've managed to get your arm a bit lower and got the hang of the wrist position then sounds like you're most of the way there, just plenty of practise. Once you've got it swinging consistently then it's not too hard to get it to go later. A lot of people turn the seam too far which doesn't help with consistency/swinging it late, just a little angle should do the trick and then your wrist does the work.

I find it a big help to try and release the seam off your middle finger. If I'm aiming to really get it hooping I angle the seam a touch and then think about really carving my middle finger round and down the back of the seam, then finishing my bowling hand right up under the armpit on the other side, so you're really getting that curve of the wrist into the ball through the action. Hopefully that makes sense? A little difficult to explain in writing! If it's going plenty and I want it to move late then the opposite approach applies - middle finger still pushing down the back of the seam, but with the wrist/arm I'm trying to push through behind the ball rather than making that curve.

[Rob580]

Ah the swing bowlers' problem, outswing has always come naturally to me but struggle to get it going in! If you've managed to get your arm a bit lower and got the hang of the wrist position then sounds like you're most of the way there, just plenty of practise. Once you've got it swinging consistently then it's not too hard to get it to go later. A lot of people turn the seam too far which doesn't help with consistency/swinging it late, just a little angle should do the trick and then your wrist does the work.

I find it a big help to try and release the seam off your middle finger. If I'm aiming to really get it hooping I angle the seam a touch and then think about really carving my middle finger round and down the back of the seam, then finishing my bowling hand right up under the armpit on the other side, so you're really getting that curve of the wrist into the ball through the action. Hopefully that makes sense? A little difficult to explain in writing! If it's going plenty and I want it to move late then the opposite approach applies - middle finger still pushing down the back of the seam, but with the wrist/arm I'm trying to push through behind the ball rather than making that curve.

That's perfect, thanks. I've been trying to think about Matthew Hoggard when bowling it in respect of the getting the bowling arm right in under the armpit on follow through.

Do you hold the ball on the side of your thumb, or the bottom? I hold it on the side, and I've always thought that is the best way for outswing?

[edge]

That's perfect, thanks. I've been trying to think about Matthew Hoggard when bowling it in respect of the getting the bowling arm right in under the armpit on follow through.

Do you hold the ball on the side of your thumb, or the bottom? I hold it on the side, and I've always thought that is the best way for outswing?

Ah yes Hoggard is a great example! I've never really thought about thumb position to be honest, but I suppose it makes contact with the ball on a bit of an angle rather than purely the side or bottom. Definitely hold it slightly on the left side of the ball though.

[Churchy1989]

@edge tried to teach me at nets....apparently I wasn't listening 

[Churchy1989]

A little difficult to explain in writing!

I feel an @edge YouTube bowling video coming up 

[edge]

@edge tried to teach me at nets....apparently I wasn't listening 

Ha, most don't to be fair!

[FattusCattus]

@edge  - you'd have though @Churchy1989 would've listened intently if you were showing him where to press his thumb onto his balls!!

[richthekeeper]

Weirdly although I'm a keeper I can swing the ball both ways at nets.

I find I almost have to change my action to do so though - more chest-on to bowl inswing and side-on to bowl outswing. The seam position is almost less relevant because as you note, your wrist position will direct the ball where you want to go.

Assuming you bowl right handed, as you go through your action I would imagine that your bowling hand finishes up somewhere near your right hip/thigh. A bit like a golf swing, your arm is moving through a plane of movement that creates inswing. Therefore to bowl outswing, try to make sure that your bowling hand ends up near your left pocket. This should get your arm moving in the right way although it might feel weird to start with!

[Rob580]

Little update on this.

I'm back to square one, no idea why, but it's not going away at all now. Inducker is fine, so I know it's not the ball or the conditions.

Very frustrating, I'm going to try and source a decent quality half red / half white ball, and wrap some white tape around the seam of an old ball to see how the seam is coming out.

[tushar sehgal]

Any chance to be able to get a video of your action and also a close up release? while trying to bowl your natural in-swing or straight.

[leatherseat]

Ah yes Hoggard is a great example! I've never really thought about thumb position to be honest, but I suppose it makes contact with the ball on a bit of an angle rather than purely the side or bottom. Definitely hold it slightly on the left side of the ball though.

I think the thumb position is one that is often overlooked. Try to use the side of the thumb's top joint under the seam for outswing (as opposed to the thumb 'pad' for inswing). I've tried to find the Sky masterclass with Flintoff describing how Wasim showed him (talking to Rob Key), but can't find it on Youtube. Perhaps someone else can find a link. The thumb also points more towards fine leg (whereas it points more towards the batsman for an inswinger), so it sits slightly across the ball.
Otherwise, you seem to be doing he right things - side on, lower arm. Releasing the ball upright (non scrambled seam) is very important - more important than pointing the seam to the slips.
A video would be great, including as close up on your hand/wrist at release as possible (assuming you have access to a pro cameraman!).

Good luck.

David