An outswinger is a type of

delivery Delivery may refer to: Biology and medicine *Childbirth *Drug delivery *Gene delivery Business and law *Delivery (commerce), of goods, e.g.: **Pizza delivery ** Milk delivery ** Food delivery ** Online grocer *Deed ("delivery" in contract law), a ...

of the

ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...

in the

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

. In such a delivery the ball curves—or "swings"—out and away from the batter's body and the

wicket In the sport of cricket, the term wicket has several meanings: * It is either of the two sets of three Stump (cricket), stumps and two Bail (cricket), bails at each end of the Cricket pitch, pitch. The Fielding (cricket), fielding team's playe ...

. By contrast, an

inswinger An inswinger is a type of delivery (cricket), delivery of the cricket ball, ball in the sport of cricket. In such a delivery the ball curves—or "swings"—in toward the batting (cricket), batter's body and the wicket. By contrast, an outswinger ...

swings in toward the batter and the wicket. Outswingers are bowled by swing bowlers. The term has also been adopted into

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

commentary, in which context it describes a

cross A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...

of the

kicked so that it curves outward from and across the face of the

goal A goal or objective is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to ...

, rather than on goal.

Method

An outswinger is bowled by holding the

cricket ball A cricket ball is a hard, solid ball used to play cricket. A cricket ball consists of a cork (material), cork core wound with String (structure), string then a leather cover stitched on, and manufacture is regulated by cricket law at first-clas ...

with the seam at an angle and the first two fingers running along either side of the seam. The ball must be released at 12 o'clock height. The hands should move slightly towards the left at follow through and must push down for more back-spin. Once the ball has worn on one side the shiny side should face the leg side and the seam towards first or second slip for swing. The difference of pressure caused by movement of air over the rough and smooth surfaces tends to push the ball to the left. The result is that the ball curves, or ''swings'' to the left. In case of a new ball point the seam to the direction of swing. The difference of the separation of air by the seam the ball moves away from the batter.

Advantages

From a right-handed batter's point of view, the swing is away from his body towards his right, i.e. towards the off side. This swing away from the body is the source of the name ''outswinger''. To a left-handed batter, the swing is in towards the body and towards the

leg side The leg side, also called the on side, is a particular half of a cricket field. A cricket field may be notionally divided into two halves, by an imaginary line running down the middle of the pitch, through the middle stumps, and out to the bou ...

which from a technical point of view makes the outswinger, now an inswinger. Outswingers may be considered to be one of the more difficult fast deliveries for a right-handed batter to play. This is because the ball moves away from his body. This means that any miscalculation can result in an outside edge off the bat and a catch going to the

wicket-keeper In cricket, the wicket-keeper is the Cricket player, player on the fielding (cricket), fielding side who stands behind the wicket, ready to stop Delivery (cricket), deliveries that pass the batsman, and take a Caught, catch, Stumped, stump the ...

slips Slips (or SLIPS) may refer to: *Slips (oil drilling) *SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces) *SLIPS (Sri Lanka Interbank Payment System) *Slip (cricket), often used in the plural form *The Slips, a UK electronic music duo See also

* ...

fielders.

Tactical use

To a right-handed batter, a fast bowler will generally concentrate on bowling repeated outswingers, aiming to tempt the batter to play away from his body and get him out in one of the ways described above. However, sometimes a fast bowler may attempt to deceive the batter by bowling an off cutter instead of a standard outswinger, and look to get a batter out either bowled or lbw. More commonly, variation is in the

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...

of the ball, with

yorker In cricket, a yorker is a ball bowled (a delivery) which bounces by the batsman's feet. This makes it very challenging for a batter to play. When a batsman assumes a normal stance, a yorker generally bounces on the cricket pitch on or near th ...

s and bouncers. An effective delivery length is one that places the ball approaching the top of the

stumps In cricket, the stumps are the three vertical posts that support the bails and form the wicket. '' Stumping'' or ''being stumped'' is a method of dismissing a batsman. The umpire ''calling stumps'' means the play is over for the day. Part of ...

; usually between two-thirds to three- quarters up the length of the pitch.

References

{{reflist

External links

The Science of Swing
Bowling (cricket) Cricket terminology