"Make the new ball count!" - How often have we heard this when a new innings begins. The new ball is the perfect time for bowlers, especially fast bowlers, to showcase their skills and art. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Fast bowling is an art, and the bowler, an artist. Every fast bowler has a different skill set, be it swinging the new ball or hitting the deck hard. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
What is the difference between swinging the new ball and seaming it? <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Swing -<\/strong> In simple terms, when the ball moves sideways in the air, it's known as a swinging delivery. The conditions matter a lot for the ball to swing. The more windy and overcast conditions, the better chance a ball will swing. <\/p>\r\n\r\n There are different types of swings - inswing, outswing, and reverse swing. <\/p>\r\n\r\n An inswinging ball moves into the right-handed batter while the outswinger moves away. Seam position is key for a bowler to bowl a perfect swinging delivery. <\/p>\r\n\r\n The seam needs to be angled towards the batter to bowl an inswinger to a righty batter, and towards the slips for an outswinger. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Reverse swing is a difficult art to master since it not only requires a perfect seam position but also pace in the delivery. The speed of the ball and the roughness on one side of the old ball makes the ball reverse. If a bowler bowls over 140 kmph, there is a good chance of ball reversing. <\/p>\r\n\r\n When the seam is angled towards the slips and the ball comes into the batter, then it is known as a reverse swinging delivery. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Seam -<\/strong> When the ball moves sideways after pitching. For a ball to deviate off the pitch, the seam position should be straight. If the ball lands on the pitch with a straight seam, there is a good chance it will change its trajectory. <\/p>\r\n\r\n The condition of the pitch matters a lot for the bowler to get the ball seaming. The pitch with cracks or grass covering will aid the seam bowlers. <\/p>\r\n\r\n One of the interesting parts of seam bowling is that even bowlers don't always know in which direction the ball will change its trajectory, unlike swing in which a bowler deliberately bowls an inswinger or outswinger.<\/p>\r\n\r\n