TERMINOLOGY TALK: BOWLING

From the searing pace of England’s Mark Wood to the mystery spin of India’s Ravi Ashwin, bowlers come in all shapes and sizes, so let play commence!

Bowling is the action of a cricketer in the fielding team delivering the ball for the batsman to hit. Ultimately, the bowler aims to dismiss or ‘get out’ the batsman while conceding as few runs as possible. The bowler holds the ball in their left or right hand and will keep their arm straight as they bowl to the batsman. Here are two types of bowling you should know:

• Fast Bowler - Their job is to bowl fast! Fast bowlers will take a longer run-up, approximately 15-30 yards. They will use the momentum gathered to generate extreme speed, making it difficult for the batsman to hit the ball cleanly. These bowlers can bowl, in some cases, up to 100 miles per hour, and watching them in action is bound to raise your pulse.

• Spin Bowler - Unlike fast bowling, specialist spin bowlers bowl a lot slower, and rely on deviation off the pitch to dismiss the batsman. Spinners use either their fingers or wrist to generate revolutions on the ball, as it’s delivered to the batsman, which causes the ball to divert sharply when it lands on the pitch. There are two types of spinners; finger spin (off break/orthodox); and wrist spin (leg break/unorthodox).

In our next edition of State of Play, and part 2 of Terminology Talks on bowling, learn about the “yorker”, “bouncer”, “swing” and “no ball”.