Impart backspin and pitch the ball up: strategies cricket fast bowlers can employ to generate late swing.

Abstract

In cricket fast bowling, late swing can increase interception difficulty for opposition batters. However, little is known about the occurrence and cause of late swing. This study investigated ball kinematics and the effect of changing kinematics on late swing with new cricket balls. Markers were placed on the ball to track the trajectory and calculate kinematics u1sing a motion analysis system. Fast bowlers generated varying ball kinematics (linear velocity, angular velocity and seam orientation) and delivery trajectories. A random intercept linear mixed-effects model identified that decreasing ball velocity (release velocity: effect = 0.21, p = 0.051, and pitch velocity: effect = -0.27, p = 0.011) and increasing seam stability (release stability: effect = -0.02, p < 0.001 and pitch stability: effect = 0.02, p = 0.001) were associated with greater late swing. To achieve these changes and create late swing, bowlers can pitch the ball on a full length and impart a large amount of backspin on the ball. However, swing can be influenced by factors such as wind and ball composition and late swing may be difficult to control. Bowlers and coaches should develop strategies to generate late swing but recognise it may be unpredictable in some situations.