Seam bowling

Seam bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers.

Physics of seam bowling

A cricket ball is not a perfect sphere. The seam joining the pieces of leather is circumferential and the stitching is noticeably raised. If the ball is bowled such that the seam hits the pitch when it bounces, this irregularity can cause the ball to deviate sideways in its path.

Related Topics:
Cricket ball - Sphere - Pitch

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In order to achieve this effect, a seam bowler usually delivers the ball with the seam held upright, with rotation about a horizontal axis. This keeps the seam aligned vertically as it travels towards the batsman, making it likely that the ball will bounce with the seam on the pitch.

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The direction and degree of deviation from a straight path are dependent on the small-scale alignment of the seam and any irregularities in the pitch surface. This means that deviation caused by seam is chaotic and unpredictable.

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However, it is also possible, by holding the seam at an angle and rolling the fingers over the surface of the ball, to produce a deliberate off cutter in which the ball veers away from the off side when it bounces on the pitch, or leg cutter in which it veers away from a right-handed batsman. Former Australian bowler Dennis Lillee employed a leg cutter of this sort to considerable effect; however, these sort of deliveries will be slower than if the bowler simply bowls with the seam upright, hoping for movement one way or the other. Some bowlers deliberately use cutters more for their surprise slowness than the deviation off the pitch - a tactic that can also be effective.

Related Topics:
Off cutter - Off side - Leg cutter - Dennis Lillee

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Often the deviation caused by seam is not large enough to cause a batsman significant problems with playing the ball. Occasionally, however, the ball can deviate far enough to hit the edge of the cricket bat instead of the middle, producing a catch for nearby fielders. Swing bowling is a way of getting greater deviation, but is harder to control and potentially less effective as the batsman has more time to respond to the deviation as it swings through the air.

Related Topics:
Cricket bat - Fielders - Swing bowling

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Skilled batsmen have good reflexes and are less troubled by seam bowling than less proficient ones.

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