Bowling (cricket): Difference between revisions

{{short description|Cricket delivery}}

[[File:Muralitharan bowling to Adam Gilchrist.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[spin bowling|Spinner]] [[Muttiah Muralitharan]] bowling to the batsman, [[Adam Gilchrist]]]]

'''Bowling''', in [[cricket]], is the action of [[throwing|propelling]] the [[cricket ball|ball]] toward the [[wicket]] defended by a batter. A player skilled at bowling is called a ''bowler'';<ref>{{Cite web|title=Terms {{!}} Cricket Web|url=https://www.cricketweb.net/terms/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.cricketweb.net}}</ref> a bowler who is also a competent [[:Batting (cricket)|batter]] is known as an [[all-rounder]]. Bowling the ball is distinguished from [[throwing (cricket)|''throwing'' the ball]] by a strictly specified biomechanical definition, which restricts the angle of extension of the elbow.<ref>{{Cite web|title=International Cricket Council|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cricket/rules-and-regulations/illegal-bowling-actions|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.icc-cricket.com}}</ref> A single act of bowling the ball towards the batsman is called a ''ball'' or a ''[[delivery (cricket)|delivery]]''. Bowlers bowl deliveries in sets of six, called an ''[[over (cricket)|over]]''. Once a bowler has bowled an over, a teammate will bowl an over from the other end of the pitch.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Glossary of cricket terms & sayings|url=http://www.wandererscricket.com/glossary.html|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.wandererscricket.com}}</ref> The [[Laws of Cricket]] govern how a ball must be bowled.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-42-fair-and-unfair-play,68,AR.html |title=Laws of Cricket: Law 42 (Fair and unfair play) |publisher=Lords.org |access-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105121449/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-42-fair-and-unfair-play%2C68%2CAR.html |archive-date=5 January 2013  }}</ref> If a ball is bowled illegally, an [[umpire (cricket)|umpire]] will rule it a ''[[no-ball]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-24-no-ball,50,AR.html |title=Laws of Cricket: Law 24 (No ball) |publisher=Lords.org |access-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227213453/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-24-no-ball%2C50%2CAR.html |archive-date=27 December 2012  }}</ref> If a ball is bowled too wide of the striker for the batsman to be able to play at it with a proper cricket shot, the bowler's end umpire will rule it a ''[[wide (cricket)|wide]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-25-wide-ball,51,AR.html |title=Laws of Cricket: Law 25 (Wide ball) |publisher=Lords.org |access-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124062459/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-25-wide-ball,51,AR.html |archive-date=24 November 2012  }}</ref>

There are different types of bowlers, from [[fast bowling|fast bowlers]], whose primary weapon is pace, through [[Swing bowling|swing]] and [[seam bowling|seam bowlers]] who try to make the ball deviate in its course through the air or when it bounces,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Different Types Of Fast Bowlers In Cricket Explained!|url=https://cricketershub.com/types-of-fast-bowlers-cricket/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Cricketers Hub|language=en-GB}}</ref> to slow bowlers, who will attempt to deceive the batter with a variety of flight and spin. A [[spin bowling|spin bowler]] usually delivers the ball quite slowly and puts spin on the ball, causing it to turn at an angle while bouncing off the pitch.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SPIN BOWLER {{!}} definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/spin-bowler|access-date=2020-08-31|website=dictionary.cambridge.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==

{{Main|History of cricket}}

{{Bowling techniques sidebar |expanded=all}}

In the early days of cricket, [[underarm bowling]] was the only method employed.

Many theories exist about the origins of cricket. One suggests that the game began among shepherds hitting a stone or a ball of wool with their crooks and, at the same time, defending the wicket gate into the sheep-fold (from [[Anglo Saxon]] 'cricce', a crooked staff). A second theory suggests the name came from a low stool known as a 'cricket' in England, which from the side looked like the long, low wicket used in the early days of the game (originally from the [[Flemish dialects|Flemish]] 'krickstoel', a low stool on which parishioners knelt in church). There is also a reference to 'criquet' in North-East France in 1478 and evidence that the game evolved in South-East England in the [[Middle Ages]].

Bowling the ball is distinguished from simply throwing the ball by a strictly specified biomechanical definition.

In 2005, this definition was deemed to be physically impossible by a scientific investigative commission. Biomechanical studies that showed that ''almost'' all bowlers extend their elbows somewhat throughout the bowling action, because the stress of swinging the arm around ''hyperextends'' the elbow joint. A guideline was introduced to allow extensions or hyperextensions of angles up to 15 degrees before deeming the ball illegally thrown.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1"/>

The velocities of cricket bowlers vary between {{convert|40|and|100|mph|0|abbr=on}}. In professional cricket, a bowler in the 40–60&nbsp;mph range would be said to be a slow bowler, in the 60–80&nbsp;mph range a medium pace bowler, and a bowler 80&nbsp;mph+ a fast bowler. In the amateur game, these distinctions would be approximately 10&nbsp;mph slower. Many professional fast bowlers are able to reach speeds of over 85&nbsp;mph, with a handful of bowlers in the world able to bowl at 95&nbsp;mph+. The ability to react to a cricket ball travelling at 85&nbsp;mph is a skill that only professional and high level amateur cricketers possess. The pace of a bowler not only challenges the reaction speed of the batsman, but also his physical courage. Fast bowlers are able to exploit this by bowling bouncers, either regularly or as an occasional surprise delivery.

To avoid becoming predictable, a bowler will typically bowl a variety of different deliveries with different combinations of pace and movement. A tactically astute bowler may be able to spot a potential weakness in a batsman that a particular delivery may be able to exploit. Bowlers will often also bowl deliveries in preplanned sets, with the intention of dismissing the batsman with the final delivery in the set. This is known as "setting a trap" for the batsman.<ref>{{Cite web|title=England v Sri Lanka: Story of day five at Lord's|url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/10312877/england-v-sri-lanka-story-of-day-five-at-lords|access-date=2020-09-11|website=Sky Sports|language=en}}</ref> Batsmen and bowlers will often also engage in a game of "cat and mouse", in which the bowler varies his tactics to try and trap and dismiss the batsman, but the batsman also keeps adjusting his tactics in response.