In the modern day cricket , the game is changing and growing rapidly, the batters are improving their hitting capability across the ground , they easily manage to strike the ball out of the ground and plays 360 degree shots .
Thus fast bowler also needs to improve their skill as well and the best way to do that is develop the variations in fast bowling. So here are some 10 best fast bowling slower ball variation that u can learn and deceive the batsman and take there wicket as well.
What are the fast bowling slower ball variations:-
The change of pace in bowling is known as fast bowling slower ball variations. Thus here are 10 variations that u can learn and add in your bowling skill set and they are:-
1.THE OFF-CUTTER SLOWER BALL
The off-cutter slower ball is the easiest to learn and bowl , because its came out of the hand very naturally and easy to control as well compares to other variations that u are going to learn. Off-cutters are very similar to the off-spin bowling , the wrist and the fingers are rotating allmost in the same manner.
When you bowl off-cutter u rotate the index finger and middle finger , because of rotation of the fingers, the pace reduced and ball makes deflection as soon as ball hit the surface of the pitch.
How To Bowl The Off-Cutter
1.Grip the ball as shown in picture above. Instead of holding it with two fingers on both sides of the seam, this time put only your index finger on the seam. Put the middle finger on the right side of the ball.
2.Run normally in your runup as u run always.
3.In the delivery stride, at releasing point, rotate your index and middle fingers downward on the right side of the ball. This will cause the ball to spin like an off-spin and makes the ball speed slower.
2.The Leg Cutter Slower Ball
The leg cutter slower ball variation is the hard task to perform comparing to the others .The controlling of this ball is tough because its not came out of the hand so naturally like off-cutter. In that, the speed comes lot slower comparing to off-cutter because the wrist and fingers are not being directly behind the ball at the releasing point. For generating the spin in that u need lot of practise and patience while learning that skill.
How To Bowl The Leg-Cutter
1.Grip the ball as shown in picture above. Instead of holding it with two fingers on both sides of the seam, this time put only your middle finger on the seam. Put the index finger on the left side of the ball.
2.Run normally in your runup as u run always.
3.In the delivery stride, at releasing point, rotate your index and middle fingers downward on the left side of the ball. This will cause the ball to spin like an leg-spin and makes the ball speed lot slower.
3.Back-Of-The-Hand Slower Ball
Back of the hand slower ball is a very unique and very rewarding variation of slower balls. For performing this variation you should need to have flexible wrist , arm and shoulder because in this the palm is not faced at the batsmen as usual at releasing point rather the batsmen only saw the back of the hand.
This is one of the difficult balls to bowled but very rewarding as well , the dipping ability of this ball makes him the wicket taking ball variation.
How To Bowl The Back-Of-The-Hand Slower Ball
1.Hold the ball with the seam positioned perpendicular to your fingers and approach the crease with a controlled run-up, similar to your normal bowling approach.
2.Keep your wrist steady and stable and rotate your wrist so that your back of the hand faces the batsman at the releasing point.
3.Flick the wrist to create topspin, altering the ball’s spin direction and release the ball with a slightly higher trajectory compared to your usual deliveries.
4.Practice various degrees of topspin and trajectory to achieve accuracy and unpredictability.
4.The knuckle ball
The knuckle ball is a deceptive and unpredictable variation of the slower ball. Unlike traditional deliveries, the knuckleball is released by holding the ball with the knuckles, minimizing spin and creating erratic movement in the air. This lack of rotation makes it challenging for batsmen to anticipate its trajectory, often leading to mistimed shots or misjudgments.
The knuckleball demands exceptional control and a unique grip to master its variations. Bowlers employ this delivery selectively to disrupt the rhythm of batsmen, exploiting its unconventional movement to gain an advantage on the field.
How To Bowl The Knuckle Ball
1.Hold the ball with knuckles on the seam instead of fingertips and use the index and middle fingers, supported by the thumb underneath.
2.Maintain a steady wrist position with minimal movement.
3.Release the ball with a firm wrist, allowing it to roll off the knuckles without spin.
5.The Palm Ball
The palm ball variation is used to cut ball speed; largely used in baseball not much in cricket but this variation have greate potential to become one of the best slow ball variation , also known as the “spinner” or “dart ball” .
It involves holding the ball with the palm rather than the traditional grip with the fingers. This grip reduces the backspin or seam movement that the batsman typically expects from fast bowlers.
When bowled, the palm ball usually comes out slower than regular deliveries, and due to the lack of seam movement and eliminating the use of fingers , it can deceive the batsman in terms of pace and trajectory. This delivery requires precision in control and a quick flick of the wrist during release.
How to Bowl The Palm Ball
1.Hold the ball with your palm facing the batsman and place fingers together on one side and thumb on the other, gently securing the ball.
2.Approach the crease with your regular run-up and natural bowling action and maintain consistent wrist and arm movements.
3.Just before releasing, flick your wrist slightly for minimal spin then create unpredictability by minimizing seam movement.
6.Holding The Ball Deeper In The Fingers
Holding The Ball Deeper In The Fingers slower ball is not used very often in international cricket. Instead of holding the ball with fingers up to the knuckles like usual, the bowler pushes the ball deeper into the hand.
By doing this, the bowler can release the ball later without changing the arm speed how fast they move their arm. This kind of ball acts like a butterfly, with less spinning and sometimes dropping suddenly when the batsman tries to hit it.
Brett Lee is famous for using this ball variation and being really good at this unique way of bowling.
How To Bowl The Holding The Ball Deeper In The Fingers Ball variation
1.Hold the ball tightly and deeply inside the palm with normal grip and approach the crease with a controlled run-up, similar to your normal bowling approach.
2.Maintain a steady wrist position with minimal movement.
3.Release the ball normally without decreasing the arm speed.
7.The Split Finger Slower Ball
The Split Finger Slower Ball Variation is a fast bowling technique where the bowler spreads the index and middle fingers apart on the seam while gripping the ball. This grip, combined with a late separation of the fingers during release, generates backspin, reducing the ball’s pace and causing it to bounce lower.
This deceptive slower delivery can catch batsmen off guard, leading to mistimed shots and wickets. The degree of finger separation can be adjusted for varying spin and movement.
How To Bowl The Split Finger Slower Ball
1.Hold the ball with the seam. Spread your index and middle fingers apart on either side of the seam, creating a gap. Keep your thumb lightly on the seam beneath the ball.
2.Maintain your regular bowling stance and approach with a controlled run-up.
3.As you near the crease, ensure your wrist is firm and steady, maintaining a straight position.
4.Just before releasing, open your index and middle fingers wide while flicking your wrist slightly to create backspin. This generates the slower and deceptive flight of the ball.
8.The One Finger Slower Ball
The One Finger Slower Ball is an unconventional variation in fast bowling. It involves gripping the ball with just one finger, usually the index finger like off spiner, placed along the seam. This grip creates an unorthodox release, causing the ball to come out slower and lower than expected.
The lack of seam movement and minimal spin deceives batsmen, often resulting in mistimed shots. The technique’s effectiveness lies in its surprise element and batsmen’s struggle to adjust their timing. However, it demands precise control and can be challenging to master, making it a seldom-used variation in the fast bowler’s repertoire.
How To Bowl The One Finger Slower Ball
1.Hold the ball with only one finger, typically the index, placed on the seam. The other fingers and thumb should be relaxed, not exerting much pressure on the ball.
2.Adopt your regular fast bowling stance and approach to the crease. Maintain your usual rhythm and balance.
3.As you release the ball, ensure that your index finger maintains contact with the seam for as long as possible.
9.The Loopy Slower Ball
The Loopy Slower Ball types delivery works well because it doesn’t spin, which causes the ball to drop suddenly on the batsman. Just like the back-of-the-hand ball, this can confuse the batsman about the ball’s height. To bowl this slower ball, hold the ball oddly between your thumb and the two fingers next to it.
Keep the ball at the tips of your fingers, so when you let it go, it doesn’t spin much. A Indian fast bowler Harshal Patel used this Variation very well.
10.Reducing The Arm Speed
The most common way and the most incorrect way to bowl slower bowl is to reducing the speed of the arm or reducing the arm speed, because when you reduced the arm speed the batter can easily pick the ball variation, and thus the element of bowling slow is finished , because your need is to surprise the batsmen , decisive them by chance of pace . But this only going to happen when your arm speed maintain the as as usual.
Conclusion
In this rapid changing world of cricket , as a bowler you need to keep improving your skill to survive in this game. For that you need to develop some variation along with other skills and speed . For that you also need to know some bowling key attractors , which are going to help you in to improve your bowling basics.