Types of Bowlers in Cricket

Cricket has more than fast, medium or slow bowlers, or left- or right-handed ones. It has express opening bowlers, wrist spinners, finger spinners, over the wicket and around the wicket--it's enough to spin the head, let alone the ball.

Fast Bowler

Pace and hostility mark the quick bowlers, who almost always open the game. The ball is hardest and shiniest then, which produces the most movement in the air and off the pitch. Only a handful of cricketers have ever bowled close to 100 mph (161 kph). Genuinely fast bowlers average 90 mph (145 kph) and rely on pace for their dismissals. They bowl in short spells because of their long, 25- to 30-yard run-ups that give momentum and balance.

Weapons

The most dramatic fast bowler's weapon is the bouncer, or short-pitched delivery. He or she pitches the ball further from the batsman so that it rises dramatically, often head-high, as it passes the batsman. The yorker is the opposite, pitching at the batsman's toes. Other weapons are swing and movement off the pitch, created by the grip and wrist movement at delivery. The disguised slower ball will often dismiss batsmen or get hit out of the ground. Fast bowlers find reverse swing in the ball when it is older.

Medium Pace

The medium pacer must be more accurate than the quicker bowler. At medium pace--about 60 to 70mph (100-120kph)--swing becomes more pronounced, as does movement off the pitch. Damp or humid conditions can make the medium pace swing bowlers almost unplayable. Medium pacers often come into the attack when the fast bowlers tire and the ball is worn.

Left Arm Spin

A left handed orthodox bowler is a finger spinner delivering a leg-break (moving from left to right and across the right-handed batsman) as his stock ball. The arm ball, a disguised delivery which goes straight on, is a variation. The term "slow bowler" applies to all spinners who bowl at 45 to 55 mph (75 to 90 kph). He or she relies on flight and accuracy, pitching the ball in almost the same spot for long periods.

Right Arm Orthodox

A mirror image of the left-armer's action, the off-break (from right to left and into the right handed batsman) bowler relies on his strong fingers to impart rotation on the ball. This makes the ball drift a little in flight and spin off the pitch.

Right Arm Wrist Spin

The crowd sits up when the wrist spinner, usually right handed, comes on. The ball will spin more than with finger spin and it could go in either direction, or have top spin. A good wrist spinner's stock delivery is a leg-break, but his surprise ball goes the other way, into the right-handed batsman. If disguised, as the ball comes out of the back of the hand, the ''wrong'un" or "googly" will often take a wicket. The wrist spinner also has top-spinners and flippers, all bowled about 50 to 60 miles per hour. Left handed wrist spin is rare because lefty orthodox spinners already bowl the dangerous leg-breaks.

References

• Bowling Tips
• Bowling Styles