How to swing a Tennis ball WITHOUT USING TAPE?

Greyfalcon

Greyfalcon

Disciple
Hi all!

I want to know how to swing a tennis ball without using tape.
I have seen 3 people do it. This was like 15-16 years ago when I was a kid. A distant cousin of mine would roll his fingers around a ball in a certain way and would get it to swing. I didnt like the guy so I never asked him how. He used to actually try and tell me how he positions which finger in which way and what he does to swing it but I never paid any attention to it.

2nd was another kid a couple of years later who used to get it to outswing. I asked him how but he said he didnt know how it happens and I kinda believe him coz the way he held the ball was pretty normal.

3rd guy I played with for just one day so I didnt get to chat much. But i do know that he too had some technique and a certain way he used to throw the ball.

Now I've looked around the internet and everyone seems to say that its not possible to swing a tennis ball without taping it.
What about you guys? Do any of you know how to do it?
My company has its cricket league next week and I havent played cricket since last 10 years. So im sure my line and length would be pretty out of whack. I'm hoping a little swing would help me avoid embarrassment in front of everyone.
 
Greyfalcon said:
I want to know how to swing a tennis ball without using tape.
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Practice. That's the only way. Might be a bit ambitious given your short deadline
Greyfalcon said:
Now I've looked around the internet and everyone seems to say that its not possible to swing a tennis ball without taping it.
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This is one of those insane topics that even MIT won't be able to answer.

Lasith Malinga has a weird way of throwing but it seems to work but when you see the way he does it you think it cannot work
Greyfalcon said:
My company has its cricket league next week and I havent played cricket since last 10 years. So im sure my line and length would be pretty out of whack. I'm hoping a little swing would help me avoid embarrassment in front of everyone.
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Try to get out of it then and be the umpire
 
I remember watching a program on TV where they asked Wasim Akram to wear all kind of sensors and test him in nets, The outcome was that he would shine one side of the ball and wet the other side making it slightly heavier, hence the swing. Also the air flows without any friction from shiny side making the ball uneven helping in swing towards the rough/heavy side. But all this is useless in tennis ball case. When I used to play I couldn't swing on my will and didn't knew how it did but somehow my ball would inswing occasionally. My best guess was the wrist position before leaving the ball, I can't explain it but that was the case.
 
Sumit05 said:
Try to roll the finger just before releasing the ball.
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Yeah but with which finger? Which way? I can only bowl cutters by rolling fingers.
blr_p said:
Practice. That's the only way. Might be a bit ambitious given your short deadline
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Well first I need to know the technique! Can't practice if I dont even know how to do it!
blr_p said:
This is one of those insane topics that even MIT won't be able to answer.
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Yes I am pretty sure village cricketers are more knowledgeable in this field than any scientist. Especially people from the south. They try a lot of tricks with tennis ball I think. All 3 people I spoke of were from Karnataka.
blr_p said:
Try to get out of it then and be the umpire
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No can do. They are hiring semi-pro umps.

kartikoli said:
I remember watching a program on TV where they asked Wasim Akram to wear all kind of sensors and test him in nets, The outcome was that he would shine one side of the ball and wet the other side making it slightly heavier, hence the swing. Also the air flows without any friction from shiny side making the ball uneven helping in swing towards the rough/heavy side. But all this is useless in tennis ball case. When I used to play I couldn't swing on my will and didn't knew how it did but somehow my ball would inswing occasionally. My best guess was the wrist position before leaving the ball, I can't explain it but that was the case.
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:(
 
If its tennis ball then wrist is the key as you cant apply the principle of shining one side like the dukes and sg

How you move flick or push with your wrist, makes the ball swing...

* I am no specialist but a cricket admirer and follower
 
Vids should be there on YT. Out swing is much easier, and a Tennis ball can swing A LOT and is very easy to do. I read it from a book and dit it when I was a kid, kind of wonder why no one knew how to do it. Difficult to put into words but I'll try.. Make the bottom of the V made with your thumb and first two fingers point towards where the ball would go if there was no swing, release the ball in the same direction as your thumb, along your thumb. Also, try not to 'spike' or bounce the ball, it needs to float to a different direction mid air.
 
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Learn physics? I don’t know the answer but i guess i am here to troll. :p

As far as I understand one side smooth and other is rough. Aerodynamics and voila…
 
Wet half the tennis ball with water. It will give you an imaginary seem to bowl. I don't know if it will work though.
 
6pack said:
Wet half the tennis ball with water. It will give you an imaginary seem to bowl. I don't know if it will work though.
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This won't work, A single hit from bat will wear off water but now it will skid on turf making it easier to play (with slight increase in pace and lower bounce)
 
Greyfalcon said:
Hi all!

I want to know how to swing a tennis ball without using tape.
I have seen 3 people do it. This was like 15-16 years ago when I was a kid. A distant cousin of mine would roll his fingers around a ball in a certain way and would get it to swing. I didnt like the guy so I never asked him how. He used to actually try and tell me how he positions which finger in which way and what he does to swing it but I never paid any attention to it.

2nd was another kid a couple of years later who used to get it to outswing. I asked him how but he said he didnt know how it happens and I kinda believe him coz the way he held the ball was pretty normal.

3rd guy I played with for just one day so I didnt get to chat much. But i do know that he too had some technique and a certain way he used to throw the ball.

Now I've looked around the internet and everyone seems to say that its not possible to swing a tennis ball without taping it.
What about you guys? Do any of you know how to do it?
My company has its cricket league next week and I havent played cricket since last 10 years. So im sure my line and length would be pretty out of whack. I'm hoping a little swing would help me avoid embarrassment in front of everyone.
Click to expand...
I used to do swing with tennis ball. Since tennis ball is very light compared to leather ball it will swing more wildly.
The swing happens due to boundary layer separation that could be facilitated via two means:
1) via making the ball spin in a particular fashion
2) via making one face smooth and another part as rough

1st can be achieved by practicing your throw sideways (like baseball pitching) and then trying to integrate that motion into "overhand" bowling action
2nd can be achieved via stripping off one of the two cloth clad surface
 
I use to be able to sort of do that (but inswing only). You will have to try the following method yourself.
1. Normally the ball is released from top of the index and middle finger. I use to release it such that is released from one side of the middle finger, such that it sort of flicked the ball as it released. This was done such that the imaginary seam tilted slightly clockwise, without scrambling. I couldn't figure out why it swung in, even though there was no smooth and rough side. In other words, I treated it like a normal ball.
2. Take a wide angle. Angle the ball in. May be it wasn't swing after all, and it was just the angle.
3. Third method is the opposite of the 1st one. Simply ball fast but give it a spin. The direction of the spin should support the angle. e.g. If you are angling out, give it a fast leg spin.
 
What is the surface on which you are going to play and what kind of tennis ball ,light or heavy ?
If the wicket is somewhat abrasive and the ball reasonably heavy you can try and impart some cut to it .Will be effective.
Some people squeeze the ball while delivering and it can be difficult to hit.
And if you havent bowled for the last 10 years,better to keep it simple. Try and hit good lengths. Dont try to do too much.
Definitely practise ,preferably with the same kind of ball with which you are going to play.
 
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