| Being a part-time swing bowler myself
(allegedly), I thought I'd explain the the art of swing bowling. Any professional bowler
will tell you that some balls swing more than others, and that the ball is more likely to
swing in cloudy, humid conditions than cloudless, dry sunshine - even though scientists
deny, that conditions have anything to do with it. Outswinger's Grip - the seam is pointing
towards first slip, the first two fingers are alongside the seam, the third finger and the
thumb support the ball underneath. The shiny side of the ball (if it's polished on one
side) should be pointing towards the leg-side. For outswing it's vital you stay side-on.
 Inswinger's Grip - the seam is again vertical, but this
time it points towards fine leg. The second finger is on the rim of the seam with the
fingers quite close together. The third finger supports near the bottom and the thumb is
flat along the seam rather than holding it with the edge. The shiny side ball should face
outwards, i.e. on the off-side. For in-swing it is vital you stay open-chested.
The secret of swing bowling is that the seam is pointing in the
direction the ball is travelling as it goes through the air. So, make sure that you push
the ball out with your fingers, when you let go of it. Additionally, the higher your
bowling action the better for getting late swing. The higher your arm is when letting go
of the ball, the later the ball will swing and the more round armed you are, the earlier
the ball will swing - which obviously loses its effectiveness.
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