outswingers

An outswinger is a type of delivery in cricket bowling. It is bowled by a right-arm fast or medium-paced bowler which moves away from the batsman after pitching. The ball is gripped with the seam pointing towards first slip, and the bowler aims to impart a spin that causes the ball to deviate away from the batsman as it travels towards them. Conversely, a left-arm bowler delivering a ball that moves away from a right-handed batsman would be bowling an inswinger from their perspective, but an outswinger from the batsman's perspective.

The effectiveness of an outswinger depends on several factors, including the condition of the ball, the pitch, and the bowler's technique. A well-executed outswinger can be difficult for batsmen to play, as it often tempts them to play a shot outside the line of the off-stump. This can lead to them being caught by the wicket-keeper or a slip fielder, or being dismissed leg before wicket (LBW) if the ball is judged to have hit the stumps. Many successful opening bowlers rely heavily on the outswinger to take early wickets.

The opposite of an outswinger is an inswinger, which moves towards the batsman after pitching. Batsmen often face both outswingers and inswingers in the same spell of bowling, requiring them to adjust their technique and judgment accordingly. The ability to swing the ball in both directions is a valuable asset for any bowler.