Cricket at Youtube

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
Explain to me the physics again - why can't it be travelling at 80mph?

The ball is 'tipped' by the bat and begins to travel up... it arcs... is coming down only 10 yards away by your estimations.

If this ball was traveling as fast as you say (it's not) the ball would be on a rope (traveling a straight line) and there would be no arc to the ball.

P-

Regarding speed. I saw bowling highlights from a Pakistan v. India match on you tube.

they had the radar gun speeds across the bottom. The guy's seemed to be throwing as hard as they could but the speeds were between 50 and 75 mph.

For baseball that isn't very fast.

Originally posted by Red Night
Regarding speed. I saw bowling highlights from a Pakistan v. India match on you tube.

they had the radar gun speeds across the bottom. The guy's seemed to be throwing as hard as they could but the speeds were between 50 and 75 mph.

For baseball that isn't very fast.

I've been clocked at 66... about tore my arm off.

P-

Originally posted by Phlabibit
The ball is 'tipped' by the bat and begins to travel up... it arcs... is coming down only 10 yards away by your estimations.

If this ball was traveling as fast as you say (it's not) the ball would be on a rope (traveling a straight line) and there would be no arc to the ball.

P-

I can understand what your saying, but you're wrong - just because the ball doesn't move in a straight line doesn't necessarily indicate it isn't moving fast - you have curve balls in baseball don't you? The ball in cricket curves around in the air too.

Here's a real time clip:

YouTube

How quick would you say it takes for the ball coming off the bat to the catch? Very roughly it looks like less than half a second to me. About 10 yards away that gives speeds upward of 50 mph.

Originally posted by Red Night
Regarding speed. I saw bowling highlights from a Pakistan v. India match on you tube.

they had the radar gun speeds across the bottom. The guy's seemed to be throwing as hard as they could but the speeds were between 50 and 75 mph.

For baseball that isn't very fast.

Look up Shoaib Akhtar or Brett Lee - easily above 90mph.

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
I can understand what your saying, but you're wrong - just because the ball doesn't move in a straight line doesn't necessarily indicate it isn't moving fast - you have curve balls in baseball don't you? The ball in cricket curves around in the air too.

Here's a real time clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WMEXP4G9sM

How quick would you say i ...[text shortened]... ike less than half a second to me. About 10 yards away that gives speeds upward of 50 mph.

Yes, but curveballs, by their very nature, are slower than fastballs. And that link you just posted, wasn't exactly what Phlabb was talking about. That was pretty much a rope off the bat, and I'll admit, was a terrific catch. But the first link on that group of 5 that was posted, was more or less similar to a fly ball in baseball. I believe that's the one that Phlabb was questioning, as to how fast the ball was really going.

Originally posted by Natural Science
Yes, but curveballs, by their very nature, are slower than fastballs. And that link you just posted, wasn't exactly what Phlabb was talking about. That was pretty much a rope off the bat, and I'll admit, was a terrific catch. But the first link on that group of 5 that was posted, was more or less similar to a fly ball in baseball. I believe that's the one that Phlabb was questioning, as to how fast the ball was really going.

Apologies if I was mistaken.

In cricket some fast bowlers can 'swing' the ball in the air (i.e. curve), and they do this at speeds in excess of 80mph. They can make this happen more effectively by conditioning the ball - they rub one side to keep it smooth and let the other side go naturally rough (or 'help' the roughness by picking at it, which is illegal). As this ball travels through the air the air flow on the roughside is more turbulent than on the smooth side, which leads to the ball moving sideways in the air and happens best when bowled fast.

How does a curve ball work in baseball and why is it slower than a normal ball?

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
Um, I don't know to be honest, maybe around 20-30 yards from the centre of the pitch?

Further than that. I typically play on grounds where the boundary can be about 60 yards away at the furthest point, though it does vary a lot. At professional level they're generally larger. Probably still smaller than baseball grounds though.

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
Apologies if I was mistaken.

In cricket some fast bowlers can 'swing' the ball in the air (i.e. curve), and they do this at speeds in excess of 80mph. They can make this happen more effectively by conditioning the ball - they rub one side to keep it smooth and let the other side go naturally rough (or 'help' the roughness by picking at it, which is il ...[text shortened]... led fast.

How does a curve ball work in baseball and why is it slower than a normal ball?

Actually, swing in cricket is mainly controlled by the orientation of the seam, although the condition of the ball can help. For reverse swing, the faster you're bowling the better.

In baseball I believe it's due to the rotation of the ball (the Magnus or Robins effect), so it stands to reason that if someone is imparting greater spin they won't be able to throw it quite as fast.

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
I can understand what your saying, but you're wrong - just because the ball doesn't move in a straight line doesn't necessarily indicate it isn't moving fast - you have curve balls in baseball don't you? The ball in cricket curves around in the air too.

Here's a real time clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WMEXP4G9sM

How quick would you say i ...[text shortened]... ike less than half a second to me. About 10 yards away that gives speeds upward of 50 mph.

That was a nice catch.


It shows the bowler speed at 82.1 mph. I'm curious is that measured on the throw before the bounce? It would seem like that would be the only way to do it.

Originally posted by mtthw
Actually, swing in cricket is mainly controlled by the orientation of the seam, although the condition of the ball can help. For reverse swing, the faster you're bowling the better.

In baseball I believe it's due to the rotation of the ball (the Magnus or Robins effect), so it stands to reason that if someone is imparting greater spin they won't be able to throw it quite as fast.

Yeah, that's pretty much how curveballs work. I've never thrown one in my life so I can't speak too intellignetly about the mechanics of the curveball any more than what you said. But with a fastball, the pitcher is generally just trying to throw the ball as hard as he can, so there isn't much spin. Although, some pitchers are still able to get some movement on thier fastballs. Professional batters try to identify the pitch that is coming based on the movement of the seams.

Originally posted by mtthw
Actually, swing in cricket is mainly controlled by the orientation of the seam, although the condition of the ball can help.

Sorry yes the position of the seam is crucial, but it is the difference in smoothness from the left side of the ball to the right that causes the swing. As you say if the seam isn't always in the middle this difference in airflow between the right and the left sides of the ball doesn't happen, and the ball doesn't swing.

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
Sorry yes the position of the seam is crucial, but it is the difference in smoothness from the left side of the ball to the right that causes the swing. As you say if the seam isn't always in the middle this difference in airflow between the right and the left sides of the ball doesn't happen, and the ball doesn't swing.

But you can swing a ball where both sides of the ball are smooth - you often get swing with a new ball.

(I can get very tedious about how cricket balls swing if necessary! Conventional swing vs reverse swing vs contrast swing...)

Originally posted by mtthw
But you can swing a ball where both sides of the ball are smooth - you often get swing with a new ball.

(I can get very tedious about how cricket balls swing if necessary! Conventional swing vs reverse swing vs contrast swing...)

Does it?

Here's a good page (though the diagrams are too small):

http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/STUDENTS/jfoster/swing.html

I can't think how a new ball could swing.

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
Does it?

Here's a good page (though the diagrams are too small):

http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/STUDENTS/jfoster/swing.html

I can't think how a new ball could swing.

It's all down to the seam. The seam trips the boundary layer on one side, so it becomes turbulent, while the other side is smooth.

Apparently, you can also reverse swing a new ball, if you bowl it fast enough (over 90 mph). In that case both sides are turbulent, but the seam weakens the boundary layer on one side.

CricInfo had an excellent article about it a few months ago. I'll see if I can dig it out...here it is:

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/258645.html