Date:30/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/30/stories/2008093061412200.htm

Sport - Cricket

Unravelling the mysteries of swing bowling

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: ‘Program Swing’, an attempt by retired scientist Dr. R. Sanjeevi and the YMCA College of Physical Education (Chennai) to throw new light on the mysteries of swing bowling, was launched here on Monday.

The programme, whose prime objective is to arm bowlers with the ability to reverse-swing the old cricket ball at medium — not high — pace, will involve the YMCA running clinics to impart the knowledge to young cricketers.

The YMCA College and its partners are in discussions with the managements of a few IPL teams to see if Dr. Sanjeevi’s findings can be used to enhance the skills of the cricketers. Also on the agenda is the presentation of a paper and the accompanying evidence to the BCCI.

Two types

“What we discovered at YMCA is that reverse swing is not one single phenomenon,” said Dr. Sanjeevi.

“There are two types, the violent swing seen from the likes of Waqar Younis, where it swings at pace like a banana. The other is what I call hockey-stick swing, which is altogether milder, and this we have found can be bowled at medium pace,” he added.

Dr. Sanjeevi, who drew on the work of aerodynamics experts C. Wieselberger, Andrew P. Lewis, and Dr. Rabi Mehta, tested his thesis on Vignesh Raja, a 20-year-old bowler who plays in the city’s fourth division league when not studying for a degree in engineering.