Chennai: The very essence of bowling lies in exploring the angles. For a left-arm spinner, an arm-ball often probes the batsmen and provides much-needed variety. This delivery is a surprise weapon.

What is an arm-ball? How is it bowled? And how effective is this delivery in one-day cricket?

England's Andrew Flintoff and Ravi Bopara were left clueless by two magnificent arm-balls from Bangladesh's Mohammed Rafique in Bridgetown, during the World Cup Super Eight clash.

Playing for a delivery spinning away from the left-arm spinner, Flintoff was done in by the one that zipped through straight. Bopara too played down the wrong line.

Quicker delivery

An arm-ball comes in with the arm. It is generally a quicker delivery that tends to skids through. If the batsman does not pick the ball, he is confronted with both the pace and the lack of turn in the delivery.

Former India left-arm spinner Maninder Singh had a useful arm-ball in his repertoire. He also watched spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi send down this delivery.

Revealed Maninder to The Hindu: "Firstly, Bishen paaji used the seam extremely well. The shiny side would be on his palm. The ball would pitch on the shiny side and skid through. On other occasions, he would roll his fingers over the ball. The tip of his finger would move from cover and would point towards the third-man when he finished. Then, he used the crease so well."

Generally, a batsman would assume that if a left-armer released from wide off the crease, the ball would come in with the arm. However, as Maninder pointed out, Bedi could produce the arm-ball bowling from close to the stumps.

This is a tough delivery to master, since the bowler has to be spot on bowling from close to the stumps; the angle of the release would not help his cause either. But then, Bedi possessed the skill to conjure this ball.

Effective delivery

In one-day cricket, an arm-ball can be particularly effective when the batsman goes for runs. A clever left-arm spinner can strike when the batsman shapes to cut an arm ball and finds the delivery skidding on to the stumps.

A left-arm spinner with an arm-ball is also better placed operating to a left-hander. If the bowler changes the angle slightly, then he can test the southpaw around the off-stump.

Of course, an arm ball can be sent down at varying speeds. And a change in pace could also mean an alteration in length and trajectory. Former Australian off-spinner Ashley Mallett rightly pointed out that a spinner had to vary his length constantly to prevent himself from becoming predictable. This is particularly true in one-day cricket, where a bowler could get walloped if his length remains the same.

Best of the lot

Among the left-arm spinners operating in the World Cup, Maninder picks New Zealand's Daniel Vettori as someone with a different arm ball. "He has one finger on the seam and allows the ball to swing into the batsman." Vettori's methods may have much to do with the fact that he frequently bowls in New Zealand's pacemen-friendly conditions.

England's Monty Panesar, Maninder says, does not still have a potent arm-ball. "He is a fine bowler and would learn this delivery with experience." He points out that India's Murali Kartik has scalped many with his armers.

India would do well to have Kartik in the scheme of things sooner than later.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail