Away swing (out swing)

We continue our exploration of cricket terms with away swing (out swing) – a bowling technique effectively used by swing bowlers. Mastering this movement can make it one of the most challenging deliveries for a batsman to face. This is the opposite of an inswing delivery.

Away Swing (Out Swing): The Basic Meaning

When making an away swing (out swing), the player holds the ball with the seam at an angle; his two fingers grab both sides of the seam. Experts recommend following a few key principles:

• The ball should be released at the 12 o’clock position.
• The hand should be directed to the left and push the ball down to give it a lower rotation.
• Once the ball has developed wear on one side, the shiny side should be facing the batsman’s legs, while the seam should be directed toward the first or second slip to encourage swing.

Due to the pressure difference when moving on a rough and smooth surface, the ball must be pushed in the direction to the left; as a result of making an away swing (out swing), the ball curves or swings. This makes the ball unpredictable and difficult for the batsman to play, as it tends to deviate mid-air.

Away Swing (Out Swing): Advantages

For a right-handed batsman, an outswinger moves toward the off-side, making it challenging to judge and play correctly. Bowlers who specialize in this delivery are known as outswingers. Against left-handed batsmen, the same serve swings toward the body and legs, effectively turning an outswinger into an inswinger.

The away swing (out swing) is particularly troublesome for right-handed batsmen, as they must closely track the ball’s movement throughout its trajectory. Additionally, it is a visually impressive technique, highly appreciated by cricket fans. While physical strength is important for bowlers, technical precision is crucial for successfully executing an outswinger.

You can learn to perform away swing (out swing) without reference to the level at which you play and at what time you started practicing cricket. When playing against right-handed batsmen, attacking players try to send away swing (out swing) as often as possible, approaching this technique in different ways. Sometimes the bowler can deceive the batsman by serving an off cutter instead of an away swing (out swing). This is achieved by varying the length of the ball’s flight, alternating between yorkers and bouncers. When swinging the ball, the effective length is at the top of the stumps (usually two-thirds to three-quarters of the field length). Thus, the attacking players have the intention of bowled or LBW batsmen.

Away Swing (Out Swing): The Best Players

Among the players who perform well away swing (out swing), experts distinguish James Anderson. Despite turning 39 in July, Anderson continues his career, playing for the England national team and Lancashire County Cricket Club. He holds the record among English cricketers for the number of wickets scored in the One Day International format. James is also the only English fast bowler with over 600 wickets in Test matches. In the summer of 2021, he played his 162nd Test match, making him England’s all-time leader in appearances.

Another standout bowler is Dale Steyn of South Africa, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. He dominated the Test rankings for a record 263 consecutive weeks. In the summer of 2021, Dale turned 38 years old and had already retired from Test cricket in 2019 to focus on shorter formats of the game.