I don’t know a bowler who hasn’t licked, flicked, scratched or slobbered on a cricket ball

November 8, 2026 — 5:30am

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Firstly, a mea culpa. I was a bowler, I tried to swing the new ball, and when playing at the SCG or pre-drop-in pitch at the MCG, I definitely tried swinging the old ball.

When the spinners had finished their turn, the ball needed some extra spit, sweat and polish for the quicks to be effective.

The grassless, abrasive Bulli soil was ideal for natural scuffing, no external actors were required.

My left-handed partner-in-shine-crime Michael Whitney was pretty good at getting the ball moving away from right-handers; my natural reversing action was away from left-handers.

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Do not ask why. Theoretical physics cannot explain the mystery of “reverse” swing.

The conversion from linear to curved space brings batting challenges.

I do not know of a single bowler worth their salt who hasn’t licked, flicked, scratched, slobbered on or lifted the surface or seam of a cricket ball to get a little extra out of it.

Originally termed “Irish” swing, the politically correct anti-cricket types objected to the phrase, so a neutral term emerged.

So here is a swing bowling guide for dummies.

“Reverse” because when the ball is new it will move away from the shiniest side; when it’s old and the rub-a-dub-dub has been applied, then the ball will move towards the shiniest, smoothest side – that is, a reverse set-up.

The long and short of the game says if the ball moves sideways, as opposed to........

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