The Aerodynamics of Cricket Ball Swing

Swing bowling in the sport of cricket allows fast bowlers to curve the ball through the air at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Cricket ball swing is viewed as a fickle, mysterious phenomenon by players, pundits and fans, with numerous theories and anecdotes which attempt to explain the optimal technique and conditions for swing. Our study was funded by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to investigate the aerodynamic origins of the skill, and identify the key factors which affect how much a ball will swing. The project used wind tunnel experiments at the Whittle Laboratory to measure the forces on real cricket balls, and infrared imaging technology to visualise boundary layer properties. This talk gives an overview of cricket ball swing physics and presents a statistical model for new ball swing that can be used to predict outcomes in professional cricket.