Tennis: Inswing Bowling Grip (Right Arm)

Indoors or out, use this bowling plan to give your seamers plenty of practice in a safe and competitive environment!

A Right-armed bowler bowling outswing will move the ball away from a right-handed batsman. The 1st and 2nd fingers are placed on the top of the ball and spread either side of the seam. The side of the thumb is placed on the underneath of the ball directly on the seam. To make the ball swing, ensure that the seam remains vertical and angled away from the batsman.

The index and middle fingers are placed either side of the seam with the thumb gripping the bottom of the ball. The index and middle finger joints wrap around the ball to keep the ball away from the palm.

On release ensure that the seam is kept vertical and that the hand stays behind the ball to create backspin.

A leg spin bowler spins the ball from a right handed batsmans leg stump towards their off stump. The bowler grips the ball with the top joint of the index and middle fingers lying on the seam and the third finger bent along it.

As the bowlers arm moves forward the fingers are straightened and the wrist is flicked forwards, with the palm finishing facing downwards. The 3rd finger is the one that imparts most of the spin.

On release of the ball the bowler completes a full swing of the arm, driving through to the opposite hip. Its important to pivot on the ball of the front foot and make the back knee drive through the ball.

The practice should be setup as shown. Have one player as a wicket keeper and another as fielder.

The bowlers take it in turns to bowl, with the fielder calling if the ball was a good line (pitched in the cones) or a good length (pitched level with the red hoop).

If the ball pitches in the hoop then the ball is both a good line and length.