The primary feature of cricket is that the sport is a contest between the batter and bowler. The batter, whose objective is to score runs, does so by facing the bowler, who, after running a considerable distance makes the ball lands on a 22-yard long pitch to reach the batter.
The ball that approaches the batter can be at a speed that can range between 80 to 150 km/hr in professional cricket. Moreover, the bowl can either spin or swing depending on the bowler’s expertise.
Bowlers can either bowl from the left arm or the right arm. Furthermore, they can bowl from either the left or right side of the pitch. Before a bowler begins the over, it is the bowler’s duty to inform the umpire from which arm and side will they bowl. The umpire then conveys this message to the on-strike batter.
When mentioning the side from which the bowler is about to bowl, the umpires say “over” or “around” to describe the side. This article shall describe over-the-wicket.
An over the wicket delivery means that the arm from which the bowler will release the ball will pass over the stumps at the bowler’s end. Since stumps are also called wickets, the terminology is “over-the-wicket”. A left arm over the wicket bowler means that the bowler will run from the right side of the pitch from the bowler’s end. In contrast, a right arm over the wicket bowler means that the bowler will run from the left side of the pitch from the bowler’s end.
An over the wicket delivery when bowled from the right side of the pitch results in creating an angle such that ball travels towards the right-handed batter. Conversely, the angle created from the left side of the pitch make the ball move away from the right-handed batter. Skilled bowlers who swing and spin the ball can change the trajectory mid-air or after the bounce.
