How to swing a Tennis ball WITHOUT USING TAPE?

Greyfalcon

Hi all!

I want to know how to swing a tennis ball without using tape.
I have seen 3 people do it. This was like 15-16 years ago when I was a kid. A distant cousin of mine would roll his fingers around a ball in a certain way and would get it to swing. I didnt like the guy so I never asked him how. He used to actually try and tell me how he positions which finger in which way and what he does to swing it but I never paid any attention to it.

2nd was another kid a couple of years later who used to get it to outswing. I asked him how but he said he didnt know how it happens and I kinda believe him coz the way he held the ball was pretty normal.

3rd guy I played with for just one day so I didnt get to chat much. But i do know that he too had some technique and a certain way he used to throw the ball.

Now I've looked around the internet and everyone seems to say that its not possible to swing a tennis ball without taping it.
What about you guys? Do any of you know how to do it?
My company has its cricket league next week and I havent played cricket since last 10 years. So im sure my line and length would be pretty out of whack. I'm hoping a little swing would help me avoid embarrassment in front of everyone.

Sumit05

Try to roll the finger just before releasing the ball.

blr_p

Greyfalcon said:
I want to know how to swing a tennis ball without using tape.

Practice. That's the only way. Might be a bit ambitious given your short deadline

Greyfalcon said:
Now I've looked around the internet and everyone seems to say that its not possible to swing a tennis ball without taping it.

This is one of those insane topics that even MIT won't be able to answer.

Lasith Malinga has a weird way of throwing but it seems to work but when you see the way he does it you think it cannot work

Greyfalcon said:
My company has its cricket league next week and I havent played cricket since last 10 years. So im sure my line and length would be pretty out of whack. I'm hoping a little swing would help me avoid embarrassment in front of everyone.

Try to get out of it then and be the umpire

kartikoli

I remember watching a program on TV where they asked Wasim Akram to wear all kind of sensors and test him in nets, The outcome was that he would shine one side of the ball and wet the other side making it slightly heavier, hence the swing. Also the air flows without any friction from shiny side making the ball uneven helping in swing towards the rough/heavy side. But all this is useless in tennis ball case. When I used to play I couldn't swing on my will and didn't knew how it did but somehow my ball would inswing occasionally. My best guess was the wrist position before leaving the ball, I can't explain it but that was the case.

Greyfalcon

Sumit05 said:
Try to roll the finger just before releasing the ball.

Yeah but with which finger? Which way? I can only bowl cutters by rolling fingers.

blr_p said:
Practice. That's the only way. Might be a bit ambitious given your short deadline

Well first I need to know the technique! Can't practice if I dont even know how to do it!

blr_p said:
This is one of those insane topics that even MIT won't be able to answer.

Yes I am pretty sure village cricketers are more knowledgeable in this field than any scientist. Especially people from the south. They try a lot of tricks with tennis ball I think. All 3 people I spoke of were from Karnataka.

blr_p said:
Try to get out of it then and be the umpire

No can do. They are hiring semi-pro umps.

kartikoli said:
I remember watching a program on TV where they asked Wasim Akram to wear all kind of sensors and test him in nets, The outcome was that he would shine one side of the ball and wet the other side making it slightly heavier, hence the swing. Also the air flows without any friction from shiny side making the ball uneven helping in swing towards the rough/heavy side. But all this is useless in tennis ball case. When I used to play I couldn't swing on my will and didn't knew how it did but somehow my ball would inswing occasionally. My best guess was the wrist position before leaving the ball, I can't explain it but that was the case.

kartikoli

Try different wrist positions and record your action, if ball swings then you might get lucky with the best action