The Boundary Layer and “Seam” Bowling

Abstract

I have never seen any explanation of why it is possible for a fast bowler to make a new cricket ball swerve, and why it becomes more difficult or impossible to do this when the shine has worn off the ball. Of course a sliced golf ball swerves because of the spin it has, and this swerve is a well-known illustration of the Magnus effect. Spin cannot be the explanation in the case of fast swerve bowling, because if it were the effect would increase as the ball became older and rougher. In any case a fast bowler imparts little or no spin to the ball.