Bowling, whether fast or spin is an art form. From the initial run up, bowling action to the grip of the ball, everything matters. After reading this blog post, you will have a clear idea on how to grip the ball to bowl the perfect off cutter. Ready to have some fun? Let’s get started!

As an aspiring fast bowler, it is important to have variations in order to deceive the batter. Like how we learnt to bowl the in-swinger and the out-swinger in one of the previous blog posts, today’s post is all about mastering the off cutter in fast bowling.

It goes without saying that the grip is extremely important. The idea is to hide the position of the seam right before the release of the ball so the batter gets confused and makes mistakes that can lead to a wicket. As for the off-cutter, maintain a steady run-up and shift your body sideways as you reach the bowling crease.

Place your index finger and the middle finger on the seam, while your thumb is on the seam under the ball for a firm grip. As you release the ball, roll your fingers like how you would bowl an off-spinner. However, in this case, the idea is to avoid reducing the pace of the delivery. In order to perfect the technique of the off cutter, ensure you complete the follow through by walking towards the batting crease.

Practise hard and most importantly, stay consistent. As for the next post, we learn to bowl the leg cutter.