Seems a poignant time to repost this blog post with all the chat around 'conditions' at the toss for the #EngVsPak Test today: swingdoctor.substack.com/p/look-up-no... #cricket 🏏

'Look Up, Not Down' - The Cost of Trusting Clichés

A discussion of overhead conditions, inefficient decision making, and the advantages of breaking away from status quo thinking

swingdoctor.substack.com

I chose not to post any optimism pre-WC, but it's so great seeing the Eng W team perform like this. It feels like several long term plans have all clicked at once. It is such an inquisitive, competitive and fun environment to work in, and I can't speak highly enough of the leadership too. 🏏

Chris Addison@mrchrisaddison.bsky.social · 2mo ago

So much to say about that semi-final. Mainly: What a performance. A team that has been brittle in the past showing such resilience and skill. It’s been a remarkable summer for England women. They’ve put the men to shame. 🏏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇿🇦

So much to say about that semi-final. Mainly: What a performance. A team that has been brittle in the past showing such resilience and skill. It’s been a remarkable summer for England women. They’ve put the men to shame. 🏏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇿🇦

With UltraEdge, it's clear people still don't understand the difference between discrete video frames, and a (basically) continuous microphone measurement. Matthews has clearly hit the ball between the still frames, and the spike in the sound signal shows it #cricket #EngWvWIW 🏏

Nice to get a shout-out on the Cricinfo live text this morning! There has been a lot of chat about 'overheads' and 'conditions' this Test, but it's always important to distinguish the pitch (the main issue here) from the other factors, such as swing, or difficult light conditions. #cricket 🏏

Nice to get a shout-out on the Cricinfo live text this morning! There has been a lot of chat about 'overheads' and 'conditions' this Test, but it's always important to distinguish the pitch (the main issue here) from the other factors, such as swing, or difficult light conditions. #cricket 🏏

And breathe! Here's how day one unfolded at Lord's as the English Test summer began with wickets, wickets... and more wickets 🤯

So both team have to agree to this *before* the match starts? This feels like a massive gamble, as it will clearly benefit the bowling team far more. Also, assuming they get a 'similar age' ball, the amount of variance in ball quality will be huge. I can't see this working at all. #cricket 🏏

Cricinfo@cricinfo.com · 3mo ago

In an attempt to reduce the impact of bad light on Test matches, the ICC has approved a trial of switching from a red ball to a pink ball before the start of a Test that is likely to be affected by bad light, subject to the prior agreement of both participating teams

Excuse me? I think we've known this for roughly 300 years... Why do golf balls have dimples? Why are cycling suits textured? Why is sharkskin rough?

WIRED@wired.com · 3mo ago

It's long been accepted that the smoother the surface, the lower the aerodynamic drag. That turns out not always to be the case. www.wired.com/story/a-fund...

I made a list yesterday of the 12/18 counties posting on Bluesky (some more than others) for anyone enjoying the #CountyChampionship chat on here this week: #cricket bsky.app/profile/did:...

This is an absolute ripper from Ollie Stone, glad to see counties are cross posting videos on here as well! #cricket #CountyChampionship

Nottinghamshire CCC@trentbridge.co.uk · 5mo ago

The first wicket of our 2026 campaign 🎯 #SOMvNOT | 📝📺 live.trentbridge.co.uk

The first wicket of our 2026 campaign 🎯 #SOMvNOT | 📝📺 live.trentbridge.co.uk

Day 1 of the County Champ, lunchtime mythbusting: 1. April is actually one of the best months for run scoring, statically 2. The ball doesn't actually swing more when it's overcast, or seam more when the pitch is green 3. Only ~20% of CC seamer deliveries are >82mph vs ~60% in Tests. Pace matters

Carse making great use of the perfect overhead conditions early up to find some serious hoops #TheAshes 🏏

A great session for England so far, Stokes and Jacks managing to put some pressure back on the bowlers by... *checks notes* ...not getting themselves out for a bit. It's likely far too little, too late, but it's nice to see that it can be done #Ashes 🏏

I hope anyone who was calling for more 'traditional English bowlers' is seeing how placid the non-Starc seamers are looking with this pink ball. The fact is, you *need* higher pace in Aus to make the bounce count, and it looks like England have the better arsenal in this Test. #cricket #Ashes 🏏

I enjoyed chatting to The Athletic a few weeks ago about the context around the next day-night Ashes Test: www.nytimes.com/athletic/683... There's only a small sample size for pink-ball Tests, so it is always fascinating to see how they play out (in hopefully more than 2 days!) #cricket #Ashes

Welcome to the Twilight Zone: What makes pink-ball, day-night cricket so different — and difficult?

nytimes.com

Not to defend England's performance with the bat, but this innings from Head shows you *exactly* how damaging an aggressive approach can be in a low scoring game. No-one is criticising Head's shot selection because it's working. Execution, not intent, is the issue. #Cricket #Ashes

Glossing over the first innings, it was VERY FUN to see England looks so threatening with the ball in an away Ashes series Pace, accuracy, skill. It's been a long term plan to have this many high quailty options, and it's finally coming to fruition #Cricket #Ashes

With the #Ashes round the corner, and some new followers as a result, it's time repost this from the 2023 Ashes: swingdoctor.substack.com/p/2023-ashes... Your guide to navigating talk of conditions, the 'new Kookaburra ball' and other theories on swing bowling! #Cricket 🏏

2023 Ashes Preview - A guide to watching swing bowling

Things to look and listen for in the next few weeks while watching the best series in cricket!

swingdoctor.substack.com

Boosting these as The Ashes fast approach. 2 cricket starter packs including official accounts, journalists, bloggers, enthusiastic amateurs and passionate followers. We don't like cricket, we love it! Check out the Cricket feed too, use the 🏏 to help separate from the insect or #Cricket #TheAshes

Beth Cooper 🏏@bethcooper.fyi · 2y ago

Cricket Starter Packs are now live. Part 1 - the original go.bsky.app/Uq6tVD6 Part 2 - the follow-on go.bsky.app/12FSHyh You don't have to be a member to follow

Really enjoyed chatting to The Athletic on the (lack of) impact of 'overhead conditions' in cricket: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675... A pleasure meeting @nallum.bsky.social too, who approached the problem from a different perspective, but firmly joins the 'Look Down, Not Up' brigade #cricket

The science of swing bowling: Do overhead conditions really make a difference?

Traditional thinking dictates that the cricket ball will swing under cloud cover, but data suggests the reality is rather different

nytimes.com

Linsey Smith out in the middle for England at No.10, which makes her the first left-handed batter to face a ball at a World Cup for England Women since Lydia Greenway in 2013. By ending 5*, she becomes England's fifth-highest left-handed run-scorer at Women's World Cups, ever.

The organisation of this entire Women's Cricket World Cup cycle has been a farce from start to finish, but because no-one cares about cricket administration, it has largely passed completely under the radar.

A dark, overcast Day 1 of a Test match? Time to repost my blog on cloud cover: swingdoctor.substack.com/p/look-up-no... #ENGvsIND #cricket

'Look Up, Not Down' - The Cost of Trusting Clichés

A discussion of overhead conditions, inefficient decision making, and the advantages of breaking away from status quo thinking

swingdoctor.substack.com

Some late-stage Test match thoughts from me on some of the cold adages in cricket, why we shouldn't always trust them, and how to actually think about 'overheads': swingdoctor.substack.com/p/look-up-no... #cricket #ENGvsIND

'Look Up, Not Down' - The Cost of Trusting Clichés

A discussion of overhead conditions, inefficient decision making, and the advantages of breaking away from status quo thinking

swingdoctor.substack.com

Here's a repost of my thread on drift and how it works too, for anyone who missed it the first time! #cricket #ENGvsIND

Aaron Briggs@aab1871.bsky.social · 2y ago

My #cricket science posts never got much traction on the old platform, so let's see how they do here! I recently wrote about drift for spinners on my blog, and how it isn't all about the revs on the ball. Watch these two Rashid deliveries below and how they move in the air. 🧵1/4

With all the talk in this Test match about Washington Sundar's drift, it's a good time to reshare my blog on the science of drift, and how it actually works: swingdoctor.substack.com/p/the-scienc... TL;DR: It's more about seam position, and less about revs, than you likely think #cricket #ENGvsIND

The Science of Drift and Dip

How much do we really know about how spinners move the ball in the air?

swingdoctor.substack.com

I love to hear Ponting compare Archer to Steyn in terms of lowering his pace to move the new ball, then cranking it up later in an innings. It's a rare skill to be able to do both, and often gets lost when people see Jofra bowling 93mph+. He's more than just an out-an-out pacer. #ENGvsIND #cricket

Really important piece from @hganjoo.bsky.social on what makes Bumrah not only exceptional, but also so *different*. A truly unique bowler, who is joy to watch, even when he is playing against your team! #cricket #ENGvIND www.espncricinfo.com/story/how-bu...

The magician's wrist: how Bumrah does what he does

The snap he imparts produces large amounts of backspin - which makes the ball to do things other bowlers can't make it do

espncricinfo.com