The TAPE-BALL phenomenon

[Jono]

Playing with a half-taped ball is pretty common in Australia, but I've not really heard of a fully taped ball

I've played with both, and prefer the half-taped ball. That way the an control which direction he wants to swing the ball, and as deeps said, you hide the ball or switch it whilst running in to fool the batsman. It really is fun.

I remember batting and leaving balls that were heading straight for middle and swinging out. After about 4 balls which were all left, I realised that the in swinger is coming sooner or later. Next ball is coming straight for middle, and I go to play at it, except it was the outswinger again and I edge it. End of a good knock. I was chasing a huge total and got pretty close too.

Since cricket season started again, I haven't had time for tape cricket since I've been playing proper cricket at my club, having to train and play on Saturdays/Sundays. I'd love to play tape cricket again though soon. Mad fun.

 

[deeps]

the other thing to do, is hold it 'cross seam'

that way it doesn't swing at all, and when the batsman is expecting prodigious swing, it can really confuse them

My favourite was when there was a new guy. He said he played alot of cricket (never tape ball before). So as i started to tape up a ball, he asked wtf i was doing. My mate went on to explain to him the swing factor.

So this new guy was batting first, and he asked for 3 or 4 practice balls, so that he could see how much the swing ball actually swung. So, i bowled 4 cross seam straight deliveries. He didn't seem all that impressed, and was pretty confident so said "let's start"

Bowled a wide delivery outside off stump, which swung back in and cleaned up middle and leg. (he left it ) Was my most satisfying tape ball wicket ever

 

[Hodgo7]

We used to also make a seam with the tape as well. Use to make it stick out to get movement off the pitch as well. Definately helped me concentrate on the ball a bit better.

 

[jack_sparrow]

the other thing to do, is hold it 'cross seam'

that way it doesn't swing at all, and when the batsman is expecting prodigious swing, it can really confuse them

My favourite was when there was a new guy. He said he played alot of cricket (never tape ball before). So as i started to tape up a ball, he asked wtf i was doing. My mate went on to explain to him the swing factor.

So this new guy was batting first, and he asked for 3 or 4 practice balls, so that he could see how much the swing ball actually swung. So, i bowled 4 cross seam straight deliveries. He didn't seem all that impressed, and was pretty confident so said "let's start"

Bowled a wide delivery outside off stump, which swung back in and cleaned up middle and leg. (he left it ) Was my most satisfying tape ball wicket ever

Yesterday I stopped on the way back from work and saw some highschool kids playing with teh tape ball...lol I stopped and asked them and they let me play. MAN O MAN, I Schooled em...ahahah I took like 5 wickets in an over...well one run out but still. I think for a second match, that has to be my best.

 

[Hazza]

Just wondering... anyone got a picture of a tape ball?

 

[jack_sparrow]

this is the best I can do.

 

[Dasa]

Just wondering... anyone got a picture of a tape ball?

I'll be playing some tape-ball cricket later today...I'll get you a pic then.

 

[sqwerty]

you think it's swings like crazy with a fully taped up ball?

Tape exactly one half of it. So one half is white, and the other half is still tennis ball. It will swing towards the tape side like crazy

Errrr...isn't that the whole idea? I mean who's ever played tapeball with a fully taped ball anyway? I'm sure that's what he means.

 

[sqwerty]

we used to play with a half taped half-court tennis ball at lunchtime on an empty office floor in my building.

You could swing it 2 feet both ways, smash it into the windows and it wouldn't break anything because those balls are really soft

Tape didn't wear out because you were playing on carpet.

Glory days.

 

[aussie]

yea thats a common thing, but for me its better to use a bumper ball(sponge ball) to tape because sometimes the tennis ball would burst after being hit all over the place added to the fact that the bumper ball will bounce better.

 

[Robertinho]

Hazza, just imagine a tennis ball with electrical tape covering one half of it

 

[The Argonaut]

We used to play a game in the schoolyard. We'd use a half taped tennis ball for maximum swing. There was no bat, you used your hands and feet mainly. The bowlers bowled with pace. The stumps were a drain pipe so was only 10-15 cm across. You could get caught off any part of the body even if you nicked it, it hit the wall and it was caught. There were about 20 players which included 5-6 bat pads and 5-6 silly points. It was a good game for relexes and no running. It was all about survival. Whoever took the catch or bowled you out was the next turn at bat.

 

[Matteh]

To whoever asked what a windball is: It's effectively a plastic ball - heavier than a tennis ball but lighter than a cricket ball and they're bright orange. They're generally made by Readers over here.

We used to play something similar at school with a foam ball that carried the full distance....The wickets were a bin - didn't have as many close fielders - batting was a struggle if enough people were playing - I was the only person in the 5 years i was at that school to take a hat trick

 

[Dasa]

 

[Nate]

That`s insane! You`d swing that to hell and back!

...to gloat once more. I got a double today, both caught behind. Great length, one cut in and one cut out. So much fun. Batting I got 2 and 4... one caught at second slip and the other caught and bowled. So I am, very much, human.

 

[deeps]

Errrr...isn't that the whole idea? I mean who's ever played tapeball with a fully taped ball anyway? I'm sure that's what he means.

read the thread sunshine

 

[Josh]

We used to also make a seam with the tape as well. Use to make it stick out to get movement off the pitch as well. Definately helped me concentrate on the ball a bit better.

YES!! That is the stuff right there. The seam just adds more deception and doubt. You can do that with the full-taped or the half-taped still works. Crazy stuff. Love it. Ahhh to be young(er) again!!

 

[Matteh]

I wrap a piece of an old shoelace around the ball - get loads of seam movement

 

[Isolator]

Do you people tape over the tennis ball fluff/hair or use old "bald" ones? I made my first one a while back, taping over the fluff/hair. The tape came apart very quickly. Then I ripped the fluff/hair layer off, which gave me a smooth rubber ball, which I taped. That worked much better. It didn't swing much (no seam or anything), but it was hard and heavier than a normal tennis ball.

Also, this tape-ball thing is supposed to be very popular in the sub-continent, but the first time I heard of it was on the net. I've never seen anyone playing with one, and when I used mine last week, none of the people I was playing with were familiar with it.

 

[deeps]

how does removing fur, and taping, make a ball heavier than taping with fur?

I've always taped with fur, might give without fur a go...would probably make it skid much more