The TAPE-BALL phenomenon

[Isolator]

No, I didn't mean it makes it heavier. But it does make it much harder.

 

[jack_sparrow]

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.

No I mean a fully taped one. Its play resembles the game of cricket far more accurately then the half taped one. Both the batsmen and the bowler have equal chance of doing their thing, as opposed to the half taped one which unfairly sides with the bowler.

 

[Dasa]

No I mean a fully taped one. Its play resembles the game of cricket far more accurately then the half taped one. Both the batsmen and the bowler have equal chance of doing their thing, as opposed to the half taped one which unfairly sides with the bowler.

Unless you're a finger-spinner. I find it doesn't turn much for me (I usually bowl off-spin) until the tape is deteriorating a fair bit, and then it becomes hard to grip and release out of the hand. That's why when we play tape-ball, the ball has a very prominent seam...at least that gives it chance to drift and dip in the air when bowling spin.

 

[jack_sparrow]

^ Ture as well.

 

[Right arm fast]

today me and my friend taped a giant seam on a tennis ball about 2 cm high with insulation tape. we then picked a little of the fluff on one of the sides on the tennis ball so it swings but not to much and if you bowl with good seam position you are rewarded with big seam movement its great fun but its not so hard to bat its immpossible

 

[Robertinho]

Two centimetres? Are you joking?...

 

[deeps]

No, I didn't mean it makes it heavier. But it does make it much harder.

but it was hard and heavier than a normal tennis ball.

 

[Right arm fast]

Two centimetres? Are you joking?...

r u taking the **** or is that a lot

 

[shankar]

Can anybody who's tried this confirm if you're able to bowl faster with a taped ball as opposed to a plain tennis ball? Because if that's true then an interesting golf ball type effect might be happening.

 

[Robertinho]

r u taking the **** or is that a lot

It's heaps.. it would take like a whole roll of tape.

 

[Isolator]

Can anybody who's tried this confirm if you're able to bowl faster with a taped ball as opposed to a plain tennis ball? Because if that's true then an interesting golf ball type effect might be happening.

I think so. A normal tennis ball is way too light. You need to have some weight... which the tape provides. I could be imagining this, though.

 

[deeps]

definately seems a bit quicker with a taped up one. Especially once it bounces, it skids like crazy.

 

[Hazza]

I think so. A normal tennis ball is way too light. You need to have some weight... which the tape provides. I could be imagining this, though.

I'd imagine it's more to do with density rather than weight.

 

[shankar]

I think so. A normal tennis ball is way too light. You need to have some weight... which the tape provides. I could be imagining this, though.

Is it significntly heavier than a tennis ball. If so, then that would obviously be the the main reason for the added pace. But I thought you guys were saying earlier that the tape only made it only harder and not a whole lot heavier?

 

[deeps]

as i said, it skids off the pitch more so than anything else. This is due to being less friction on the surface of contact. There's also less air resistance whilst the ball travels, plus a little more weight.

It all factors in

 

[shankar]

as i said, it skids off the pitch more so than anything else. This is due to being less friction on the surface of contact. There's also less air resistance whilst the ball travels, plus a little more weight.

It all factors in

I'm only concerned about the speed in the air. Regarding the air resistance, that's the point of interest for me - Just because the surface of the ball is smoother for a taped ball, the drag force doesnt reduce significantly. The reason is that the air-surface friction only contributes a small amount to the drag on a blunt body like a sphere.

So if the taped up ball (assuming the tape doesn't add too much weight) is found to travel faster through the air, then there is some other effect at play. Possibly the little bumps due the tape sides all over the ball might be causing a golf-ball type effect.