346:. To play the hook shot the batter moves his back foot backwards and towards the off side as the ball is being delivered. As the ball approaches, the batter swivels from facing the off side to facing the leg side, while holding the bat horizontally. The batter's aim is to hit the ball at high speed towards, into or over the leg side boundary. However, despite their run-scoring potential, hook shots frequently lead to wickets falling, particularly through balls hitting the top edge of the bat and being caught by leg side fielders. However, if the bouncer is misdirected by the bowler, and reaches the batter on the off side of his wicket, the cut, uppercut or late cut can be played, either with the intention of guiding the ball along the ground, through a gap in the field setting or over the infield for four or six.
331:
chest height, the batter's best defence is to move on to his back foot, raise his bat vertically to chest height, and attempt to block the ball and direct it downwards to the pitch so as to avoid presenting a catch to a fielder. Sometimes the batter will need to jump into the air to gain the necessary height to defend with the bat. He may also sway out of the way. Given these approaches, the bowler can hope to both intimidate the batter somewhat, and possibly have the ball deflect off the bat at an awkward angle and produce a catch for a nearby fielder.
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The bouncer is an aggressive delivery and the very nature of the delivery by a fast bowler and aimed at the head can lead to batters being hit in the chest, neck or head. While rare, impacts to the top part of the body can cause serious injuries or even death. While the laws of cricket can be used to
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A batter may play a bouncer in either a defensive or an attacking way. If the batter plays it defensively he aims primarily to avoid getting out, and secondarily to avoid being hit by the ball. For a head-high bouncer, these goals are achieved most easily by ducking under the ball. If the ball is at
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describing it as "farcical" as he felt that calling intimidatory tactics should be left to the umpire. The ICC changed it to two bouncers per over in 1994, with a two-run no-ball penalty (rather than one-run no-ball) if the bowler exceeded two bouncers an over. One Day
International cricket allowed
349:
There is an unspoken agreement, particularly in the time before the widespread use of batting helmets, that fast bowlers will not bowl bouncers at each other, because less skilled batters are less likely to effectively defend and therefore more likely to be struck. Breaking of this rule can lead to
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series by the
Australians. It caused a sporting and political firestorm between the mother country and the former colony and several incidents threatened to boil over into public riots. This controversial tactic caused the
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Bouncers are used to drive the batter back on to his back foot if he has been freely playing front foot scoring shots, such as drives. To this end, bouncers are usually directed more or less at the
387:(ICC) introduced a "one bouncer per batter per over" rule in an attempt to discourage the use of intimidation. However, the ruling was not well received by players and umpires alike, with English
434:, who returned the favour by hospitalising Tyson with one of his own. An angry Tyson returned with a large lump on his head and took 6/85 in the second innings to give England a 38-run victory.
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On 29 October 2012 the ICC increased the number of bouncers that could be bowled during a One Day
International to two per over. The number of bouncers per over allowed in T20s was kept to one.
319:
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bouncer which resulted in severe loss of blood and left
Contractor critically ill. He regained full consciousness after six days and returned to first-class cricket ten months later.
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Fast leg theory, the deliberate and sustained bowling of bouncers aimed at the body, coupled with a cordon of legside catching fieldsmen to catch deflections, was a tactic used by
376:
governing how frequently a bowler may bowl bouncers, as well as how many fielders may field backward of square leg. These laws take into account the relative skill of the batters.
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575:. After retiring concussed, Smith returned to play 45 minutes later. The Australian medical team's decision to let him play was criticised by the brain injury charity
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Conversely, the bouncer can be a very productive ball for the batter, if he plays it in an attacking manner. The shot that is used to attack the bouncer is the
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on the pitch; or upon reaching the batter, the ball is below the batter's waist. Aiming at the batter's head without bouncing on the pitch, known as a
758:
350:"bouncer wars" – that is, the targeted bowler engaging in retaliatory hostile short-pitched bowling at his opponent during the following innings.
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limit the delivery, particularly when being used against specialist bowlers at the end of the batting order, it is not outright banned like the
627:
556:. The resulting blow knocked the helmet off Carey's head; he caught it mid-air before it could fall onto the stumps, saving himself from
855:"My XI : Shoaib Akhtar – 'Undoubtedly the quickest, the meanest' – Cricket videos, MP3, podcasts, cricket audio – ESPN Cricinfo"
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Because of the potential danger to batters of being hit and to stop bowlers bowling bouncers all the time, there are Laws in the
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244:
873:"Phillip Hughes in critical condition following surgery after being knocked out by bouncer in Sheffield Shield match"
445:. The incensed Malcolm told the South Africans "You guys are history" and took apart their second innings with 9/57.
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948:"Headway criticises decision to allow Australian cricketer to return to play following suspected concussion"
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During the 1970s to 1980s, bouncers were used as part of a team's intimidatory tactics, especially by the
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one bouncer per over in 2001 (and a one-run no-ball in case a bowler exceeded the limit).
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679:"Australia's Justin Langer refutes idea of 'bouncer war' against England at Headingley"
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was knocked out for several minutes after being hit by a bouncer from
Australian
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was hit on the neck by a 148.7 km/h (92.4mph) delivery from
England fast bowler
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match. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition, suffering from a
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spent time in hospital in 2006 after being struck in the head by a bouncer
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518:(2004) with fast bouncers. Both batters had to be taken off the field.
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973:"Smith out of second Test, Labuschagne in as concussion replacement"
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of the batter's body. Aiming at the batter is legal provided the
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723:"Cricket: ICC allows extra bouncer per over: Lord's changes"
583:, became the first concussion substitute in a Test match.
921:"Steve Smith forced off after being hit by 92mph bouncer"
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875:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 November 2014
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In 2006, playing in his 100th test, Australian opener
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579:, as "incredibly dangerous". Smith's replacement,
895:"Phillip Hughes: Australian batter dies, aged 25"
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761:. Wisden India. 29 October 2012. Archived from
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252:
835:"Brett Lee bumper KO's runmaker Chanderpaul"
741:"Cricket's Turning Points: The bouncer rule"
423:to be reformed to prevent any recurrence.
552:injured his chin from a bouncer bowled by
525:was knocked unconscious by a bouncer from
426:In 1954–55 in Sydney, England fast bowler
259:
245:
487:was struck on the head by a bouncer from
654:"Cummins defends bouncers at tailenders"
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441:was hit on the helmet by a bouncer from
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720:
521:In November 2014, Australian cricketer
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449:Injuries and deaths caused by bouncers
759:"ICC paves way for Day-Night Tests"
13:
14:
1024:
813:"The bouncer that ended a career"
628:"How best to deal with a bouncer"
476:was hit above his right ear by a
704:"Bird wants end to bouncer rule"
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815:. ESPNcricinfo. 6 December 2014
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721:Johnson, Martin (6 July 1994).
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563:During the second test of the
430:bowled bouncers at Australian
322:A batter attempting to play a
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1003:Cricket captaincy and tactics
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540:During the semi-final of the
385:International Cricket Council
283:) is a type of short-pitched
799:"The Home of CricketArchive"
785:"The Home of CricketArchive"
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491:and hospitalised. In 2008
535:subarachnoid haemorrhage
472:In 1962, Indian captain
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414:in 1932/33, dubbed the
542:2019 Cricket World Cup
497:Shivnarine Chanderpaul
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365:evades a bouncer from
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179:Spin bowler deliveries
119:Fast bowler deliveries
506:during a test match.
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567:, Australian batter
437:In 1994 at the Oval
1013:Cricket terminology
977:www.icc-cricket.com
710:. 28 February 1994.
609:Cricket terminology
104:left-arm unorthodox
952:www.headway.org.uk
901:. 27 November 2014
581:Marnus Labuschagne
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370:
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338:Bouncer in purple.
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326:against a bouncer.
34:Bowling techniques
1008:Bowling (cricket)
708:independent.co.uk
565:2019 Ashes Series
443:Fanie de Villiers
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85:left-arm orthodox
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271:In the sport of
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879:25 November
688:9 September
663:9 September
638:9 September
569:Steve Smith
527:Sean Abbott
514:(2003) and
501:fast bowler
493:West Indies
428:Frank Tyson
392:Dickie Bird
191:Carrom ball
161:Slower ball
997:Categories
769:30 October
683:Sky Sports
615:References
550:Alex Carey
544:, against
516:Brian Lara
291:by a fast
287:, usually
231:Topspinner
151:Outswinger
146:Off cutter
141:Leg cutter
982:21 August
957:21 August
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558:dismissal
504:Brett Lee
412:Australia
354:ICC rules
344:hook shot
324:hook shot
216:Off break
211:Leg break
131:Inswinger
899:BBC News
859:Cricinfo
745:Cricinfo
587:See also
416:Bodyline
410:against
285:delivery
186:Arm ball
99:leg spin
80:off spin
26:a series
24:Part of
577:Headway
546:England
495:batter
408:England
277:bouncer
273:cricket
201:Flipper
126:Bouncer
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389:umpire
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293:bowler
289:bowled
281:bumper
226:Teesra
221:Slider
206:Googly
196:Doosra
166:Yorker
75:Finger
658:Sport
299:Usage
94:Wrist
55:Swing
984:2019
959:2019
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907:2014
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