Who is the SWINGA for?
Players and coaches of all levels. It can be used by international cricketers and professional coaches as well as junior players and new coaches who are just starting to play with real leather balls.
It is a coaching tool for batsmen, wicketkeepers, and bowlers.
Batsmen and wicketkeepers can practice against the moving ball while bowlers can learn how to grip the ball correctly and get the fingers and wrist behind the ball upon release to make it swing both ways.
It is also good for spinners to learn about drifting the ball in the air and spinning it both ways.
The ball will grip and spin like a normal ball.
The hardest skill to teach someone is how to play the moving ball.
Normally the only way to authentically practice against the swinging ball is to buy a brand-new leather cricket ball, which can cost anywhere between $20 and $70, only for the shine to come off the ball almost immediately in the nets where the ball can hit concrete or get wet and the ball stops swinging.
This is why I have created the SWINGA technique ball. I have developed the ball to replicate the swing and movement of the new leather cricket ball. But I have designed it so it will never stop swinging no matter how much it is used.
It is the same size and a similar weight to a leather ball. It bounces off the pitch in a normal fashion.
The feeling off the bat is almost identical to a normal ball.
But unlike a normal leather ball where the lacquer and leather will come off quickly, the SWINGA technique ball has been engineered with material so it will never stop swinging, won't go out of shape, and can still be used if the nets are wet.
I asked some of my good friends, who are outstanding cricketers and coaches, to test it out and this is what they had to say.
Justin Langer Australia Men's Coach:
"What a great product. When I got shown it, I thought there is so much upside to this. As a batsman, from a pure batting point of view, if you're looking and watching so closely to find out the shiny side versus the dimpled side, my eyes were opening up. And at the end of the day that's the most important thing about batting is watching the ball.
"The second point is I saw it go into the bowling machine and both of the wheels were on the same level, the same speed, and yet by just putting the ball in either way it produced inswingers and outswingers.
This is the most amazing thing. The bowling machine used correctly is an incredible tool. I wouldn't have been able to do what I did in cricket without the bowling machine and great coaches. But this is another unbelievable tool, a bit like the skinny cricket bat, this is incredible because you learn how to play the swinging ball.
"And from a coach's point of view, it's so much more fun because you know what it's like if you're throwing with the (side-arm thrower) or on the bowling machine, the ball is not doing anything and we're not testing our players enough. To be able to swing this ball in the indoor centre or on turf wickets, to be able to get the ball to swing naturally or reverse swing, it's unbelievable. This is a great product. I'm blown away. I'm pumped a coach and as a past player and I recommend it to anyone."
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What does the SWINGA technique ball do?
The ball's unique half-dimple half-smooth design allows it to swing through the air like a brand-new ball.
The weight and size are very similar to a leather ball, it bounces in a very similar fashion off the pitch and feels the same coming off the bat.
How can the SWINGA technique ball be used?
You can use the ball for throwdowns either throwing by hand or using a side-arm ball thrower. You can bowl with it, both swing and spin.
It can be used on the bowling machine.
It can be used on all surfaces and in wet conditions.