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Sports and Games · entry 14 of 52
A cricket ball has a raised seam that bowlers use to make it swerve in flight.
The longer version
Six rows of stitching raise a seam around the circumference, and a bowler angles that seam into the airflow while releasing the ball with backspin or sidespin. Air moves faster on one side than the other, pressure differs, and the ball curves late. Polishing one face while letting the other roughen makes the effect stronger as the ball ages.
The same principle governs a golf ball's dimples and a tennis ball's fuzz, but reverse swing is unusual because the movement flips: an old ball can swing toward the shiny side instead of away. That surprises batters, and disputes over artificial roughening have produced rule changes and penalties. Ball condition is therefore inspected, and seam height is specified in the laws.
Where this entry sits
Facts here look at the rules, equipment and odd histories behind familiar sports and games, from balls and rackets to cards, boards and playing fields. Expect small details about scoring quirks, stadium design and the long story of the Olympic Games. The full list sits on the Sports and Games page, where every entry is listed in order.
More From Sports and Games
Eight more entriesChess has six different piece types, and each one moves according to fixed rules.
Read 16The queen became the most powerful chess piece only during the late fifteenth century.
Read 17Castling is the only chess move that lets a player relocate two pieces in a single turn.
Read 18A chessboard has 64 squares arranged in eight rows and eight columns.
Read 19Playing cards come in four suits, and a standard deck holds 52 cards plus jokers.
Read 20The four suits in a deck are thought to reflect older suit systems from medieval Europe.
Read 21Jokers were added to decks for certain games and are often left unused.
Read 22Snooker is played on a much larger table than pool, with six pockets around the rails.
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