NAME: Kartikey Gupta

ROLL NO. : 08811502723

CSE 2
Dynamic Analysis of the Impact of Ball on
Cricket Bat:
INTRO: Cricket is one of the sports, where the
constantly evolving rules, do not allow much scope for
the use of technological advancement to improve the
game. A design variation in the cricket bat will improve
the efficiency of the shot as well as reduce the effort
the player has to put into playing the shot. Many
researchers like Van Zandt and Alan Nathan have
confirmed the role vibrations play in the impact of bat
and ball. The exit velocity of the ball as a function of
impact location as studied by these researchers
confirms the existence of a region of higher impacting
efficiency.
The ‘Sweet Spot’ is a location primarily identified by
the batsman as the best location on the bat with which
the ball can come in contact. The sweet spot has three
physical interpretations.
1)It is a location on the bat that produces maximum
batted ball velocity.
2)It is also understood as the location on the bat
which produces minimum sting on the batsman’s
hand.
 3)A third interpretation is the location on the bat
which produces minimum amplitude of vibration.
So, finding these sweet spots becomes essential as it is
evident that it can create a large difference in the
gameplay of players.
MODEL ANALYSIS: The analysis is done by modelling
the bat and is carried out using ANSYS Workbench,
version 12.0. The maximum stress developed in the bat
due to the ball impact and the maximum exit velocity
of the ball, are recorded for different impact locations.
The resulting data is plotted graphically. The variation
in maximum stress and ball exit velocity for 17-35
There exists a region towards the lower end of the bat;
around 0.35m from the shoulder, where the exit
velocity would be maximum and the stress produced
on the bat will be minimum. This corresponds to the
region of minimum amplitude of vibration, 0.324 mm
to 0.388 mm, as predicted above. It is seen that two of
the three definitions of the sweet spot, basically
denote the same region.
IDEAL CONDITION: To not put blind faith in the
results obtained using FEA, a verification of the same is
done using the Rigid Body Model. The Rigid Body
Model assumes the bat ball impact to be the impact of
two rigid bodies. It applies the conservation of angular
and linear momenta, and conservation of energy,
considering the coefficient of restitution. It is to be
understood that the Rigid Body Model gives
approximate values only, and the ‘sweet spot’ loses its
existence. For a rigid body model, the maximum
velocity will be when the ball strikes the centre of mass
of the bat.
The model used is as follows :
The comparison between FEA results and rigid body
model results for 17-35 impact is :

There is an excellent correlation between the two

models, and thus the Finite Element Model is verified.
INFLUENCE ON PERFORMANCE DUE TO
CRICKET EQUIPMENT MATERIAL:
The properties of materials such as elasticity and
hardness significantly influence the performance and
durability of cricket equipment. Let's explore the
scientific explanations behind how these properties
affect cricket equipment:

1. Cricket Bats
Elasticity:
Explanation: Elasticity, in this context, refers to the
bat's ability to deform slightly upon impact with the
ball and then return to its original shape. This
deformation and recovery allow for energy transfer
from the bat to the ball, providing more power to the
shot.
Impact on Performance: A bat with higher elasticity
(such as one made of English willow) can enhance a
player's ability to hit the ball with greater force and
distance. This is because the bat can flex and release
stored energy into the ball.
Hardness:
Explanation: Hardness is the resistance of the bat's
material to deformation or wear. A harder bat resists
damage and maintains its shape over repeated
impacts.
Impact on Durability: A bat with adequate hardness can
withstand the high pressures from striking a ball
repeatedly, thus extending the bat's lifespan and
maintaining consistent performance.
2. Cricket Balls
Elasticity:
Explanation: The elasticity of a cricket ball (due to its
cork core and leather cover) allows it to deform upon
impact and regain its shape quickly. This deformation is
necessary for consistent bounce and flight behaviour.
Impact on Performance: Elasticity in a cricket ball
ensures a uniform bounce and contributes to the ball's
speed and movement (e.g., swing or spin), affecting a
player's ability to predict its trajectory and play
accordingly.
Hardness:
Explanation: The hardness of the cricket ball,
particularly in its core and leather cover, provides
structural integrity and affects how the ball interacts
with the pitch and the air.
Impact on Performance and Durability: A harder ball
maintains its shape and flight path over time, ensuring
consistent play and durability. A certain level of
hardness is required to prevent excessive deformation
and wear during play.
3. Protective Gear
Elasticity:
Explanation: Elasticity in protective gear materials (e.g.,
foam padding, soft linings) allows them to absorb and
disperse impact energy effectively.
Impact on Safety: This cushioning effect reduces the
risk of injury by softening the blow from a cricket ball
or other impact.
Hardness:
Explanation: The hardness of protective gear (e.g., hard
shells in helmets and guards) provides a barrier against
impact, protecting players from injury.
Impact on Safety and Durability: Hardness ensures that
the protective gear can resist penetration and maintain
its protective properties over time, safeguarding
players from potential harm.
Conclusion
The elasticity and hardness of materials used in cricket
equipment are critical for optimizing performance and
durability. Elastic materials allow for effective energy
transfer and shock absorption, while hard materials
provide structural integrity and resistance to damage.
Together, these properties help enhance the playing
experience and ensure the longevity and safety of
cricket equipment.
Fluid Mechanics in Ball Swing:
Unlike many other Sports balls, Cricket balls are held to
strict design specifications described in a British
standard Specification for cricket balls (1995). In terms
of general construction, the ball is made up of 2 halves,
with each half consisting of 2 quarters of leather
internally stitched and the two halves joined together
by a primary seam made up of 3 double rows of
stitching with between 78 and 86 stitches in each row.
with the seam height being between 0.5 and 0.9mm.

Governing Phenomena:
To begin to understand the motion of a cricket ball
several key phenomena must be at least qualitatively
understood. The key features are the behaviour of the
airflow and subsequent boundary layers that form
around either side of the ball. These influenced the
seam position, release velocity and impart a force on
the ball, but other less obvious phenomena such as the
Magnus effect and the effect of drag must also be
considered to fully explain the trajectory of the ball
while in the air.
Boundary Layers:
It is currently understood that the effect of angling the
raised seam so that it points at a shallow angle to the
incoming airflow causes the air to behave differently on
either side of the ball. On both sides, we get the air
separating into 2 distinct areas, a laminar flow and a
more turbulent region found between this flow and the
surface of the ball. However, the point at which the
turbulent layer separates varies on either side. On the
half of the ball which the seam points into, as the air
flow passes over the raised surface of the stitches the
flow immediately next to the ball’s surface is tripped
from a laminar flow to a thin layer of turbulent flow.
Whereas on the non-seam side, initially the air is
travelling around the relatively smooth side of the ball
and thus the flow remains laminar until the point
where it separates from the ball. By merit of it’s
increased energy the turbulent layer stays attached to
the surface of the ball for longer before separating
away from the surface. This has the result that a low-
pressure asymmetric wake is induced behind the ball
and due to this a pressure differential and thus a net
force exists perpendicular to the flow. It is this force
which causes the ball to move with an unexpected
curve in one direction or the other in the phenomena
known as swing. The formation of this turbulence layer
can be affected further if the surface of the ball is
rougher on one side than the other as this acts much in
the same way as the seam and causes the turbulent
layer to form more readily resulting in a lower pressure
on that side of the ball and thus exhibit greater
displacement.

Drag Forces:
As the ball moves through the air its velocity decreases
due to the effect of drag. This force arises due to the
pressure difference between the high pressure caused
by the flow colliding with the front of the ball and the
low pressure found in the turbulent wake that forms
behind the ball.
We can give a rough insight into the magnitude of this
force by modelling the ball as a perfect sphere and
then using the drag equation with known values.

Where Cd is the drag coefficient which varies

dependent upon Reynolds number, and A is the
appropriate reference area which for a sphere is πr^2.
We make the prediction here that a typical Reynolds
number in our set-up is between 4 × 104 < Re < 2 × 105
as used in experiments by A.
Thus inputting our values for a cricket ball of radius
3.58cm travelling at 39ms−1 we get that the drag force
is Fd = 1.88N, giving an acceleration on the ball of
−12.6ms−2. Simplified calculations that assume this is a
constant force then give us that as the ball travels the
18.3m (20 yards) down the wicket, this force will cause
the ball to slow down to a velocity of 33ms−1 (73mph)
by the time it reaches the batsman. This calculation
doesn’t account for the decrease in the drag force as
the ball decelerates. Thus the real life observed speed
we expect to be greater than this. Regardless, this does
highlight that the ball’s velocity changes greatly enough
from the point of release to the point of impact that it
may have an impact on swing and is worth
reconsidering this when we analyse the relation
between swing displacement and bowling speed later
on.
Magnus Effect:
The Magnus effect is a phenomenon that can be
observed readily in sports. When an object such as a
ball or cylinder is spinning through a fluid then there is
a force generated which causes the object to curve
through the air. This is the principle behind curving free
kicks in football, backspin to maximise drive distance in
golf and drift when spin bowling in cricket. It is
important to mention that drift caused by the Magnus
effect is distinct from the effects that lead to swing.
Instead, the Magnus effect does play a subtle role in
fast bowling. Due to the biomechanics of a fast bowling
action, there is a natural tendency to impart a backspin
on the ball when released. This backspin generates a
lift force that acts against gravity and thus causes the
ball to remain in the air for longer and thus will land
closer to the batsman than they may be expecting.