Stock Ball in Cricket

A bowler's standard, go-to delivery — their default weapon.

What is a Stock Ball?

Every bowler has a stock ball — the delivery they return to when variations haven't worked or when they need control. For a leg-spinner, it's the standard leg break. For a right-arm seamer, it's the full, straight seaming delivery. A bowler's stock ball should be good enough to take wickets on its own and economical enough to contain runs. The variations only work when the stock ball is strong.

In play

Spinner has tried the googly, carrom ball, arm ball. Nothing working. Goes back to stock ball — flat, spinning leg break on off stump. Batter misreads it. Caught at slip.

More bowling terms

• Conventional SwingThe ball curving through the air using the contrast between the shiny and rough sides.
• Maiden OverAn over in which no runs are scored off the bat — all dot balls.
• Hat-trickA bowler taking three wickets with three consecutive deliveries — one of cricket's rarest feats.
• Economy RateThe average number of runs a bowler concedes per over — the core measure of bowling containment.
• Contrast SwingA form of swing that comes from surface roughness on the ball, not the seam's angle.
• MaidenAn over with no runs off the bat, wides, or no-balls. Also used for a player's first-ever milestone (maiden century, maiden call-up).