Off cutter

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An off cutter is a fast-bowling delivery that makes the ball move away from the off side after it bounces. For a right-handed bowler, the fingers slide down the right side of the ball on release, giving it a spin that makes it deviate to the batsman’s left after pitching. It’s like an off break but bowled faster, and it’s a deliberate variation, not just a seam movement. Some bowlers grip the seam differently to help the deviation. Off cutters don’t turn as sharply as real off breaks, but at high speed they can still trouble the batsman. They’re most effective when the length is fuller, landing about 2 to 3 steps in front of the batsman near the off stump.

Batsmen can spot it by a wobble in the seam after release, with the seam tilted toward the batsman. Beginners can learn by pulling the seam down at release to put back-spin while keeping the seam vertical. Cutters work well on rough pitches or when the ball lands on cracks, because the seam grip can cause extra movement and sometimes low bouncing deliveries called shooters. Players like Lance Klusener used this tactic in certain conditions when pace was lower. In Tests, bowlers often target cracks to unsettle batsmen with cutters. Today, off-cutters are mainly used as slower balls in limited-overs cricket.