Different ways to bowl the slow ball
From A to Z
 Cricket relies on as much guile and deception as physical strength. Bowlers, the equivalent of American baseball pitchers, employ spin, skill and finesse to outwit the opposition, often cutting the ball's speed to gain an unexpected advantage. A cricket bowler can hurl a slow ball any number of different ways, with each technique designed to befuddle batsmen.
Palm Ball
The most basic slow ball technique is the palm ball. Grip the ball flat against the palm of your hand instead of out on the fingertips of the middle and index fingers. Pressing the ball to the palm cuts down on rotation and reduces speed. Even spreading the two fingers farther apart, so the ball sits deeper against the fingers, can provide a similar effect. Unfortunately, batsmen can usually detect the obvious change in grip, sacrificing the element of surprise.
Three Fingers
Similar in principle to the palm ball, the three-finger grip also cuts the ball's speed, with the extra finger helping to limit rotation. However, this grip also has the same weakness as the palm ball, with keen batters able to spot the extra finger on the ball and adjust to the slower delivery.
Backhand
You can also slow the ball by bowling out of the back of your hand. In a normal bowling delivery, your hand comes over the top and faces the batter. With this backhand technique, you turn your wrist before releasing the ball, directing the back of the hand towards the batsman. The ball tumbles out over the edge of the hand and creates a natural drop in speed.
SLOB
Dubbed the world's best slow ball by its inventor, Ian Pont, the SLOB features a grip that appears the same as a normal delivery, catching many batsmen off guard. The name SLOB comes from "slower obsolete delivery," and that phrase perfectly describes the bowling technique, because it renders the normal grip obsolete. Instead of a standard grip, which involves the middle finger, index finger and thumb pressing on the ball, the SLOB grip relies on only the two fingers to apply pressure. The thumb is only there for show to trick the batter. During the windup, you remove the thumb and then release the ball with an open palm, as if you're giving the batsman a high-five. The ball will appear like a normal high ball with regular pace, but drops drastically a few feet short of the batter.
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