Question

A cricketer draws his hands backwards to catch the ball, because

• A. by increasing the time in which he stops the ball, he reduces the force on his hands
• B. by increasing the distance, he allows the ball to travel a greater distance for more runs
• C. it is an art to catch the ball
• D. it is a rule in cricket

Answer 1

The correct option is A by increasing the time in which he stops the ball, he reduces the force on his hands

The average force can be given by (change in momentum)/(time taken). In this case, the change in momentum is the ball's momentum and hence constant independent of the way he catches the ball. so if he increases the time, average force decreases.