Better Seam Bowling | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

Better Seam Bowling

England Development Programme Coach, Iain Brunnschweiler, returns to give the seam bowlers a tip for hitting the seam more often.

Seam bowling is the most powerful weapon a fast bowler can use.

Speed and swing are amazing too, but if the ball hits that seam and goes off the pitch, the batsman has no time to play and it. That's how important it is to move the ball laterally if you want to get them out.

Remember, you only have to make the ball deviate by two inches to beat the bat or get a thin edge.

For this to happen, its important that you can control the seam of the ball as it comes out of your hand. If the seam is upright during its path down the wicket, then it will give the ball a much better chance to swing. Having the seam upright (or predominantly upright with a slight wobble) also means that it is more likely to hit the wicket, and cause some deviation.

One way of helping you do this is to get some white tape, and tape it around the seam in practice. This will allow you to see the path of the seam much more easily once it has left your hand. You can adjust your action to get the seam strong because you are getting instant feedback on your bowling with the tape.

You then make one side shiny and smooth, and leave the other half to get damaged naturally when it gets hit by the batters.

To find out how to shine a ball properly, click here.

Bowl seam at home

You can practice this at nets any time, but what if you are at home and want to practice alone?

Try getting a soft tennis ball of sponge ball and putting some tape around that to simulate a seam. Then you can let go of the ball into a wall in the park or at home - somewhere safe - and get the feel of the ball coming out of the hand upright.

This is a skill which will help you put the batters under more pressure and take more wickets.

For more drills from Brunchy to improve your batting, bowling and fielding, click here.

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Comments

Hi I am playing cricket on mat ...and I always try to do bowl fast but when I play a match then can't do too much fast just I do line and length .my length so good but want to do more fast and quick delivery and I m right hand bowler ..sir plz help me to do this.thank yu very much ...and I play cricket in Italy...