Fast bowling tips with Ian Pont | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

Fast bowling tips with Ian Pont

 


Creative Commons License photo credit: RaeA

Update: For the complete guide to fast bowling check out this 3 part series: The 10 immutable laws of fast bowling.

As you know, Ian Pont is a fast bowling guru: ECB National Skills Sets coaches for Fast Bowling, based at Loughborough.

He is author of the online coaching course: How to bowl faster and coach to coaches with his ABSAT courses (Advanced Biomechanics Speed & Accuracy Training). He's been good enough to answer a few questions on fast bowling for me.

How do you stay up to date with the latest findings in bowler development and coaching? I have a good network of experts in their field who keep in touch. For example, Dr Rabi Metha (the aerodynamics scientist) and I keep in contact regularly on reverse swing and contrast swing. I also chat with Troy Cooley and Allan Donald about things plus visit MRF Camp in Chennai every year with Dennis Lillee. But I am also developing my own things.

Do you recommend any specific fitness work for bowlers? Fast feet for speed - SAQ drills and sprint work drills are good for that. Cricket specific fitness drills (rather than running miles and miles) that use the muscles you need to bowl, plus core strength work. But you cannot substitute bowling overs when trying to get fit. I don't think people bowl enough overs anymore.

How do you recommend a bowler learn to vary his pace while retaining his accuracy? You have to practice variations in the nets without a batsman to start with. The secret is to have fun experimenting and getting it completely wrong. Bowlers do not really practice variations - bouncers, yorkers, slower balls, swing the other way etc - and it's no wonder they are inaccurate in matches. Always start in the nets on your own then introduce targets, then a batsman and get confident. It's only by understanding what you're doing that you'll be happy to use deliveries in a match that are consistently bowled where you want them.

Do you have any general drills a bowler could do to improve accuracy? Good old-fashioned target practice! I use a foam target and a 'carpet of uncertainty' mat so bowlers can see where they are bowling it. There are no real drills for this just a feeling of when to let the ball go and ensuring everything is lined up straight. Also, accuracy is more about line than length. If you can control the line of the ball you have a chance of setting fields and bowling to them. As I always say, if you run up straight, go through the crease straight follow through straight, you have the best chance of bowling straight. It's not rocket science.

Is there any need for club bowlers to understand about reverse swing and contrast swing as well as conventional swing? If so, what should they know? Short answer yes. I cover reverse swing in my book, but there is much confusion about it from bowlers. All you need to know is that reverse swing goes the opposite way to the way the seam points. The ball has to be rough one side and very dry. Club cricketers probably reverse swing the ball later in an innings and may not realise it. It can reverse swing as early as 20 overs in - dependent on the ball condition. If the ball is simply old, and the seam gone, this is great for contrast swing. Contrast swing is where the seam points straight down the pitch and it goes the other way to the way you think it's going to. EVERYONE can contrast swing a cricket ball; few can reverse swing it. That's because reverse happens at relatively higher speeds than contrast. Shane Warne can 'spin reverse/contrast swing' a cricket ball.

If a bowler were not following through fully, where would you start in helping him drive through the action? Shoulder rotation is the key to a full follow through. That's because it finishes off the action and adds momentum. You can achieve this by a full chest drive (parallel with the ground) on exit from the crease and the non-bowling arm pointing up and away behind the bowler - pointing skywards. I often use half kilo hand weights in the non bowling hand (without bowling a ball) to help achieve the drive necessary to complete the action. It's a complex series of movements that guarantee a full follow through, but weight driving at target starts it all off.

What can cricket learn from baseball? The sports are far more similar than meets the eye. The obvious link is with fielding, and we have taken on the sliding, fast releases and base set ups for fielding from baseball already. But how to access power (from the hips/core) is also something we need to focus on better than cricket does at present. This will impact on the pace of bowlers (and is what my ABSAT courses teach) plus power of a batsman.



Ian Pont

You can now get all Ian's fast bowling advice in one place. It's the same information he provides on his ABSAT courses in person, only now you can learn it all online. Click here to view Ian's fast bowling course on PitchVision Academy.


 

 

 

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Comments

I want to know about reverse swing. Plz write to me detail information about. manon4ishtiak@yahoo.com

I want to know about reverse swing. Plz write to me detail information about. manon4ishtiak@yahoo.com

Manon. I would strongly recommend you buy Ian's book. It goes into some detail about reversing the cricket ball. What is it you want to know exactly?

fthyujfujsryu

I have practised alot at swinging the ball and bowling a full length, but now I find it hard to shorten my length. Is it just a question of target practise or is there a drill or a part of my action I should concentrate on?

[...] How to bowl out any team Getting the most from spin bowling Fast bowling tactics [...]

well i am a bowler and i wana be a good bowler.and i am a good bowler .and i deleiver yorker bowl...but i wana also be a batsman...i can play a yorker deep spin bowls but i cant play a bounce bowl..can anyone give me some tips of bounce bowl....caN ANY ONE HELP ME..then email me at smartwish8@hotmail.com give me some bowling and bating tipsss plzzzz i will be your thank full..

Hey, I'm Adam, 17 years of age.

I played Cricket for NSW U17s as an Opening Bowler.

I've been to several coaching courses on fast bowling, and these are the tips that helped me out the most.

(i) Pace comes from three things: Momentum, Core and the Front Arm. Make sure you put the front arm up high as you are in your bowling stride, then bring it down powerfully, tucking it into your side. Be sure to follow through appropriately, applying the rules of not following through down the pitch, but do NOT pull up short. Allow momentum to carry you through the crease. When bowling the ball, be sure to cock your wrist, and flick it in co-ordination with the bowling action, to gain that little bit of extra pace, as well as keeping the seam bolt upright.

(ii) Variety: Don't change your type of bowl every ball. I.e. Dont bowl a bouncer, followed by a slower ball, followed by a yorker then an outswinger, inswinger, etc. What you should aim to do is to have 4 balls an over as your "stock ball" - landing it in the "corridor of uncertainty," then on the 5th ball (batsman often expects something different on the 6th) try a variety ball, aforementioned. An example would be 4 outswingers, followed by a slightly quicker inswinging yorker.

(iii) The importance of pressure: Keep the pressure on the batsman, realise you are in control, and don't allow them to score easy runs, by bowling short, wide deliveries. Aim to keep a batsman on strike, target them, work out weaknesses in technique and work on exploiting them.

Those are probably the most important things I can think of with regards to pace bowling.

Also remember:
(a) Measure a comfortable run up by closing your eyes, in a large open space, mark where you start, walk and then run, ease into your delivery stride, and pretend to bowl the ball. Then go back and mark it, preferably with small steps - a tape measure is ideal.

(b)When following through, immediately after bowling, as Ian mentions, drive the bowling arm across your body, and your non-bowling arm should be behind your back, pointing towards the sky. Follow throughs are a vital part of bowling.

I recently hurt my shoulder (SLAP Tear with Rotator Cuff complications) so was considering doing a bit of Junior Bowling Coaching.

Anyone who wants to ask anything, or even let me know what they thought of this, feel free to email me: Adam_Meads@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Thank you i realy Got a lot of information From This Tutorial.

It's a pleasure Rana

[...] slowing down also changes your action making it harder to go back to bowling with pace. As Ian Pont says, it’s better to develop accuracy and speed at the same time through working on a powerful [...]

Please send more info on limit of overs for young bowlers.Why cant fitter ones bowl more if they are biomechanically sound and live an outdoor life like in the West Indies?

I don't fully understand your question Bachan. Do you have something specific in mind?

[...] It’s all about having the confidence in yourself to find, talk to and persevere with building up a friendship with someone you respect. Your only limit is your imagination and hard work. It has worked for me in getting in touch with people I respect in the game like Ian Pont. [...]

I am aleft handed pacer 16 years of age i have a slight problem on bowling the conventional Left Handers In swinger. The problem is that when i try to curve the seem towards the fine leg a slight bend appears in my elbow and the bowling action looks JERKY what should i focus on to correct this is it the fault in my bowling action ar is it some other thing
If any body has any sort of information on that please tel me

Try putting your thumb flat on the seam Ahsan

i won to fast boll

DO you play for anyone at the moment salim?

hello. i am krishna and i have o problem with my action . ibend my hand slightly while delivering the ball. are there any methods to correct my action

please tell me the methods to improve my fitness for bowling fast

Do a search using the box on the bottom right Krishna. You should get all your answers.

thanks a lot for responding

hi my name is joel im am the opeing bowler for montrose under 14/4's (vic) i was wondering how to get a good run up can anyone help if u can seand me a mess joel_the_tigers@hotmail.com

joel, try posting your question on www.simplycricket.net with mor details. I'm sure some budding bowlers can assist!

hi I am fast bowler, i want to improve my speed. o what should i do?

Read all the tips on this site Abid. Let me know if you need more help.

Hi,
I am Vishal and I played for the U19 thailand team. I used to be bowling with a side-on action and I was getting a natural in-swinger for the right hander. But in between, I started spraying the ball too much down leg stump and I was asked to change my action to more front-on, but I lost pace and the ability to swing. Any suggestions?

[...] of this site Ian Pont has announced his first 5 day fast bowling camp will be held in La Manga, Spain this [...]

I am having trouble as a fast bowler with chucking. What do u recommend?

Hi,I was out of the game for 11 + years and was not a bad opening bowler, but since coming back I keep firing the ball down the leg side. As I run in to bowl I am almost convincing myself that it will go down leg side before I release it. Any tips please?

Hi Rich,

It's tough to diagnose without seeing you. A leg side issue could be to do with your foot position, your head position or your front arm. Is there any chance of a video?

Hi David,thanks for such a quick response.Sadly a video of my efforts does not exist.A player from my team said it looks as though I am just letting it go rather than bowling it.Also,I had a net and one of the batsmen said it looked as though I was collapsing at the point of delivery. So much so he knew before I had let go that it would go down leg side.
Best regards
Rich

Rich, does your club have a coach you can speak to? Most coaches of kids cricket have to deal with this issue all the time so it should be fairly simple to resolve.

If you have to work on it alone I would say focus on keeping your head moving forward towards the batsman and driving your front arm out and down. This will propel you forward in a straight line and the ball will do the same. Go to the nets with a bag of balls and just work on it until it 'feels' right again. After all, you did it before!

Thanks David. No coach available,but I shall try what you suggest. I did have some winter nets this year and it was going OK,but then bowling in the middle in a game is a different kettle of fish. Many thanks for your advice.
Best regards
Rich

It certainly is Rich. Use the nets to get the 'feel' back then at the top of your run in the game, think about that feel. Hopefully that will help. Let me know how it all goes!

im a very fast bowler bt the onli problem i cnt seem 2 keep ma line and length i gt it sum balls and sums balls completely mess up i wana knw wht the technique is in keeping ma line and length thnks. ps dnt tell me 2 gt da book lol

Well uzie, the answer to that question is in the book so it’s worth getting. Do you already have it?

no i aint gt da book bt cnt u just tell me online the solution 2 ma problem i will be very much appreciated if u do
thnks m8

I wish I could just give you the answer my friend, but it just is not that easy I’m afraid.

Your issue could be caused by any number of technical issues or it could be psychological. Even Ian would be unable to sort your issue out over the internet. You just need to see someone bowling in nets and in a game to see what is happening.

The best advice I can give online is to refer you to the book because the book explains everything in great detail. Even then, you still might not be right as only a very skilful coach might be able to identify your issue.

Sorry this is not what you want hear uzie, but it’s not a simple task.

hey hi...
i never heard u name ever, was just going through the website.....so felt like ask something.
can u tell which part of body should be strongest for fast bowling
1.shoulder
2.back
3.legs
plz dont say all 3 coz i know that.........just tell me which among 3 should b strongest
and
i got many more question to ask.

thank u.

How can I answer your question if you don't want to hear the answer amar?

ok sir....
tell me what u exactly feel.......but i might have more question.

thank u

You can't split the body up into individual parts and train them seperatley. That makes as much sense as training indivudal finger to improve your catching.

Instead train the whole body in three dimensions, focus on movements not body parts: Learn to move. Become coordinated, athletic, strong and mobile. Make sure you train your mind as well as your body.

That's what I feel.

sir
i m glad to get a reply from ur side.........i thought people dont reply on such sites......i'll take ur sugestions and start with cricket all over again.......i quit it some 2yrs back but was not able to take out cricket from my heart.

i am a fast bowler and inswing come naturally to me......many a times i even got reverse swing.

i have seen lots of video's of sir Waqar younis and learnt many things from it.

can u help me with some diet tips......it will be a great help.

thank u

i am left arm pace bowler
i wnt to increase my pace by a great extinct
pls give tips for fitness and diet

Hi Ian, I have a just finished reading your book and a have a few questions, I have tried some of your recomendations on follow through and getting trough the crease and now find that I am bowling on a leg stump line instead of off stump is there any tips you would give or is it just a case of practice? another question are there any others similar books to yours or any other reading I can do ? And lastly are you based at Loughborough university as I am on my gap year at the moment playing cricket in melbourne and then going on to Loughborough for uni , but have roughly 6 months bewtween coming back from Australia and starting , are there any tips you give for starting serious training from 1 net a week , and starting at Loughborough uni in terms of getting in to sides, Will Sach

Will, I'm not sure Ian will see your questions. However, subscribe to the site as we have some exciting news coming that could help you improve dramatically.

hey hello sir how are you ? i hope everything is fine . sir i m 18yrs fast bowler sir just wan to ask you i m 5'7 and high arm action so i wan to ask you that i use short run up for bowling so it effect on my speed .

Run up has a small effect on speed. About 10%. How short are we talking?

I would argue run-up length has more than 10% effect on pace - obviously you cant bowl consistently fast off 2 strides... so more than 10%, but certainly less than 30% effect - but I do know as a fact that having too long a run up can definately SLOW YOU DOWN.

Many players make the mistake of having a too long run up: it causes problems with balance and stability at the point of delivery - the shorter the run up the better you are able to control your balance and the more repeatable your entire run up and action will be. ie its easier to get into a 'groove' and stay in it over 10 meters than it is to maintain it over 20 meters.

A good test for fast bowlers coming of long run ups is to exactly halve your run up and see how it feels. My experience is that your run up and action is more 'explosive' and more balanced and you can focus more on where you're going to land the ball rather than getting in balance for your delivery stride.

i am 14 yrs old,left arm pace bowler and i bowl quite good in the nets but in matches i bowl wide ... any suggestions?

hi

Sounds like a mental issue Donovan. Do you feel extra pressure out in the middle?

Im 15 and playing for Keilor Park in Melbourne. I find that this year, I'm running in much faster and getting good bounce, but I find I'm bowling too short about 40% of the time. Any suggestions? And I have a run up of 15 paces, is that too long for my age? Thanks

maybe you are focussing too much on your run up instead of focussing where you want to pitch the ball, and the actual bowling it self

i want to join a centre where fast bowlers are trained.i want to be world's best.send details on vg_456@yahoo.co.in

i wnt 2 increase my pace and wnt to about how to swing the ball i am a lft arm medium pacer.

hi, i am amit sharma. i am 17 years old .
please give suggestions for increasing the pace in my bowling,
my action is like ishant sharma (india)

i wnt 2 increase my pace and wnt to about how to swing the ball i am a right arm medium pacer.

hello sir , i am amit and my action is like ishant sharma so please give me a suggestions for increace in pace and please give me a some importenr videos of ishant sharmaa

Hvae you read the 10 Laws article Amit? (the link is at the top of this one)

yes sir

Do you think there is anything in there you can use?

hi everyone.CAN anyone pls tel me how to swing the ball.I am a junior bowler so pls explain in details...Thank u ...my email is naim.scorpion@yahoo.com

hi

i'm 14 years of age and bowl 95 kph i would like to increase my bowling speed by 10 kph does anybody have any good ways i could achieve this

thankyou

This may sound really wierd mohamed, but try dragging your back foot along the ground as your arm comes over. It can add loads of speed but i dont know why. I saw it in a recent artical by Pont

Can you buy Ian Pont's book from Australia.

I think it's available through Amazon, plus Ian sells it directly through his website so perhaps he can ship it internationally.

i am himanshu of class 9 and i am a fast bowler. i sometime use to miss my line and length and soon find to be be correct in few weeks during practice session but these creates a great trouble in the matches when i miss out the length. Though i perform well in practice session but couldn't use to perform well in matches.
Is there any tip or technique to archive strong or constant line and length???????>>>>

I am sabyasachi of class 9 , dps,damanjodi.I am middle order batsman.I find it difficult to bowl in the block hole consistently during the slog overs.can you kindly tell me the ways to pitch the ball in the block hole????

To bowl fuller you can release the ball earlier. You can make your back foot skid while your about to release the ball, this keeps your action up causing you to bowl fuller. You can change your action slightly by having your bowling arm lower (almost slinging the ball). Keeping your non-bowling shoulder up will help bowl fuller as this will keep your action up.

To bowl a consistent length your action needs to be comfortable and consistent.

hi im 13 yrs old i bowl quick in the nets but when i get into the game i slow down and lose all my pace how can i bowl quick in the game??

Whatever you're doing in the nets try to emulate out in a match; technically, mentally and physcially.

Hi Cody! My best answer is to use steps. After bowling as quick as you can in nets, Then do it in practice matches. dont worry about accuracy, just bowl as fast as you can. Next, Do it in a really match when you have nothing to lose. It doesnt matter then if you screw up. Then try it under pressure. If it doesnt come off take a step back and go back to the level you think youre at. Hope it works

thanks ben for your helpi got a practice match coming up soon so i will try it

kl hope it works btw What country are you from??>(im in England)

Australia. lol

Hi David,
I currently bowl in a 65-75 mph pace bracket. Ive been told a good way to add some pace is to keep the back foot touching the ground in the delivery stride, I was just wondering if you had heard of this also, and if you had any advice as to a good way to try implement it without taking my knees and ankles apart! thanks very much

I cant seem to be able to pitch the ball ksdjf

I seem to be getting cramps in the muscle around my lower leg after everytime i bowl. I stretch lots, use deep heat but it still remains. Any tips to get rid of it?

have a look here: how to stop cramps

Are you sure it is cramp? Sounds like perhaps it is a straining injury caused by jarring or a technical issue. Apart from stretching, try bowling in an extra pair of thick cricket socks or perhaps get a cushioning inner sole for your bowling boots. If you can get someone to video your deliver stride, check to see if you are landing in an unusual position or running off at a difficult angle.

hello sir.
i am 15 years old and i am short(155cms)and i bowl medium pace.i am an average batsman and also a handy allrounder.i have represented UAE under-15 cricket team .i swing the ball both the ways but i dont have pace in my bowling .i bowl at a good line and length.please help me out.i'll try out whatever you say.
thank you.

Hi everyone lol

I'm a 15 year old left arm medium-fast. I got a few questions.

I never really wanted to start bowling fast until about 14, and was wondering: does that make me slower than someone who has been bowling reasonably fast for longer, or is it just a phsychological thing? I know it sounds weird, but its really been kinda annoying me.

Secondly: Whenever I try to bowl inswinging yorkers to a right hander, it will swing too far outside leg. Does getting it right just come with practice?

Thirdly: I don't have easy access to a speed gun or anything, so how can I measure how fast I bowl?

Thanks for any comments.

to measure speed you could use a stopwatch. have someone(or take your own vedio recording) measure the time it takes from the time the ball leaves your hand to the time it passes the stumps. then use the formula speed=distance/time to find your bowling speed. I know it will not give you the most accurate measure, but good for a rough estimate (+-5km/h)

im 13 years old and bowl at a average of 90 kmh. Is that a good pace for a 13 year old?? thanks

hello sir.
i am 15 years old and i am short(155cms)and i bowl medium pace.i am an average batsman and also a handy allrounder.i have represented UAE under-15 cricket team .i swing the ball both the ways but i dont have pace in my bowling .i bowl at a good line and length.please help me out.i'll try out whatever you say.
thank you.

If you want to bowl fast I strongly recommend you join Ian on his "How to bowl faster" training course. It's all online. click here to find out more.

Hello,
i can bowl with accurate line & length & some what with pace. I want to icrease my speed, accuracy please give tips to increase speed & accuracy.

Heyy ihave heard that if you slide your back foot along the ground it can make you bowl quicker and more accurate. Should i start to do this in my action? thx

See the link above. Cody, that would help with driving your hip forwards so yes.

Hai! I am an aspiring cricketer and iwould like you to clear my doubts. Whenever I bowl I do it straight to the bat or it may over pitch and may go to the offside of a RH batsman leading to a wide.
I have also reduced my runup now as noballs are being delivered.Thus the ball's pace is reduced.Please help me with my noballs.Afew of balls but swinging out and that is the positive i am holding on. Please help me in rectifying my problems;I hope you as a senior cricketer will reply to this growing cricketer.

I used to bowl no balls alot, and I figured something out myself for trying to fix it. I don't know if it will 100% work for you, but it has for me.

Bowl your normal run up from the popping crease, and when you have your mark, put it back a further foot. If this doesn't work, try the open field thing.

Hope I helped in someway.

Hi sir ! I am Vivek a 19 year old boy and a genuine
fast bowler .
These days when I bowl atleast one of my bowl swings in .But not all the balls.This happens when my balls are having a considerable pace of 125-130km/hr and when my twist my fingers.I want to make all my balls swing either in or out.
Please help me with this.Is the above mentioned pace suitable for a lad of my age .Should I increase it.
What is the difference between cutting and swinging the ball.

Swinging the ball is the sideways movement in the air, normally due to one side of the ball polished, the other wearing away or rough.

Cut is when the ball moves off the pitch, normally off the seam.

I am Vivek and bowl my balls at 120-130 km/hr. is this pace ideal for me.Should I increase my pace.I am now 18 years old.

The faster you can bowl the more difficult the batters find it.

Cricket is life
i cant live without it
so dont take cricket away from Pakistan

Hi there,

For everyone who is struggling to keep an off side line: if your run up, bowling action and line is consistent (even though be it down leg) you might consider bowling a bit wider from the stumps, only 4 inches would be enough.

Hi! i am datrim ma age is 15 fast bowler i can swing the ball upto miles but when i bowl really very fast i struggle to swing the ball how to bowl fast and swing it upto miles as i do when i bowl slow

Hi sir ! I am a budding fast bowler, and I am only 13 years of age. I have a good height for my age - 5foot 8 inches. My pace, according to my coach, is about 105 kph. I am having doubts though because everyone tells me that my bowling is too slow. How can I increase my pace without having to compromise on my swing and accuracy ? And how do I get a settled run-up ?

I wouldn't worry too much about pace if you're only 13/ I'm not a bowler myself - actually a wicket keeper that plays regulary for dunstable town 2nd's. I often stand up to anything under 75mph, but its more line then pace that you should worry about. The tendancy of pace is not neccesarily everything. The way you should see it is, if there's more pace, the batsman can easily just galnce the ball for four, rather than putting power behind the shot. Before you worry about pace, id worry about line and length, even more so if you're only around 13-14, most colts have a hard time batting against straight bowling anyway. Hope this helps your mindset. Any question you want answers from a batting - wicket keeping point of view, don't hesitate to ask - hellraiser92@hotmail.com

hi ian what does the word slob stand for as in the ball called slob as i am coaching a talented player squad and i would like to coach my bowlers on how to bowl this ball but would like to now what slob stands for .

cheers dave.

Slob stands for Slow Obsolete delivery. It is very slow and dips in towards the stumps at the last minute so if you can get it right, it can be very effective as a change of pace or surprise delivery. It is normally bowled by a fast bowler.
Hope that helps and any more questions about bowling don't hesitate to e-mail me at osamahamid@live.co.uk

i want to increase my speed upto 140kph-150kph
at present i bowls around 125kph
so tell me some drills or whatever be needed for a fast bowler
if there is any video for that then u will send it to me plz
cricket is everything for me so give the reply soon plz

ramnivas all the answers are contained in Ian Pont's fast bowling coaching course. If you are serious about fast bowling being everything you must have this course.

Hi!I am a medium pace bowler from India. I think that I bowl a genuine pace of 120.I am also able to swing the red tennis ball outwards. My friends are telling that it is because of my grip on the ball9the way I hold it).Will I be able to do the same with the stitch ball.I am striving hard on my bowling these days. How many hours should I practice my bowling each day.

Only one way to find out Vivek, try it! How old are you? This will dictate how much you should bowl.

I am 19 years old - Vivek

i can bowl fine but on my run up i seem to let go of the ball higher than my normal bowl what should i do and also can i have some tips about making the ball get backspin please

Hi...I am a 21 year old right medium pacer....My bowling action is a wrong footed one or something similar to it i.e. i deliver the ball jaust at the point of landing the left foot or sometimes even before landing the left foot.Some say that that s the rason y i am not getting the pace...please help me correct my bowling action...

how to handLe the very new ball while the batsman is very nerveos 1st ballof the match

Hello everybody,
i am playing cricket in Good Luck Cricket Club as a off spin bowler and my favorite ball is "DOOSRA"i want some tips to you about great bowling.

Hi
i am a side arm fast bowler also play a very good standard, during my coaching sessions i am always told keep my head straight and get close to stumps, however never told how to do it, beacuse i have been bowling with my action for a while now( i am 19) its very hard for me to modify it ( i.e. try to keep my head straight)

i have two quick questions that i need answers off.

first one is ' how can i keep my head straight when bowling? any techniques that i can use, i was told to wear a neck brace!!!?

And ' i run in straight but during my leap(jump) i jump sideways making it harder for me to get close to stumps , it reduces my ability to bowl out swing as well as making it hard for me to keep my line. any tips on when i can do to get close to stumps??

a nice descriptive answer will b very helpful.

Thanks

HI...I Told you that how to swing the ball??
i am FASt bowler.and my bouncer is very dangerous.sO plzz tell me
THaNKS!!!

can anyone pls tell me how to increase my speed n bowl a reverse swinger?

Hi im hamish, just curious, if a kid wants to grow up to bowl like mitch johnson or brett lee or someone like that, how fast should they be bowling when there 14?

As far as I know there is no hard and fast rule because different bowlers mature at different rates. Some 14 year old will be quick and end up slow, some will be slow and end up quick. My advice would be to work on improving your technique and strength base so when you mature you will be ahead of the pack.

sir, i need ur favour. the problem is when i m bowling, my head goes down, the feeling is like i am try 2 bowl quick by using the power of my head.. i hope u got my point. hope 2 hear u soon

i want 2 ask u about 1 more problem i m facing. my body tend 2 lean 2 much backwards during my delivery jump. I have a semi-open action.

by the way, is it normal for a 14 year old to bowl around 120-125km?

That's very quick for a 14 year old. So it would be highly unusual. Most adult club bowlers don't get above 75mph (about 121kph).

what is the average speed of a 13 year old

I would be suprised if anyone knows for sure yet, although as more PitchVision sets are used this information will be easily available.

what is the average speed of a 16 year old

what is the average speed of a 16 year old

Hi, i'm a fast bowler and have recently turned 18 first day of the season, back in the winter nets when i was 17 1/2 years i was speeded at 80mph. I've been doing work trying to get quicker becuase i was told that as i'm only 5'8" it will be pace rather than bounce to get batsmen in trouble in a similar fashion to malcolm marshall, is there anything i can do or will i naturally develop it the more i bowl and mature?

thanks

Check out How to Bowl Faster by Ian Pont

HI...M A FATS BOWLER N WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN I GET THE OUTSWING ......M PERFECT IN INSWING BUT ITS OUTSWING WHICH IS UNKNOWN TO ME ........I HAVE GOOD SPEED WITH ACCURACY BUT .......I WANT TO REMOVE MY THRUST OF OUTSWING.........PLEASE HELP ME OUT

I BOWL AROUND 150KMH AND .......HWLP ME IN GETTING SWINGS??????

Mate if you can bowl at 150 km/h you don't need swing.

hi i bowl medium to fast bowling. i need tips on how to manage my pace with accuracy. my line an length is very inconsistent. please any tips

i want to increase my pace and learn to swing both d sides

I'm 16 years old, and I need to know what's the average speed for a paceman of my age.

SOme guys say I bowl about 125/130 km/h

Dear Sir,

Please help me regarding fast bowling, i am really confuse regarding the focus point of the fast bolwer from run up to deliver of the ball to the batsmen. Futher to that what is the suitable measure to be taken to avoid no ball.
your Prompt reply in these regards will be highly appreciated,

Thanking you,

Narbahadur Thakulla

sir plz tell me
a
i m a left arm bowler around 125-130 km\h
i wan't to become a fastest bowler as dirk nannis
a wan;t to cross 150 km\h
please send me all type of advice

I am 5 feet 6 inches does that mean i cant bowl faster.

I am a fast medium bowler with a decent pace, could you assist me on the following:
1) I feel I dont use my back properly while bowling, due to that I cant bounce the ball to make it difficult for the batsman
2) I want to built accuracy, lately my bowls are wide off stumps and give the batsman the opportunity to slash hard.

Thanks, appreciate your valuable feedback via email omer.rahi@db.com

Hi,
My name is Mufeer , I m a Right arm Bowler.I need to increase my speed of bowl.I want to become like dale steyn.How can i increase my speed of bowling.I mean which all excercise i should do.
Can u sent that to mufeerkhan@gmail.com.

hii i am krish i am 14 yrs old d main problem i get with bowling is i get a throw action when i am bowling how can i control this can u please let me know how can i stop these

anyone with any suggestions plz email me @ krishanth5432@gmail.com

Do a search for "how to stop chucking" in the search box up the top.

Sir, i m a right hand fast medium pace bowler. i m now playing for Orissa(India) u-19 cricket. i know almost all the basic techniques of fast bowling. But now a days i have a problem when i take lift behind the wicket to bowl i have no control to my body as a result it reduces my pace and losses my spot delivery concentration. what shoul i have to do. my age is 16+ height is 6.3", weight 51kg, very thin body. this information may help u in answering. Thanx in advance.

Sir, i m a right hand fast medium pace bowler. i m now playing for Orissa(India) u-19 cricket. i know almost all the basic techniques of fast bowling. But now a days i have a problem when i take lift behind the wicket to bowl i have no control to my body as a result it reduces my pace and losses my spot delivery concentration. what shoul i have to do. my age is 16+ height is 6.3", weight 51kg, very thin body. this information may help u in answering. Thanx in advance.

Sir, i m a right hand fast medium pace bowler. i m now playing for Orissa(India) u-19 cricket.i know almost all the basic techniques of fast bowling. But now a days i have a problem when i take lift behind the wicket to bowl i have no control to my body as a result it reduces my pace and losses my spot delivery concentration.what should i have to do. my age is 16+ height is 6.3",weight 51kg, very thin body.this information may help u in answering.Thanx in advance. please reply me on khaliqueshadab@gmail.com

heyy broo thnx alott.....

Hi
I am Jai i am 11 years old and i am left arm pace bowling I play for Fish Creek under 14s. Iam just wondering if I could get some tips on how to bowl at top of of stump and bowl slower bowls and yolka

Thanks Jai

Search the site Jai, there are loads of articles on those subjects.

Hi Coach,

Please share any updates on Atul Sharma of India. Is he still in training?

Thanks & Regards

sir,,
i want to increase my speed.over the years i increased a bit.my seniors said that in my run up i run with a bended hand and not a straight one.can it be a reason for my lack of speed??please help.

HI SIR I AM AMJAD FROM PAKISTAN I NEED SOME FAST BOWLING TIPS I WON,T TO SWING REVERSE SEWING

I m the right arm fast bowler, and i have to Bowl on 150km above speed, please give me the tips about that.

I have a 15yo (south african) son, he is a super fast bowler thanks to a full length net i put up at home when he has 7 ... BUT ..!! ..
I recently bought a bowling machine to help him with his batting which has suffered as a result of his concentration on bowling ...
What is the most effective way to use the machine .. and what sort of drills work

Gary Palmer has drills for all the shots here

Hi Jai.. Im an ex Leongatha boy.. used to play footy against Fish Creek, down near the racetrack. How did your season go?

you can grip the ball frm middle put your two fingres one in middle and other side
of the ball then you can grip it tightly then trow the the fast............

for any suggestion for pace the ball or swing the ball or reverse the ball contact me ......... no. 7837908216,,,,,,,,,,, or 8699105490..... ma name rohit..

no.......... that wrong 16 year old man . cvan throw only 90to 105 kph......

i am 17 years old fastbowler 6 ft2 inches tall very strong i can bowl at a good pace but not the pace that i believe i can bowl how can i uplod a video of me bowling so you can see my action

i wanna delivery fast bowl , but i couldnt do so , what to do, will any one give me some tips,,,,,,,,,,

Dear sir,
iam a 15 yrs old, i have consistent line and length , i want to improve my bowling speed.What should i do for that? i expect your reply.(my email id prradhakrishnan165@gmail.com)

how to improve my skill n fitness

iam a 16 yrs old, i have consistent line and length , i want to improve my bowling speed.What should i do for that? i expect your reply.(my email id:kkumarips@gmail.com)

Try Ian Pont's How to Bowl Faster course. The link is above.

i am 17 years old and 6 feet tall
i have a great run up but unable to transfer that momentum into my bowling action
any suggestions please

I refer you to my previous answer. Good luck.

Hi David.
When I bowl my stock outswinger, I get my swing by my wrist angling towards the slips(which happens naturally for me). I know it is not conventional, but is it ok? I bowl relatively quickly but I don't know if I am losing pace by doing this. By the way, I am a very side-on bowler. Thanks

Hi,
I have a question for you. So there is this fast bowler on our team and when I bat against him in the nets he usually bowls a ball where it's slow while it's in the air but after it bounces it comes at me like a rocket. Can you explain how he does this? Any advice/answer is widely appreciated by me.

Thanks,
Ravi

Do u play on the regular pitch or is it a cemented pitch? because the usually gets faster on skidded pitches. Also it depends on the slope of the pitch if the pitch is sliding down towards u it might speed up the ball. If he is a spinner it may be because he is bowling flippers which are really easy to hit for six.

we play on a turf pitch or you can say a synthetic turf pitch. But we also do play on a cemented pitch but the pitch makes no difference to what I see his fast balls do. And also the pitch is absolutely flat.

should the non bowling arm be bent or straight while bowling ?

should the non bowling arm be bent or straight while bowling ?

It starts bent in the coil then you extend your elbow to ideally fully straighten it. Levers are longer that way.

The best way to play this type of bowler is to use the back and across trigger which will give u more time to play. Also try to judge the line and length the earlier the release the fuller the ball.

thank you

Any techniques other than the drop step front foot block to help me bowl faster? I've noticed some international players turn their lower arm nearer to their shoulder than by their waist, does this increase their speed? I think most players have a slightly bent arm until they deliver the ball, does this increase speed? I'm 13 years old.

Sir,
I'm 5'7 high and can i bowl above 135 km/hr?

Sir,
I'm 5'7 high and can i bowl above 135 km/hr?

AOA
hi everybody!
i am a 14 year old fast bowler from Pakistan. i bowl around 65- 70mph or sometimes even above it.Is this a good pace for a 14 year olddddddddddddd??plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz reply thnksssssssss! and any tips on how i can increase my pace!thnks

hi
i am 15 years old and i am fast bowler but my bowling is not so fast what should i do for more fast or pace?pppllllzzz rreeeppllyyy

Sometimes when I bowl I hurt my back any reasons why this might happen? I'm a front on bowler.

Are you sure you're bowling with a front-on action and not a mixed action? A front on action should feature no twisting of the back, only extension and flexion.

not sure will check. Is a mixed action causing the pain?

sir, i m right handed, action semi side on pace bowler. Age 17. Height 6.4. My right leg leaves the ground too early before releasing the ball. Having smooth high arm action. What to do for same? Kindly reply soon. I m grateful to u. Thanx in advance.

plz advice me how to improve run up
izz there any drill for that
plz reply

Hello sir, I just have a few questions. I am confused as to WHICH exact length I should be bowling at. When I bowl full, I easily get driven away, the same is the case at my good length bowls. When I bowl Short, the bowl is easily pulled. I'm a fast bowler, and I would really like to not get hit around the park. When the bowl is moving, it's fine but when it isn't...what to do ? Thanks for your help.

hey every one, my name is Umer and I am 19 years old.
I am a fast bowler and I use full spike shoes but I have continuous pain in my Achilles and ankles specially the left foot ( I am a right handed bowler )...
can anyone help me on this issue ? :/

My best advice is to keep the ball at a good and full length and bring in variations like cutters, inswing outswing etc. The way i look at it there's no point in bowling short unless you can bowl at like 140 km/hour because you give the batsmen so much time when u bowl short. I have the same problem as you, but my captain told me the best thing to do is accept it and use my variations. So to recap just use your variations and keep the ball at a good and full length.

The courses offered here are in pounds or American dollars?????

Both, it depends where you are in the world. If you need a hand sorting the problem out then drop me an email www.pitchvision.com/contact (use the form).

when bowling from over he wicket,try bowling from a little away from the stumps.bowls going down leg side means your bowl goes in naturally. so bowling from away the stumps might help
i know because i had the same problem and my coach recomended this.

Respected sir,
it is a very nice tips for me.sir i want to know that if a child is a front on bowler then what type of suggestion i should give him.go with f/on action or change his action as a side on position .please give me the right feedback.
thankyou.

I am hamza my age is 14 i am from pakistan i cam bowl fast inswing outswing reverse swing and i can also spin with alote of varaties if any international team want me to play for their team contect me through my address hamza_393@yahoo.com

I am hamza my age is 14 i am from pakistan i cam bowl fast inswing outswing reverse swing and i can also spin with alote of varaties if any international team want me to play for their team contect me through my address hamza_393@yahoo.com

Rich, I understand your trouble. Being a left hander, I often bowled wild balls down the leg side, and it cost me my position in teams. Some changes on technique helped me. Firstly, a smooth run-up, increase your pace gradually until you are at near full speed at the crease. Your action at the crease is crucial. Your non-ball hand should be as high as possible, in front of your body. Your ball hand should be tucked in tight to your body, the ball not too low on the body. Make sure you jump higher (like nz bowler Chris Martin), as this will control your action. When bowling, your arms should move smoothly and quickly, not too hard and jerky. Make sure you follow through straight, rather than instantly pulling up to the side. Also, instead of trying to PLACE the ball, just bowl it. If you are collapsing at the crease, focus on having your arms tight to your body, and jump high at the crease.

Whilst I agree with most of what James has said, I feel that you should be careful with the 'jump high' part. If you jump too high, you will lose momentum, causing you to
A)lose pace
B)overstrain your body in trying to compensate for the loss of momentum, resulting in accuracy-loss and injury-susceptability.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't jump high, just that you should make for you are jumping forwards-enough so that you maintain your momentum.

Hi, friends this is shoraj tomer, i am a fast bowler havng accuracy but limited swing, so please tell me something to get more swing, please tell me some techniques for increasing speed and making my run up more effective.

explain how to ball faster

sir,
i am a fast bowler, inswing, outswing, reverse swing bowlin grips fhotos plz

WHEN I BOWL I DIDNT GET KINETIC ENERGY FROM MY RUN UP, AND WHEN I SWING MY HAND I FEEL NO PRESSURE IN MY ARM, SO THE BALL AUTOMETICALLY WHAT SHOULD I DO PLEASE REPLY SIR!

Hey my name is Cordaine and I am a medium pace bowler but I want to increase my speed.I also want to know if my action would go against me.When I bowl I release the ball with my head pointing down.I can get a good line
and length and excellent out-swing but I just cant seem to get enough speed.
If anyone can help message me at easynamesallowed@gmail.com please

Sir, i am a right arm naturally inswing, bowler. I have a problem from the begining that when i bowl my wrist bends towards the leg side so that it reduces pace and bowl seems to be legcutter. I have also a problem of finishing the action or complete follow through. Will u help me please.

Sir, i am a right arm naturally inswing, bowler. I have a problem from the begining that when i bowl my wrist bends towards the leg side so that it reduces pace and bowl seems to be legcutter. I have also a problem of finishing the action or complete follow through. Will u help me please.

Hey Adam,

thanks a ton for sharing this.
And all the best for your future man Smiling Hope u do well.

cheers,
Ash

i am a fast bowler i am 15 year old old i bowls at a apeed of approx 120km but i couldnr generate 130 km could u suggest me some method to bowl 130km

Wow, 5 years ago I commented on this and I'm still getting emails Smiling Unfortunately I've had a fair run of injuries, am captaining a 1st grade side currently but thats about where I stand.

Thanks for all the feedback and questions guys. Glad what I said 5 years back is still helping people Smiling

i am 12 years old, and my pace is around 70 mph, is it good? and if not then can you please give me some tips to bowl fast

I am 12 years old,my problem is that I am not able to bowl fast how can I bowl fast??

sir my age is 14 but my pace is low what can i do my pace increase im daily going to practice my action is like umar gul plzzzzzzz tell me plsssszzzzxxx
.

hi.

don't change his action because its whatever is good for him.

hi im james. pretty quick! one question do you bend your knee when it makes impact with the ground. if you do try not to! it loses pace and can do your knee.

hi im james. pretty quick! one question do you bend your knee when it makes impact with the ground. if you do try not to! it loses pace and can do your knee.

lol must be really good if you've had comments for 5 years!!!!!!!!

i want to know about how many swings and cuts in all bowling (fast,medium,spin)..............if any specialised website available........

i am fast bowler.i cannot usually pitch up the ball and i want to know where should i look while bowling.at the batsman leg or the area where i want to bol

Where i should look while bowling at the batsman leg or the area where i want to bowl.I usually had a promblem that i cannot pitch up the bowl usually.If i bowl 6 deliveries i pitch one bowl

Thanks sir

R u talking abt front knee jamess brthr??

hi i am harhsa nd i am 13 years of old i i dont have much height is 4.9 nd my pace is about 90 to 95 kph is this pace gud for me or in this age i should have more then this plz rply soon

i am 14yrs.i have a v.good pace(left arm) but at times i lose my accuracy and find trouble in getting the good length spot.i am concentrating on my out swinger.i got my pace checked to be 113 kmph.and while batting i find great difficulty in judging the length of the ball.pls suggest me .........

i am a good bowler i can do in swing and some out swing and i want to play now for county cricket how can i get access for england and other big cricket leagues and if you can help me more for my bowling criteria thanks

re pandi mundu bowl yela pattukovalo telusuko ra