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 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.
To get a better picture of what the great mind of pace bowling is up to then pick up a copy of his book, The Fast Bowlers Bible, or enrol on an ABSAT course. Attendees on the courses discover the drills to allow players to bowl fast and accurate. They also learn how to use advanced biomechanics without all the jargon. It's a simple, bite-sized pieces way of coaching that works.
© Copyright miSport Holdings Ltd 2008
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?
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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?
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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!