How fast is it possible to bowl? | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

How fast is it possible to bowl?

In this free cricket coaching video Ian Pont discusses how fast he thinks bowling can get with his brand new, top secret fast bowling method: the drop step and front foot block.

Ian has noticed that 99% of bowlers don't use this method, but most of the really fast ones do. It makes perfect sense to emulate them.

If you want to know more about how to bowl using this method and dramatically increase your speed, enrol on How to Bowl Faster, the online fast bowling course for cricketers and coaches at every level. Ian has just added a section on how to use the drop step and front foot block to bowl faster.

 

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Comments

Just wondering, the explanation of HOW the drop step and front foot block was good, but there was no picture or demonstration of it occuring, so how would you go about coaching it or trying to incorporating it into your own bowling?

Personally I've found that my action is inconsistant and my line, length, bounce and swing have all gone as a result of that, and I'm losing faith in my own bowling to even get the ball full and straight, would trying to coach myself to use the drop step and front foot block help at all do you think or should I concentrate on what my coach tells me, about slowing down and trying to be more accurate and medium pace?

I'd agree about Brett Lee's action though, definately one of my favourite bowlers to watch!
Thanks for the great bowling tips, Ian!

You can get the drills and demonstrations on Ian's online coaching course How to Bowl Faster We spent a whole day filming it with England Woman's prospect Cath Dalton. Great fun and very informative.

There seems something wrong with Ian Pont's voice, maybe it's my speakers or the video? Anyway, I finished your book about two weeks ago: Great read, and now bought the "highly-recommended" Fast Bowlers bible...

There seems something wrong with Ian Pont's voice, maybe it's my speakers or the video? Anyway, I finished your book about two weeks ago: Great read, and now bought the "highly-recommended" Fast Bowlers bible...

The sounds seems OK to me, is anyone else struggling?

Nope! Just as gorgeous as always Laughing out loud

isn't the same method mentioned in this article?
http://www.pitchvision.com/how-to-bowl-fast

How to you keep your back foot on the ground without making it a mixed action.
In a mixed action you body is side on but your back foot is pointing to the batsman. This is what happens when you keep you back foot on the ground

i hope Ian Pont writes another book on fast bowling. I would like him to go into the run up a bit more though- saw some international cricket this summer and the pacemen do run up quite fast- im just wondering how much a fast run up adds to speed.

The Key with the run up is that you start off at a jog and build up, once you get to your 'cruising' speed you are ready to jump. Bob Woolmers bowling book is good if you want to find out more.

Ant - if you land front on the hips and shoulders line up, if you land side on the heel lifts and turns ahead of the front foot landing so the hips also point forwards. The back foot drags in a fast bowler - nothing to do with a mixed action, which is top half and bottom half doing different things.

Joe - 14% I once read - lower for a side on bowler. As an example, if you bowl 70 mph from standing, you should add almost 10 mph with run up.

I thought with the drop step and front foot block. it will increase your bowling speed . in javelin they do the drop step front foot block (soft step) and i read from Jeff Gorski's book that with the soft step done correctly you dont generate speed at the line you merely transfer momentum from the
run up into the throw. another example is long jump the jumpers dont generate height at the board they transfer the momentum from the run up.

Is it at all possible to send in a video of myself
practicing this technique? Also, if you get it right, how much can your average joe, 75 mph seamer expect to increase in pace?

You can put a video on youtube if you wish, we can look at it here. As for pace increase; it depends on how bad your action is in the first place. Anything from 2-5mph increase is average with the possibility of more if things are very poor.

how many bowlers do you have that are good at front foot block and how many that can bowl close to 90mph from you institute?

Which players use the drop step front foot block other than Brett Lee and Stuart Broad?

I've noticed Dale Steyn turns his bowling arm as it reaches his head instead of next to his waist

(End of my last comment) Does this add to the speed which Steyn bowls at?

How much extra pace do you get from doing the drop step front foot block

What techniques do players like Steyn, McGrath and Akhtar use to get so much pace?

Watching an "Over the Hill" balding Ganguly bowl at 115.7 kph.

Doesn't look like the guy ever touched weights and does not have much of a run up or a strong action.

Surely, generating pace can't be that hard man.