THE CRICKET CLINIC!!!

Firstly Hi to everyone since this is my first post!

So..basically i have lost my ability to bowl! ..im pretty serious.

I used to be a really pacey left arm bowler when i was young (about 14). Since then i have barely played cricket but the odd occasions i have in nets/recreation i have totally lost it! I was hoping to start playing in a local club, i can@t get coachin since i am way past that age. I am 20

Every ball is slow (like really slow...the way i get wickets is by batsmen trying to slog me but getting caught..probably because there is no pace on the ball). This is also if i try bowling really fast..it comes out v.slow. This is not only the case with a leaher bowl even a tape ball!

And also EVERY ball i bowl is short...i can't bowl yorkers or even good half volleys!

There must be some elementary flaw........some one help me out please!

Thanks for the reply mate!

As they say practice makes perfect....but bowling short has been a problem for me in the past..and i keep on doing it..i just cannot get yorker lenght no matter what i do.

what about the pace?..i just do not understand how i can bowl so slow

As NZ said, it's possible that you have lost your ability to bowl fast.  But it's worth a few things to try out.

First, work on getting your length right.  Forget the pace for now.  You could very well be a Brett Lee, but if cant get your length right, even half-assed club players will whack you around.

About your bowling short - my guess is, it's due to two reasons.
1.  You are gripping the ball too tightly.  Hold the ball, as close to the edge of your fingers as possible, but still giving you a firm grip.  Dont plant your forefinger and middle finger on the ball.  Basically, only the first two segments (out of 3) on those fingers, should be touching the ball.  But with this grip, it's imperative that you keep your wrist firm, at the point of delivery.
2.  The other reason, could be, that you are not releasing the ball at the highest point of your action, but after you have past the highest point of your action.

As far as your pace is concerned, I'm guessing, you have an action, where, your arm is very close to your ear.  Get your arm, at the point of delivery, to go around a bit, at an angle - a la Akram.  This will add a yard or two of pace.  You can even try it at home.  Just roll your arm over, near your ears, and one action around your shoulder, ie, a bit away from your ear.  You will notice that your arm goes faster in the second method.

If you follow the above method, obviously, your line is going to get screwed up.  But you can work on it and make adjustments.

But whatever you do, get your length right first.



Edited by Punch - 13 February 2008 at 8:02pm

Wizard, thanks, but your approach may work, if the bowler is of express pace by default.
Even then, it's still difficult, to get accuracy.

My mantra for my fast bowlers is accuracy first, pace later.  Except for those express quick ones, whom, I give a leeway in the match.  Because, after all, we are weekend warriors, and I cant expect my pace bowlers to bowl at that pace with Brett Lee's accuracy.

Slogfest, this I think would be the best way to rediscover your form:
Cut down your run up by half, or less than half.
Try to get your line and length right, but, use your shoulder to generate your pace.  (When you make a conscious effort to use your shoulder, you'll be amazed at how quick the ball can be).
Once you get a decent line and length, and you are comfortable with a particular run up, increase your run up by 2 or 3 steps.  And so on.

And you dont need pace to trouble batsmen - line, length, and swing will do.  Just remember Akram in his later years.  He was military medium at best, but he could trouble the best batsmen, with just his accuracy.
(And Akram, used to genrate his pace with his shoulder, even when his run up was only 6 steps!)

p.s - And it wont hurt to strengthen up your shoulders in the gym.





Edited by Punch - 14 February 2008 at 3:20am

Open you stance a bit more leg sidish.

And I would also suggest a middle stump guard.

it depends, it can make you play more on the legside than is prehaps required. but if it works for you then thats fine

That stance definitely helps, if you are not able to pick the quicker bowlers.
But in the same vein, remember that, this stance, will make you susceptible to balls outside the off stump - because, your leading leg, has to travel that much further and across, to get in line, to play the balls outside the off stump.

That's where I would attack, as a captain, and as a bowler, if I see a batsman with that stance.

If that's working for you, great, then dont change anything.
But observe - if you are having difficulty playing balls outside the offstump, or are edging too much, and worse, getting out to caught in the slips, then, for the same stance, use a back and across trigger movement.  That should help.

Use it only if you need to.  And, disregard everything here, if something feels good and works for you.  That's always the bottom line.

Cut down on your pace/run up.  Practice till you get it right, and then gradually increase your pace/run up.

Fair enough if you dont give space between your hands!!

k thanks mate i thought by holding the grip higher up i would be able to play more on the ground but i tried this today and it didn't work. Another thing that i am worried about is my catching, its been horrible lately i seem to be dropping everything, especially sitters. This may seem odd but i prefer hard cathes than easier ones as i always seem to drop very easy catches.

thanks for the advise punch , i too get the most joy when playing a perfectlt timed stroke on the ground. I love playing on the ground and hate it when i play it up.

I am right arm fast bowler, but i feel i can be faster, i have seena lot of people say that braceing your left leg as u bowl generates most of the pace, but i have 1 leg shorter than the other buy about an inch and a half, does anyone think this slows me down ?

hi i am a legspinner but of late i'm not able to spin and bowl accurate on my day i get a lot of spin and get a lot of wickets but that rarely happens i can seem to know what my problem is.

Hi , i have been going over my bowling action and trying to tweak and needed some help with my wrist action.... When i run into the crease i usualyy have my wrist cocked back so i can flick when i realease the bowl this usualyy gives me a bit of extra pace but i tend to drag it down  a lot more i was just wondering what everybody lese prefers.. cocking the wrist of just letting the ball roll out of the fingers ?