the fast bowlers

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To bowl fast the right ( bowling) arm must swing as quickly as possible. To assist the accelerated swing of the bowling arm, the trunk must do a very rapid twist and turn. The run up to the wicket will be much longer and quicker than that of the medium pace bowler. The run up should be accelerating so that the quickest point will be at the take off jumps towards the bowling crease. 1. The final stride to the crease: the mid air position just before landing on the right foot at the crease.The right leg is going past the left and is about to land with the foot pointing square to the off side. The trunk is turning towards the sideways –on position. The left arm is reaching as high as possible. The eyes look over the left shoulder. The head is steady. 2. The right leg is braced. The right arm has gone forward and down and is about to commence the upward swing towards the moment of releasing the ball. The left leg is high and bent, ready to go forward with the forward swing of the left arm. 3. Still sideways. Just before the ball is released. 4. The turning movements of the trunk and hips of the fast bowler, being made so quickly, means a more complete follow through over the left leg. The left leg has taken the shock of the body when it landed and the late accelerating turn took place. The swing of the left arm has gone past and close to the left leg. The right arm is following the left arm round the body. The hips do a complete turn. The trunk goes low in the follow through. The forehead is towards the batsman. The eyes look towards the pitch of the ball, and follow it on its way.

bowling basics

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BOWLING BASIC ACTION. 1.The basic grip. First and second fingers alongside the seam, the humb supporting underneath. Third and fourth fingers at the side of the ball. 2. Foot positions at the crease when delivering the ball. 3. Start by walking to the wicket. Whether walking or running to the wicket, the balance of the body will always go forward. 4. The front foot is going forward. The hands hang down n relaxed position. The head is steady. The eyes look forward. 5. The right hand swings high. The initial swing of the right arm to this position starts before the initial swing of the left arm. As the right arm swings up, the right foot has gone forward. 6. The left foot comes forward past the right. The left arm carries on with this upward swing. The right arm commences the downward swing. The left arm carries on with the upward swing. The balance of the body is on the back leg. The trunk is turning towards the sideways-on position. The eyes look down the wicket over the left elbow. 7. The left arm has gone to a higher position. The trunk has turned sideways on. The head is steady. The eyes look over the left shoulder. The right arm stays close to the body in its downward swing.

forcing the over pitched ball

Played to the ball, which is beyond the half volley length and pitching very close to the feet and in line with the stumps
	1. The hands go out and away form the body as soon as the shot is decided upon the weight is on the back foot.
	2. The bat has started its down swing from outside the off stump and the hands are away from the body. The wrists are still cocked. The weight of the body is still on the right foot. The eyes watch the ball about to pitch
	3 .The bat continues it’s down swing with the hands beginning to drop; the ball being well over –pitched will have to be dug out. The left foot has been brought back, allowing the batsman to open up the hips. The weight of the body still on the back. Foot. The right wrist is still cocked. Both arms are bent.
	4. The hit is about to be made. The right hand takes the major part in the shot. The right shoulder drops as the right hand hurries the bat towards the ball. The balance of the body is still on the right foot. The eyes watch the ball as it hits the pitch.
	5. Finish of the shot. The right hand having delivered the punch, takes the bat through in the direction of the hit. The body has turned, the right side coming into the shot when the right hand swung the bat through the pitch of the ball. The left foot goes back as the body completes its turn, with the swinging follow through. The eyes watch the ball go off in the direction of the hit.

forcing the good length delivery

The shot is played to the good length ball, or one jus short of a length, coming down in a line towards the middle and leg stumps 1.The bat has gone high and he hands are going away from the body. The weight of the body has gone onto the back foot. The eyes watch the ball which is about to pitch. The wrists are fully cocked 2.From the back, same stage. The wrists are fully cocked. The bend elbow of the right arm has moved away form the body. The right foot had moved across to cover the middle and off stumps 3. The hands are accelerating the bat down towards the ball, ready to make the hit towards the on side. The right wrist is still fully cocked. 4.The hit is made. The left arm high elbow bent. The right hand goes past the left hand in the execution of the shot. The eyes watch the ball on to the bat. 5.Finish of the hit. The balance of the body is maintained on the back leg. The trunk turns as the right hand follows though in the direction of the hit. The eyes follow the ball

forward defence

The forward defensive shot is played to the ball just short of the half volley, which is pitched in line with the stumps, or ball pitching off the line of the stumps and deviating towards them. 1. For any front foot shot, the foot goes forward to the ball pitching in line with the stumps. The left foot goes forward and alongside the line of the on coming ball. Come up on the toes of the right foot, let the body balance go forward on to the front leg. Both legs are slightly bent. The head does not move. The eyes follow the ball in its flight down the pitch for as long as possible. 2. From the normal pick up, the eyes watch the ball coming down. Both wrists and arms are bent. 3. The left foot has gone forward simultaneously, the bat starts its down swing towards the ball. The left shoulder faces the line of the ball. Both wrists are fully cocked, the right hand opening slightly but gripped firmly with fingers and thumb. Up on the toes of the back foot, which assists the weight to go forward on to the left leg. 4. The bat is half way in the down swing towards the ball. The face of the bat has come square on to meet the ball. Both arms are slightly bent. The head steady. Eyes look over the hands towards the pitch of the ball. 5. The ball is played. The left hand has gone well in front of the right. The trunk learning forward and over the front leg. The right hand is behind the handle and relaxed. The left leg is slightly bent. The eyes follow the ball, past the hands. 6. Back view of the same position. The right hand is relaxed. A firm grip with the left hand. The angling of the bat is plainly seen. 7. Now the view from the front. The body weight goes well forward over the left leg. The left hand in front of the right. Right hand behind the handle of the bat. 8. The finish of the shot. The ball is pushed away with the bat in the upright position. The left hand is still in front position. The left hand is still in front of the right hand. The head is steady, the eyes watching the ball past the hands. The ball goes off the bat, which is following through after it has played the ball. The follow through will be short, a matter of inches, the bat staying upright. The eyes follow the ball off the bat.

back defence

When the ball pitches short of a length and is on the wicket, the batsman must walk backwards to give himself more time and room to play the shot. By walking backwards, say a couple of feet, he makes the ball relatively that much shorter. The aim of the defensive shot is to keep the ball out by bringing the face of the bat square on to play the ball.

1.The eyes watch the ball about to pitch. The right foot goes back towards the middle stump, the right let is braced to take the weight. The left side is towards the ball. Up on the toes of the front foot which is about to come back towards the right foot.

2. The left foot comes back towards the braced right let, and simultaneously the bat begins it down swing. The left shoulder is still sideways on. The eyes watch the ball coming down the pitch. The wrists are still cocked and the arms bent. The face of the bat is to the off side.

3. The hands bring the bat down to meet the ball with the face in the square on position towards the ball. The right arm hugs the right side. The right hand is behind the bat handle. The shoulders are beginning to open. The forehead about to face the ball.

4. The completed shot. Weight on the braced right let. The right arm slides past the right side. The right hand relaxed behind the handle of the bat. Up on the toes of the front foot. The left shoulder and left elbow high. The left hand in front of the right, angling the bat to play the ball down. The ball is played as close to the body and as late in its flight as possible. The head is steady, the eyes follow the ball for as long as they can towards the face of the bat.

5. Don’t look down at the back of the bat when playing the ball, otherwise the right shoulder will drop and the flight of the ball towards the bat will be lost.

6. Don’t go back with both feet pointing up the wicket, if the bat is not to come down across the line of the ball resulting in either an edged shot to the slips or a complete miss.

7. Don’t play back and take the hands away from the body in an attempt to play the ball, otherwise a gap is left between bat and pads through which the ball can pass to hit the stumps.

advancing up the midwicket

This action can be used against the slower bowler when the flight of the ball is high enough to give sufficient time to go out of the crease and get to the pitch of the ball. It should not be attempted against the ball pitching wide of the stumps, but only to he ball coming down in a line towards the stumps. 1.First move. The bat is raised to the higher position, ready for an attacking shot. The first stride is made up the wicket. The trunk is sideways on. Watch for the ball as it leaves the bowler’s hand. The batsman will notice the movement to the hand when imparting spin. If he fails to do this he might miss the ’googly’. 2.Second stage. The weight is on the left leg. The right foot comes up behind the left foot. 3.Third stage. The left foot goes forward. The bat starts swinging at the ball. The trunk is still sideways on. The wrists are fully cocked, accelerating the swing of the bat. The eye watches the ball about to pitch. 4.The finish of the shot. This being a full attacking shot, a full swing of the bat and high follow through should be the aim

the off drive

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Play the off drive to the ball pitched well up that is a half that is a half volley, on or outside the off stump. The aim of the shot is to get the face of the bat well behind the ball at the moment of hitting, and keeping it square on in the direction of the shot. 1.Put the left foot up to and alongside the line of the ball. The weight goes forward over the left leg. 2.Go to the high pick up and, simultaneously with the left foot going out, the bat commences the down swing. Point the left shoulder towards the line of the on-coming ball; this will take the bat over the leg stump. The head is steady. Watch the ball in its flight down the wicket. 3.The bat commences its down swing coming form the lien of the leg stump towards the ball outside the off stump. Keep the wrist cocked. At this stage the left hand has the major part in swinging the bat towards the ball and the left shoulder is still pointed towards the line of the ball. The eye line will be over the left elbow. 4.Keep the wrist cocked and the bat swinging with the left arm. The weight is going forward over the left leg. The left arm is beginning to unhinge. The right elbow brushes the right side with the right hand behind the handle of the bat. The bat face is now square on to the ball. 5.The hit is about to be made. The left hand still swinging the bat. The right hand grip is firmer at this stage. It is the right hand that will put the power into the shot. The eye line is now over the left hand, following the ball as far as possible towards the bat.