Ask the Readers: Help Khalique to Bowl Faster
Khalique dropped me an email recently for some advice on his bowling. I thought you might be able to give him some tips. Leave a comment and let us know.
"I am struggling with my pace: I had good pace with natural in swing but now during the last 3 years it has all gone. I am 6.3" tall and 68kg in weight. kindly help me to get my pace back and bowl like a fast bowler."
We have spoken a lot about bowling fast, from the action to fitness to mental approach. So I thought it was time to see if you can add to the suggestion pile, and also help Khalique reach the goal that many site readers also desire: searing, destructive pace.
Here are videos he sent in:
and here are a couple of stills to help you out:
I have a couple of thoughts, but first; what do you think?
How can Khalique up his pace?
All suggestions are welcome from the obvious technical pointers to things from left field. Leave a comment and let us know.
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Comments
Action-wise, this is a little tricky. The basics are solid. but can we squeeze out some more speed by looking at the front arm and hips?
I don't see a lot wrong in terms of the action. The only thing I see is that the release looks a little bit floaty - maybe some leakage at the actual delivery point in terms of hip drive through the crease and perhaps in the wrist position behind the ball at release?
It looks like you could put a bit more chest into your action
Could I send in a few videos too?
Exactly dave, i have the exact problem what you told about. That's why i am asking how to get control over it. I had done lots of drills regarding this but unfortunately i failed. Any new technique from you which will help me out
I think you need to put in some wrist snap to avoid the floatiness
to Squeeze more pace of such bowler is realy easy as he has got the right height of a fast bowler. Consistency is his problem as he is more conscious of the wickets position rather than focusing on his bowling and the batsmen's weaknesses to cash on. before the delivery stride he should have been lowering his pace due to the effort to reduce the risk due to no-ball. he can actually be trained in sub-consciously trying to gauge the position of the bowling wicket by calculating his run-up length and adjusting it constantly for better pace. once he feels a particular length suits him better where he can run-in real fast and deliver the ball at real pace, he can complete the total action of delivering the ball and having a hiccup less follow through
If the floatiness is a problem, is this because you are trying to pitch the ball up? If so, you might be better served trying for a flatter trajectory just a little shorter, and pushing through the ball a bit firmer in order to get the pace you have in your run-up and bound into the delivery of the ball...
His physical attributes should help him to bowl quickly. 4 observations from the stills 1) side on action so he needs to be looking more inside his front arm, 2) front foot contact landing in line with back foot hip "shutting off" his action. Front foot needs to be landing more to off side to support the front knee and hip and opening up room for proper use of the hips, 3) front arm has fallen away on front foot landing, 4) needs to drive back hip through before release. All of these contribute towards reducing the speed of delivery but are minor adjustments to what is essentially a good basic action.
Assalamoalakm wa rufma tu Allah hi wa barakatuh, Khalique. Eid Mubarak!
Tips:
1. Make sure you bend your BACK, fully and all the way. You will get more bounce and pace.
2. Keep your ARMS as straight as possible when bowling.
3. Make sure you maintain good CHEST DRIVE. Waqar Younus was saying something about having a slightly round-arm action as a good thing. If you have this, you will get good chest drive, and depending on your actin, possibly reverse swing.
4. Make sure you stay FIT. Balance you fitness time with your cricket time. Finding a trainer would be the best option. You want to make sure you do a lot of running/jogging, sprinting, gym work (weights, bike, stair stepper, other strength training, etc.). Also, you can incorporate some fitness drills in your net sessions (high knees, etc.).
5. Practice keeping your FRONT LEG straight and you back leg bent when you bowl. As mentioned in Ian Pont's book on fast bowling, this might want to make you not follow through a little, though it will be a better form of transferring the kinetic energy from your run up into the ball.
6. Relating to number 5, when bowling, as you jump, your right leg should come at a 90º angle when you take your jump, after your back foot lands and before you deliver, bring your left leg up and a 90º angle. Repeat in your follow-through with your right leg again. This is called the THREE-KNEE DRILL. (You can search online.)
7. Once you are in practice with your bowling and have your line and length down, FLICK your wrist when you release the ball. You will get more pace and bounce.
8. If you want to bowl fast, make sure you steam-in hard in your RUN UP. Not an easy run, but not a sprint. Somewhere in between. Lean forward when you start to run in, and slowly start to lean back before you deliver.
9. Make sure you pull down hard with your left arm (point towards your target, either on pitch or wicket).
Also. I would recommend watching Cloverdale Masterclass Fast Bowling tips on YouTube. You can also search a bunch of other video that can help you.
Jazak Allah Khair
@bharadvaj, sir i need to talk you personally. kindly give your email-id
@Taimur, sir i need to talk you personally. kindly give your email-id my id is khaliquea9@gmail.com
@Khaliq, for the sake of following the orders of my parents, it would be better if we could just talk on the forum. Jazak Allah Khair.
I am struggling withe my run up how can i am improve my bowling run up
@Umer, Assalamoalakum wa rufmato Allahi wa barakatuh. It depends on the kind of problem your are having with your run up. I would recommend watching Cloverdale Masterclass cricket videos and Mathew Hoggard's Basics of Bowling and Secrets of Swing.
http://youtu.be/wBa1OxNYI-Y
http://youtu.be/jqVnlpur1OE
http://youtu.be/6GnNnN821Ns
http://youtu.be/9fElz63o_qI
If your having trouble with having a steady run up, you should remeasure it.
• start at the opposite side of the bowling crease
•close your eyes and run naturally with a ball in your hand
•bowl whenever it feels right
The best way is to have a friend see where your front foot lands and place some kind of mark there. You can measure your run up in strides or with a tape measurer (probably best). Also, make sure you measure your run up from the wicket (not from bowling crease) with about an extra inch or two for you to play with.
Hope this helps, Brother. May Allah (SWT) give your success in the future.
Taimur
P.S. If your new to running up, start with a small run up and build up. For example, maybe start with 6 steps, then 10, 15, and slowly build up as your master each level.
@Khalique, check these videos out too. Insha Allah, they will be beneficial. Jazak Allah Khair.
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