Length

Auzayr

New Member
Length

Hi,
When I bowl I usually bowl a pretty good line just outside off stump, however, when it comes to length I tend to bowl either too full or too short. I have tried placing cones on the field and try hitting them and I usaully succeed, however, when it comes to bowling without the cones with a batsman facing I bowl the wrong length. So can you please tell me how to bowl in the right good length consistently?
 
Re: Length

If you can hit cones when aiming for them, try putting a leaf or a mark on a good length and aim for that if you can see it. I dunno, but it might be the pressure not the lack of cones.

An ACC coach told me to just look at the bottom of the off stump, and it seemed to work even though I don't use it at the moment. Either than or look directly at a good length.
 
Re: Length

Jonesy said:
Either than or look directly at a good length.

Does that ever work though? My Dad always used to tell me to do that, but it never seemed to work for me?
 
Re: Length

I know what you lot are saying but isn't there any tips of techniques which allow you to bowl in a good length area?
 
Re: Length

What is the best drill/practice for improving accuracy? Also, what do you think is more important, line or length?

If you run up straight, go through the crease straight, and then follow through straight, there's a high chance the ball will go straight. So I always do bowling drills that encourage a bowler to focus on lining up to the target and driving down a 'railway track' so everything stays at target. It's a simple thing to think about and helps with delivering a consistent line, which is far more important than length.

Length is simply a result of when you let the ball go and if you bowl an excellent line, you can really eliminate scoring opportunities for batsman. For a good bowler, leg stump and middle stump shouldn't exist. The focus is top of off stump and the 3-4 inches just outside. I use a foam channel target placed on the top of the stump to bowl at. It concentrates the mind and creates a zeroing-in effect to the delivery.
 
Re: Length

my district coach has taught me a trick what annoyingly works because i don't like the mental side of bowling...i've just never wanted to believe it. He told me to start creating processes in me head??? basically he told me to go to my mark and to stare at a specific part of a cricket ball. I look at odd scratches on the ball. He then told me to start my run up looking at the ball then look up at the exact point on the wicket i want to hit. he says the wurst thing to do is to look at the batsmen. I told him it was a load of rubbish so he said do it nd look outside off stick just back ov a length for 4 balls....all on the spot... then a middle stump yorker....turned into off stump yorker due to out swing and then he said don't do the process thing and try another yorker but it ended up going down leg...so try it
 
Re: Length

I watch the base of off stump for a length ball and (for some reason) the base of leg stump for a yorker. I don't think it actually matters where you look - what you're really doing is building something into your bowling routine that allows you to get repeated results. So if you practice your bowling focusing on the base of the stumps, then you should bowl in a match looking at the base of the stumps. It's basically just a trigger - you can decide to look anywhere on the pitch that you want.

I like using base of off stump - as it's a fixed reference point (in practice and matches) and it's directly in line with where I want the ball to pitch.
 
Re: Length

Yeh, exactly. If you are a person who likes structure, then something like looking at a spot on the pitch or what phil said would be great. James Hird talked about Matthew Lloyd in his book, saying he needs to pull his socks up, tighten his laces and throw grass in air before he kicks for goal, because Lloyd needs structure to perform well. That's the type of player that has a set routine before the game. But people are different, Hird also says that he isn't that type of guy, he doesn't have to stay in the position he is set into, he roams around before taking the order, he doesn't take it instantly and he doesn't have a set routine before kicking for goal.

To sum it all up, people have different traits, both players are champions but both are different. Auz, I suggest you try looking at the base of off and see how it works for you.
 
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