HELP! my bowling action is crap!

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unccricket

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HELP! my bowling action is crap!

title is self explanatory. after this bowling session, the entire right side of my body was sore for like 2-3 days. Date is approximate (was sometime in the past week I believe).

video is here: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdjnR1QKMVo"]YouTube - bowling 07-02-08[/ame]

Anyway, some things that I observed from watching the video:
- Inconsistent and sometimes curved run up; slowing down as approaching crease
- Not getting a good forward jump
- Poor front arm drive and shoulder rotation
- falling away to the side
- Severe collapsing of both legs ; hip drive could be better
- slightly to moderately open action - not sure exactly b/c i am not side on or front on, so its hard to describe.


I've just ordered Ian Pont's book and am looking forward to reading it.

I am wondering if any of you all out there had any comments on my action, and how I can go about correcting some of my flaws. As I am in the US, I don't have any access to proper coaching so have to do everything on my own.

Thanks!
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

i dont know you seem to slow down before you bowl it just doesnt look rite
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

a couple of tips that have helped me with my bowling actions are

- bowl as if you are in a small corridor and you can't hit the walls so your action becomes very straight.

- when running keep your pace as even as possible so it might pay to get rid of the jump that you have.

- in your run up, run in a straight line heading for where you wan tot bowl the ball and have your arms going in the same direction that you are.

- last of all use your left arm as much as possible because it is there to help you with probably all of your bowling.

i hope that these tips can help in like they have helped me.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

personally, i'd like to stay taller at the crease and bowl with a " high arm action" to get more bounce and late movement.

my problem is learning how to implement this stuff into drills/practices so that I can improve my action.

i also need to hit the gym...but i've known that for a while now.

thanks for the advice so far.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

You get a bit of inswing, so that's good.

When the ball goes wild, it's because your head is all over the place. Try to keep it still and it'll help with the accuracy.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

I think just watch that your not dropping away,
and do you tire out easy? it just looks a bit sloppy and slow towards the end?
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Jack;26990 said:
I think just watch that your not dropping away,
and do you tire out easy? it just looks a bit sloppy and slow towards the end?
Click to expand...

well, i'm not in top shape at the moment, but I can usually bowl around 5 overs on the trot before I feel tired and things get sloppy. That's something I am going to work on.

Do you guys have any tips to avoid dropping away to the side.

Thanks for the advice so far!
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

If can get two people, just get them to stand either side of your follow through, so that to go between them you have you follow through in a straight line.

If you can't get two people, use cones.

Also just try to stay upright when you're bowling, that should stop you falling away.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

I would be interested to know why you think you are not a side on bowler. Your lower half could not be more side on if you tried ;)

However, your upper body is clearly front on :eek:

I am not surprised your back gets sore; continue this way and you are at risk of stress fractures at the pars interarticularis, particularly at L3 and L4 :D

I would suggest you get back to basics and concentrate on just a few things:

Your jump is fine but keep your hands within peripheral vision - at this point you would have no idea what they are doing.

As your non-bowling arm comes down, keep the forearm perpendicular to the ground, rotate the shoulder so that you are looking to the left of the forearm.

As you plant your back foot, try to keep it at a 90 degree angle to the front. At the moment it is about 95-105 degrees.

You have the idea of the hip drive but you must stay more upright; keep your knees soft but your legs straight.

Control your front leg after the action; it is sabotaging the whole movement. The extra rotation this produces is causing the pain to your right side.

Your non-bowling arm should be drawn straight back behind you. At the moment it is being thrown back and out to the left; this is due to the front leg action above.

You need to increase the follow through run; this will make you concentrate on taking all things forward.

I hope this helps, it is just my quick initial observations but do come back if you need any clarification.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Have you noticed something odd about the release, it seems to float out of the hand.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Unfortunately manee, the video is not that sharp and I cannot really see what is going on at the hand. I am sure there is quite alot going on in these types of videos that get missed :D
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Liz and everyone, thanks for the advice so far! In regard to controlling my front leg after the action, are you referring to the right leg going across my body and forcing everything to the left?

any tips on how i can implement the changes you have suggested? I am thinking that I should take it slowly, from a walk to a jog then faster until it feels comfortable at normal pace? would that be the best approach? Thanks!

PS: i'll try to get a better quality video up when i get a chance.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

It's your left leg [right as we look at the video] that worries me.

After you release the ball, it kicks up behind and across your right leg and cause you to perform a 225 degree rotation from back foot contact.

I would break down the movement:

Bowl from base until you can get the core movement registered in the CNS. Concentrate on the non bowling arm coming across to rotate the shoulder. Stop at the point where your non bowling hand is up in the air and your bowling hand is at your left armpit. Remember, that non bowling arm must move in the sagittal plane.

Then walk through the movement concentrating on getting that leg to stay on 'tramlines'; all going forward.

Then include the full run up and a proper follow through.

When you feel happy with this, add pace.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Liz Ward;27038 said:
Unfortunately manee, the video is not that sharp and I cannot really see what is going on at the hand. I am sure there is quite alot going on in these types of videos that get missed :D
Click to expand...
Okay, I'll try to help him with this particular observation.

unccricket, how does it feel when you release the ball, do you feel you are bowling the ball in the spot in which it goes with your entire arm including your wrist or does it feel to 'pop/slip out' somehow?
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Yeh it might just be the video but it does kinda look like it floats for a bit when it's just released.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Liz Ward;27077 said:
I would break down the movement:

Bowl from base until you can get the core movement registered in the CNS. Concentrate on the non bowling arm coming across to rotate the shoulder. Stop at the point where your non bowling hand is up in the air and your bowling hand is at your left armpit. Remember, that non bowling arm must move in the sagittal plane.

Then walk through the movement concentrating on getting that leg to stay on 'tramlines'; all going forward.

Then include the full run up and a proper follow through.

When you feel happy with this, add pace.
Click to expand...

okay, the way i am reading this is that from a stationary position, I should work on getting my left arm to go across my body to get my shoulder in line with my hips and pointing directly down the wicket.

while in the stationary position, should I also start working on bringing the non-bowling arm down and bringing my bowling arm around as if i am going to bowl. Or should I just work on the first movement?

Added 3 minute(s) and 17 second(s) later...

manee;27084 said:
Okay, I'll try to help him with this particular observation.

unccricket, how does it feel when you release the ball, do you feel you are bowling the ball in the spot in which it goes with your entire arm including your wrist or does it feel to 'pop/slip out' somehow?
Click to expand...

when the ball goes about beamer height, it feels like its slipping out. I know I don't have a good wrist action, because I usually don't keep it cocked in the delivery. I also don't really feel as if the ball is coming out from the arm.

Maybe I am releasing the ball fractionally too early?

Thanks everyone! I am just starting to work on these tips - I guess this means that I should not be trying to bowl for a while for fear of falling back into bad habits.
 
Re: HELP! my bowling action is crap!

Work on both movements at the same time.

Start with both hands above your head but in peripheral vision.

Exaggerate the three knee lifts.

End with your non bowling hand behind and up and your bowling hand at the opposite armpit.

It would help if you did this in front of a mirror, keeping your head straight and your eyes forward; do not look away.
 
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