medium pace swing bowling...

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T.A Offspinner

T.A Offspinner

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I was just wondering about some techniques and tips for some medium pace bowling, I bowl a natural out swinger because of a side on action and can get a decent inswinger going and yeah im open to any tips you guys have... I made the change from offspin at the start of the season...
 
Hi T.A O,

As a biomechanist, I don't give technique tips, although some of the guys on here may.

The reason?

I could give you a tip that would, without seeing your action, mess it all up altogether. We are all different and we really need to work with what we have. As I keep saying, what works for one will not necessarily work for another.

However, as I specialise in pace bowling and I am in the minority of having a side on preference, if you can post a video, showing the whole body in the whole action, I can give you a considered reply and let you know what you are doing great and where you can improve; either with decreasing injury risk or increasing pace and accuracy.

Liz
 
Liz Ward said:
Hi T.A O,

As a biomechanist, I don't give technique tips, although some of the guys on here may...I am in the minority of having a side on preference
Liz
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Liz, is this a 'professional' ie biomechanical, stance or just a personal preference? The ECB certainly favour the side on approach when coaching younger / first time cricketers but some just have a naturally more front on action. Had a very interesting debate during the ECB CDWs last month about at what point you accept that some will never really 'get' the whole side on thing and you are swimming against the tide in trying to get them to go into an 'unnatural' position
 
Ooh Tony, would love to have a chat with you about this some time... perhaps at the Regional Conference?

On paper, I do not believe in 'unnatural' position. The human body is fantastic and we can all [on paper] move the same [within reason... exclude contortion etc :) ]. On paper [aren't those great words] everybody can bowl side on with ease.

However, we all know that this is not the case 'on the field'. This is not due to the human body but corruption.

For instance, I have related elsewhere on the forum so apologies if you have read it... five years ago, I was asked to coach in a primary school. Fortunately, none of the children (years 2 and 3) had played cricket before. At the time, I was responsible for LTAD in the area so was experimenting with unilateral/bilateral/multilateral movements. When it came to the bowling session, I taught the children to bowl side on and although they were all right hand dominant, I taught them to bowl left handed. Not one had a problem with this and all became quite accurate within the first session. When it came to teaching them to bowl right handed, they all, without exception, had difficulties... they found it 'unnatural'. It took them a couple of sessions to get anywhere near their former accuracy. Of course, me being me, I then made them bowl with alternate arms... all are now quite proficient at confusing the batsman :D.

If we get the players young enough, we can get them to bowl how we want them to. Unfortunately, by the time we usually get our hands on the little darlings, they have had their movements inhibited by other 'helpful' people or other activities.

Personally, I can get far more from a player with a side on action and as an ABSAT coach, I find it so much easier to increase pace and accuracy with a side on action. However, although the ECB will encourage a side on action, many coaches are confused with respect to unauthodox and mixed actions and find the front on action easier to coach safely.

It is possible for everybody to bowl side on but it is unfair to ask a coach to change a player's action from one seemingly 'natural' position to another. To be perfectly brutal, they are not, generally, trained in this area; breaking down and recontructing chains are the role of the biomechanist or other sports scientists ;). Unless you really know what you are doing, trying to force a front on bowler to bowl side on can cause a number of soft tissue problems, which can lead to chronic issues.

Now... at risk of contradicting myself... there are occasions when a player should bowl front on, but there are so many factors that influence this decision! Personally, I do not think this should be attempted if you are less than 6'3" in height :p
 
Liz Ward said:
...
Personally, I can get far more from a player with a side on action and as an ABSAT coach, I find it so much easier to increase pace and accuracy with a side on action. However, although the ECB will encourage a side on action, many coaches are confused with respect to unauthodox and mixed actions and find the front on action easier to coach safely.

It is possible for everybody to bowl side on but it is unfair to ask a coach to change a player's action from one seemingly 'natural' position to another. To be perfectly brutal, they are not, generally, trained in this area; breaking down and recontructing chains are the role of the biomechanist or other sports scientists ;). Unless you really know what you are doing, trying to force a front on bowler to bowl side on can cause a number of soft tissue problems, which can lead to chronic issues.

Now... at risk of contradicting myself... there are occasions when a player should bowl front on, but there are so many factors that influence this decision! Personally, I do not think this should be attempted if you are less than 6'3" in height :p
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Really jealous now, I have been waiting all summer for Ian to run another ABSAT course ("coming in April" was the original message on the website!). I personally dont find the front on action easier to coach but I have seen bowlers end up really confused by coaches trying to 'correct' their action which was perfectly safe and effective but just not what the coach preferred (both ways), I think because of this I am far more tolerant of even young children adopting a front on style (having just demonstrated a side on bowling action!) than others may be. Are you saying there is a biomechanical advantage to side on and I should really be pushing that?
 
TonyM said:
Really jealous now, I have been waiting all summer for Ian to run another ABSAT course ("coming in April" was the original message on the website!).
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Busy with his International gig I'm afraid... BTW, if you're looking in Ian... Many Congrats!

TonyM said:
I personally dont find the front on action easier to coach but I have seen bowlers end up really confused by coaches trying to 'correct' their action which was perfectly safe and effective but just not what the coach preferred (both ways), I think because of this I am far more tolerant of even young children adopting a front on style (having just demonstrated a side on bowling action!) than others may be.
Click to expand...

That is because you are not the average coach ;).

Quite honestly, some coaches need to get over themselves [you now understand why coaches hate me]. Coaching is not about the coach... it's about the player. Really, if it is safe, don't mess with it... even if it is front on.

TonyM said:
Are you saying there is a biomechanical advantage to side on and I should really be pushing that?
Click to expand...

Generally...Yes, but not wholly :cool:.
 
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