| So you want to improve your bowling? Worry not as | | | | you completely follow through to get maximum |
| there are a few techniques and measures you can | | | | power and to avoid injury. |
| take to improve your bowling figures. | | | | All the above are crucial in helping you bowl the |
| Firstly, before you start to engage in any bowling, it | | | | perfect wicket taking delivery. There is one main |
| is always a good idea to ensure you warm up. These | | | | point left which is the ACTUAL place where you |
| are your general muscle warm ups to make sure that | | | | should bowl. In cricket, if you want to make it as a |
| you do not pull or tear anything. | | | | top flight bowler, then line and length are probably |
| Once you have warmed up its now time to ensure | | | | the most crucial elements that one needs to master. |
| that you have a proper run up. You can do this by | | | | Bowlers such as Australia's Glen McGrath is world |
| going to the crease and imitating your run up in | | | | renowned for consistency bowling line and length |
| reverse. This will enable you to make sure you have | | | | each and every time. Even through times of injury, |
| the correct number of steps and may even help you | | | | he always came back to be ranked in the top. |
| eliminate bowling the dreaded no ball. This is quite | | | | So what is line and length? The line is the route of |
| common and you will often see many bowlers doing | | | | the ball in accordance with the batsmens stumps. The |
| this. For those of you that don't know, this is why | | | | length is where the ball bounces and pitches. As |
| they grab a bit of sand and place it on the ground as | | | | batsmen do not need to hit every ball, the bowler |
| this is their marker. | | | | needs to invite the batsmen to hit the ball which will |
| So, now we get on to the run up. The run up is | | | | in effect increase their chances of taking a wicket. |
| crucial which helps to deliver speed and power to | | | | Cricketing legend Geoffrey Boycott calls this area the |
| your wicket taking delivery. Initially start with small | | | | 'corridor of uncertainty' as the ideal place to bowl. |
| steps and then start to take bigger strides until you | | | | The key is to create doubt in a batsmen's mind |
| are in full motion. The run up should be quite | | | | whether to play on the front or back foot and |
| comfortable and this is where marking your steps will | | | | whether to play the shot at all. Ideally, this should be |
| help. Your head should be straight, still and focussed | | | | based around the 'off stump' region, not too wide |
| on where you want to bowl. | | | | and not too tight. |
| As you approach the crease, you need to think | | | | So in summary, a good posture and run up are |
| about where you will be bowling, where your fielders | | | | important but the main ingredient of a top class |
| are placed and also trying to get as close to the | | | | wicket taking delivery is line and length. Keep |
| crease as possible without giving away any extras. | | | | practising and working on this and you can't go |
| As you bowl your wicket taking delivery ensure that | | | | wrong. |