The Art of Bowling – Techniques and Strategies

What this article covers

Source: https://www.cricketforall.com.au/blogs/articles-tips/the-art-of-bowling-techniques-and-strategies

It works through:

• Bowling Basics
• Bowling Techniques and Strategies
• Pace, Swing and Seam
• Line and Length
• Understanding Opponents, Conditions and Situations
• Want to improve your Bowling?
• Contact Us

In detail

Cricket is a sport where the bowler and batsman are both looking to outwit each other, using different techniques and strategies.

A bowler’s aim is ultimately to dismiss the batsman from their crease, but also to try and limit the flow of runs that the batsman makes in the meantime.

Pace bowling can intimidate the batsman and force them to make very quick decisions, while spin bowling adds rotation to the ball which makes its movement hard for the batsman to predict when it bounces.

Off spin bowling aims to spin the ball from the off side to the leg side of the batsman, while leg spin goes in the opposite direction.

Whether you are a pace or a spin bowler, mixing up your deliveries is a great way to outwit any batsman.

The best bowlers can control their pace, being able to deliver quick balls as well as slower deliveries with deceptive control to catch the batsman off-guard.

By using different grips and release points, bowlers can also generate very different deliveries.

Swing bowling – which generates movement of the ball in the air – can deceive batsmen with late movement in either direction.

Seam bowling – which generates movement of the ball off the pitch – can create unpredictable bounces and lead to edges from the batsmen – and ultimately wickets if the field is well placed.

The line of the ball refers to its trajectory down the middle of the pitch and whether it heads towards the middle stump or instead is delivered to the off side or leg side of the batsman.

The line of a ball can dictate the shots available to the batman and target any weaknesses.

The length of the ball refers to how far down the pitch towards the batsman that the ball bounces and is another important weapon in a good bowler’s artillery.

Short balls – also referred to as ‘bouncers’ – are an attacking ploy which aim to have the ball bounce at head height of the batsman.

Standard ‘good length balls’ generally bounce about 6-8 metres in front of the batsman for fast bowlers, or 3-4 metres for spin bowlers.

Bowlers can also deploy ‘Yorkers’, which are full-length deliveries that bounce at the batsman’s feet and trouble the batsman’s timing and decision making.

Skilled bowlers can read the batsman, observing their stance, technique and any weaknesses in their game.

Part of the art of bowling is being able to target those weaknesses and anticipating a batsman’s shots, allowing you to set up the field accordingly and provide the best chance of dismissing the batsman.

Adapting to situations and conditions within a match is also important, including adapting your bowling based on the behaviour of the pitch.

At Cricket For All, our team of nationally-accredited cricket coaches are here to help players of all ages and abilities improve their games.

While cricket is not as physically demanding as some other sports, it is still important to maintain a good level of fitness if you want to perform at your best on the field.

Coaching the next generation of Australian cricketers can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

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Training equipment

Bowling machines and machine balls

Bowling machines deliver repeatable line, length and pace, which is what makes them valuable: skill acquisition depends on repetition against a consistent stimulus. They require dedicated machine balls - a leather match ball fired through a machine damages the wheels and the ball. Cricket For All's Gilles Plains centre runs Bola machines up to 145 km/h with a swing function, self-feeding so solo practice is possible, at $25/hour on weekday days and $50/hour evenings and weekends.

Sidearms and throwdown aids

A sidearm (ball thrower) lets a coach deliver at genuine pace and bounce from 15 metres with minimal fatigue. It is the most cost-effective training aid in cricket and the standard tool for high-volume batting practice.

Stumps, targets and cones

Spring-back stumps survive being hit. Target mats and cones turn bowling practice into measurable practice - a bowler aiming at a mat improves faster than a bowler aiming at "a good length", because the feedback is immediate and binary.

Catching aids

Reaction balls, slip cradles and rebound nets develop hand speed and close-catching reflexes. Fielding is the discipline most improved by short, frequent, deliberate practice.

Fitness and warm-up

Resistance bands and light medicine balls support the shoulder and trunk work that bowlers need to tolerate load across a season.

How training equipment actually improves players

The value of training equipment lies in repetition against a consistent stimulus. Skill acquisition research is consistent on this: improvement comes from many repetitions with immediate feedback, and cricket's natural training environment - a net with a few club bowlers - delivers neither consistently.

Bowling machines

A machine delivers the same line, length and pace as often as required. That makes it excellent for:

• Grooving a specific shot against a specific delivery.
• Building volume - a batter can face 200 deliveries in an hour.
• Working on a technical fault where the variable needs to be the player, not the ball.

It is less useful for match simulation, where the point is that the batter does not know what is coming. Good practice mixes both.

Machines require dedicated machine balls. Leather match balls damage the feed wheels and are themselves destroyed. Cricket For All's Bola machines at Gilles Plains reach 145 km/h with a swing function and are self-feeding, so solo practice works; hire is $25/hour weekday days and $50/hour evenings and weekends.

Sidearms and ball throwers

A sidearm lets a coach deliver at genuine pace and bounce from around 15 metres without the fatigue of bowling. It is the highest-value training purchase in cricket by a distance: cheap, portable, and it turns one coach into a bowling attack.

Targets and measurement

Bowlers improve fastest when feedback is immediate and binary. A target mat on a length answers "did that land where I intended?" in a way that "good areas" never does. Cones, spot markers and target mats convert vague practice into measurable practice.

Catching and reaction

Slip cradles, reaction balls and rebound nets develop the close-catching reflexes that decide matches. Fielding responds particularly well to short, frequent, deliberate practice - ten minutes daily beats an hour weekly.

Stumps

Spring-back stumps survive being hit repeatedly, which matters because a bowler aiming at real stumps practises differently from one aiming at a mark on a net.

Strength and conditioning

Resistance bands, light medicine balls and stability equipment support the shoulder and trunk work that allows bowlers to tolerate load across a season. Bowling injuries cluster in players whose workload rises faster than their conditioning.

Training equipment terms

• Bowling machine - a device delivering repeatable line, length and pace.
• Machine ball - a purpose-built ball for bowling machines; match balls must not be used.
• Sidearm - a hand-held lever for throwing at genuine pace.
• Target mat - a mat placed on a length to give binary feedback on accuracy.
• Spring-back stumps - weighted stumps that return upright after being hit.

Related equipment at Cricket For All

Training equipment stocked at the Gilles Plains store and online:

Product	Brand	Price
Kookaburra Training Bibs	Kookaburra	$8.00
Kookaburra Bail Set	Kookaburra	$8.00
Kookaburra Heavy Bails	Kookaburra	$10.00
Kookaburra Plastic Stump Set	Kookaburra	$27.00
Gray-Nicolls Cricket Coaching Clipboard	Gray-Nicolls	$29.99
Kookaburra Marker Cones 20 Pack	Kookaburra	$30.00
Kookaburra Detachable Base Metal Stumps	Kookaburra	$30.00
Kookaburra Single Spring Stump Plastic	Kookaburra	$35.00

Common questions

Are bowling machines worth using?

Yes, for skill acquisition. Improvement depends on repetition against a consistent stimulus, and a machine delivers identical line, length and pace as often as needed. They are less useful for match simulation, where variation is the point.

Can I use match balls in a bowling machine?

No. Machines need dedicated machine balls; leather match balls damage the wheels and are destroyed in the process.

What is a sidearm used for?

Delivering at genuine pace and bounce from around 15 metres with minimal coach fatigue. It is the most cost-effective training tool in cricket and the standard means of high-volume batting practice.

What training equipment gives the best return for juniors?

A sidearm, a set of spring-back stumps and target mats. Feedback that is immediate and binary - did the ball hit the mat or not - improves bowlers faster than general instruction.

Can I hire a bowling machine rather than buy one?

Yes. Cricket For All hires machines with a lane at $25/hour on weekday days and $50/hour evenings and weekends. The machines are self-feeding, so solo practice works.

About Cricket For All

Cricket For All is an Adelaide cricket centre and online cricket store at Unit 1-2, 621-623 North East Road, Gilles Plains, South Australia. The centre has indoor lanes up to 36 m and Bola bowling machines, and runs one-on-one coaching with nationally accredited coaches, junior Winter and High Performance Academies, and junior tournaments including the CFA Super League.

Lane hire is $25/hour on weekday days and $50/hour evenings and weekends. The in-house workshop handles bat repairs, re-handles and knocking in - free on bats bought here. Trading hours are Monday to Thursday 12:00pm-10:00pm, Friday 12:00pm-9:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm. Phone (08) 7095 5777, email enquiries@cricketforall.com.au.

Pricing and program details reflect information published by Cricket For All at the time this page was compiled.