How to Bowl a Cricket Ball Faster

Bowling on Cricket Pitch

Cricket is the popular summer ball game in many countries throughout the world, particularly in the former British colonies. The aim is to accumulate the most "runs" between two sets of wickets 22 yards apart by hitting a ball that is bowled from the opposite end of the pitch. The bowler tries to hit the wickets by slipping the ball past the batsman by clever spin bowling, or with fast bowling.

Things You'll Need

• Regulation cricket ball
• Open field

Instructions

Delivering the Ball

1. Bowl with a stiff arm. This enables the ball to be propelled at a faster rate than in baseball, in which the arm is bent. The bowler must release the ball before stepping over the "crease," a line roughly 1 yard from the wickets at either end. The bowler typically will run to the crease in a premeasured run-up and bowl the ball at the batsman while maintaining a stiff arm. Bowlers attempt to bowl the ball faster and faster in order to increase the chance of slipping it past the defending batsman at the other end of the pitch. There are different ways in which to accomplish increased speeds, and the one that a bowler chooses will depend on the circumstances.

2. Be fast. The fast bowler has the advantage of using speed and spin to her advantage. First, a bowler should work out often and strengthen shoulders and arms in order to bowl faster. A bowler is not considered a fast bowler unless she consistently bowls upwards of 145 km/h, or 93 mph deliveries.

3. Take a longer run-up. Typically, most fast bowlers will measure a run-up of at least 25 to 30 paces back behind the crease from which they bowl. This increases the bowling speed because the ball is bowled from an arm already moving at 15 to 20 mph, depending on how fast the bowler can run and bowl effectively.

4. Increase the speed by bowling a bouncing ball to the batsman. One may think that this will decrease the speed. However, to bowl faster, the ball should be spun with a forward motion before it's released. The action of moving through the air will force it to the ground, and when it strikes the pitch it will derive extra traction and bounce faster toward the batsman.

5. Get the widest arc by swinging the bowling arm before releasing the ball. To achieve this, it's imperative that the ball is held as far forward in the hand as practical, thereby making the radius of the arm swing longer and propelling the ball faster. A good way to hold the ball to facilitate this is to wrap three middle fingers around the ball and press it upward from the other fingers before release.

Tips & Warnings

• Mark your beginning point in your run-up.

• Ensure your swing is clear of the umpire. Release the ball before the crease.

References

• Bowling Record
• Stats