PACE BOWLING 

Former Warwickshire Pace Bowler Nick Warren has given this advice to all young pace bowlers.

Warming Up/Stretching

Pre Season

• The season starts now not when the first ball is bowled
• Pre Season Nets - Dont try and bowl flat out in your very first net, build up the pace throughout the sessions, Aim to hit the top of off stump and build up a good rhythm.
• NO BALLS - When training it is very important to stay behind the front line, bad habits in practice will progress into match situations.
• Training - You should work on both Cardiovasuclar fitness and Strength as a fast bowler. Lots of Running, Swimming, Cycling and work hard on your core strength including Abs, Lower Back. Lots of Push Ups, Sit Ups and Squat Thrusts will build up your core strength.
• Young Bowlers always remember to stick to ECB guidelines, overbowling at a young age can lead to long lasting injuries.
• Develop a stock delivery that you can bowl all the time, practice yorkers and variations.

Technical

Knowing which action you have is important - MAKE SURE YOUR ACTION IS SAFE!

Side On

• Most bowling actions are side on, which means the back foot contact lands parralel with the back crease line and the shoulders are square on to the batsman at point of release.
• The side on action will also encourage outswing to a right handed batsman and inswing to a left handed batsman
• Examples of the side on action are England Bowler Matthew Hoggard, Brett Lee and Glenn Mcgrath.

Front On

• Back foot lands facing the batsman, hips and shoulders are open and aligned.
• Bowlers are unique and do not be discouraged as a front on bowler, your action will encourage inswing to a right handed batsman and outswing to a left handed batsman.
• Examples of a front on action are Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Makhaya Ntini and probably the best of all Malcolm Marshall.

Mixed/Midway

• Back foot lands midway between parralel and facing the batsman, a midway action can increase risk of injuries and is very important that a highly qualified coach checks out your bowling action to make sure you are safe.
• The mixed action is a combination of both side on and front on action.

Grip/Wrist Position

• How you grip the ball will determine how the ball comes out of the hand and what it does in the air and off the pitch. Use your 1st and 2nd finger either side of the seam and then the side of your thumb underneath the ball, dont grip the ball too tightly and dont let the ball be too loose, a comfortable grip will give the ball the best chance of swinging and also to keep the seam upright.
  
  Outswing
  
• Grip the ball with the first two fingers close together on the seam, with the seam in a vertical position. The thumb should be on the seam underneath.
• Point the seam towards the slips with the shiny side of the ball to the right of the seam.
• Your action will enhance the swing, side on bowlers tend to swing the ball naturally away easier.

             Inswing

• Grip the ball with the first two fingers close together on the seam, with the seam in a vertical position. The thumb should be on the seam underneath.
• Angle the seam towards leg slip, but keeping it vertical. The shiny side of the ball should be left of the seam.
• Wrist Position - The wrist should be cocked back as far as possible for optimum wrist snap when releasing.