5 Key Fast Bowling Tips to Help Improve Your Game: Perfect bowling is no cakewalk, even for experienced bowlers. If you think bowling is easy, you must be missing out on some vital techniques that most eminent bowlers have. An eminent bowler will be witty enough to intimidate the batsman in front of you.
Moreover, to become a fast and perfect bowler, you also should be healthy and fit. Every bowler maintains their fitness level to be consistent in their performance. Whether you are playing on a fantasy cricket app or in real life, there are a few things that you should know.
To become an intimidating bowler, you should be able to take maximum wickets and make sure the batsman in front of you loses their mind when you stand on the pitch. Here are five fast bowling tips that will help you improve your game.
How to Swing the Ball Properly
One of the trickiest things about balling is to swing the ball to get the perfect acceleration for a fast-paced ball. Swinging the ball properly determines the rate at which the ball will travel, and the right swing will determine the chances of taking a wicket.
Many fast bowlers focus on the controlled and accurate swinging of their arms so that it becomes difficult for the batsman to face the upcoming ball. To improve your swinging, grip the ball in a way so that the seam must be pointing towards the first slip.
You also have to ensure that one side of your ball is shiny and polished and the other side is patchy and rough. Now, place the rough side of your ball in the direction that you want to swing your ball. While doing this, make sure that your index finger should be the last finger that touches the ball when you throw it.
Enhance Your Way of Running
Delivering a fastball is determined not only by the action of your wrist and arm but also by the way you run. The technical elements like how you step your front leg and brace your wrist to get the perfect position for a fast-paced ball are all secondary factors.
Even if you focus on the actions of your wrists and feet, if your running is clumsy, it will cost you dearly. For the perfect run-up, you should practice consistently and strategize accordingly.
While practicing, you can take a tape measure and jot down the major critical points of your run-up. You can even try out some new techniques and see for yourself which one you are more comfortable with.
With a yardstick or measuring tape, you can mark the points when you take every ten steps and the point where you flung the ball towards the batsman.
With consistent practice, you will excel at the perfect and smooth run-up that will help you deliver a fearsome ball. However, if your running is clumsy, it might lead to a no-ball and cost you heavily.
Stay in Better Shape
This might sound like standard advice for every cricketer; however, fitness plays a vital role in delivering fast-paced balls. A fast-bowler is flexible and uses his flexibility to his advantage while delivering a fearsome ball towards the batsman.
To be a quick bowler who can deliver high-speed balls for more extended periods, one must be strong and ready for the upcoming challenge. A strong and flexible body will always help you achieve your target while in the field.
To enhance your flexibility, you can start with Lunges. Lunges are a great alternative to leg extensions and help you work on your hips and quadriceps, all the while making your body ready to avoid injuries and sustain a little bit of physical stress.
Apart from lunges, squats are the second-best exercise to enhance your lower part. You can either perform squats without any additional weight, or you can add on some weight to make matters a bit challenging and thrilling for yourself.
Squats are a terrific way to keep your body in shape and get ready to throw a fast-paced ball. Planks are also one of the best exercises to build strength and perseverance. Even if you are not a gym person, you can try these in your home. This is one of the best bowling tips for every bowler.
Unwavering Focus
When your stars are not aligned, you keep on falling. Likewise, if your run-up is clumsy and you are not flexible enough, you might lose your focus from the target, which is when things take a U-turn.
While you have to master the art of running, wrist action, feet action, and momentum, it is also important to have the determination and focus on your target while delivering a fast-paced ball. Your aim should always be to hit the top of the off-stump.
However, to do so, one has to develop their strategy and decide what suits one best. Bracing their front leg is more important than focusing on their wrist action for some bowlers. It all varies from different bowlers, so find out your best method.
Master the Art of Slow Bowling
Every professional was once a beginner; likewise, to master the art of fast-paced ball, you have first to master the art of slow bowling.
If you want to ace as a fast bowler, you have to succeed as a slow bowler and find the tips and tricks to ace fast bowling. There are different techniques to marvel at slow bowling. Some of the best techniques are split-finger delivery, off-cutter, and knuckleball.
You have to start practicing the vital techniques of slow bowling and slowly head towards fast-paced balls. Even if you spend 9 hours a day on fast-bowling, you should devote 1 hour to practicing slow-bowling.
It’s like preparing for an examination and revising the easy topics while practicing the tough ones. You will surely master both the techniques and be ready to intimidate the batsman with regular practice.
Clean Bolt!
These were some of the easy and impactful tips and techniques that you can adopt while practicing and enhancing your bowling skills. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, these tips will surely help you take several wickets. Keep practicing and playing!
Also read:
– Top 10 Professional Cricket Bats
– How to Play IPL Fantasy League?
