Dont mean to be negative but if ur 16-19 now and ur bowling 55mph the only way ur ever gonna hit 80mph is human growth hormone(naughty naughty) or insane luck.
I dont think some people comprehend how fast 80mph is, the average 'fast' bowler you come across in the junior ranks out here in Australia (I'm talking U16's-18's) bowls around 100kph (62mph)...and even as you get into senior grade cricket majority of the opening bowlers (guys one level below Pura Cup selection) bowl no quicker than 115-125 (just over 70mph)....I'd say less than 1% of people who've played cricket have ever been able to bowl at or quicker than 80mph.
I am 15 years old and obviously 80 is the dream, I appreciate how fast it is. A guy at my club has maxed at 82mph (Kent U17 Player) and I believe he is ridiculously fast, but that is the dream.
And typically the increase in pace between 16-25 years of age isnt thaat great.
I think I have a good 4-5inches to grow (my brother is 6ft 1) so that can add about 5 miles per hour and I am quite weak so two years of strength work can add a good 5 more mph too and to me, 65-70mph is cool.
Shaun Tait was clocked bowling at 144kph (90mph) when he was 16...
I would hate to have faced him in an under 16s club game
The clear message is extra strength/technical work can only do so much in terms of pace...but pace aint everything.
It most certainly is not, I will never comprimise accuracy for pace, but at my pace in adult games, the swing is too slow to really work. Ian Pont (Essex Coach), in his book Fast Bowlers Bible says that 72mph is the ideal pace for swing so bowling around there, hitting the spot time after time would rule.
When I was 16 i touched just over 120 (bout 75mph) which I was very proud of and was very quick for my age at the time but Ive put on weight and lost enthusiasm since and Id probably struggle to hit 110 now.
75mph at 16 is superb, out of the two bowlers who did that for my club (both last year), one now plays for Kent U17 and the other for Surrey U17 so pace does matter considering the Kent u17 one had poor accuracy and didnt swing it.
If I posted a video on here of me bowling, am I likely to get help (there is no un-rude way to say that,).
PhoenixFire said:
Well, we have a guy who is about 6'7", 15 years old and can bowl into the late 70s, and he can't even get into Yorkshire u-16s. I hate to say it, but if you have any aspirations other than playing an average level of club cricket, then you seriously need to up your pace, unless you have another attribute that is exceptional, ie swing, incredible accuracy or something along those lines.
Are you sure, late 70s at 15 is almost unhuman.
