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Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
I'm in Mississauga. I am trying to join my new University's cricket team this year. They are a part of a annual multi-university tournament in Florida so I feel pretty tempted to go for that. Don't know about anything too serious or rewarding other than that, and also even for the Toronto leagues the pitches and grounds are horrible. Canada is just not the place to move up in cricket and realize potential for cricket...
The toronto grounds will be better than Vancouver's. Our grass was so long that you had to hit the ball in the air to get a boundary.

Toronto has the best cricket in Canada in terms of depth and quality of players..
 

thundaboult

International Debutant
All of that is definitely better than Vancouver, but obviously still doesn't match up to what you'd expect from say, the facilities in a cricketing nation. But hey, gotta make the best of what you've got.
 

Daemon

Request Your Custom Title Now!
At least you guys have land to make cricket grounds. The lease for our national team's ground just expired and won't be renewed because the government plans to redevelop it. They've given a replacement field which doesn't have a pitch yet and will only be ready in September. The national team hasn't had facilities to train in since January and they've had to rent private club facilities which cost $650 a day. They don't have that sort of money and need to prepare for the SEA games next year. It's ridiculous.
 

thundaboult

International Debutant
Update. Still haven't bowled with the left arm action on a full pace run-up in the nets but can now bowl without cones and other equipment needed in the double-hop drill. The jump feels a lot more natural for the leftie action than the right arm action. My non-bowling arm in the leftie action feels very uncontrollable or wayward though, so if anyone can give me some tips on how to control that to gain more pace, it would be really helpful. Also, really need to invest in some bowling boots as whenever I try to land on my front foot real hard and properly, I slip and almost always fall over in a painful mess...surprised I haven't twisted or rolled something as of yet. So if anyone can recommend me some good fast bowling shoes, that'd be much appreciated. (Personally, I was really interested in the 2015 New balance 4040av red/white bowling boots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj7nJQWTp1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Avu625FpQ
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Update. Still haven't bowled with the left arm action on a full pace run-up in the nets but can now bowl without cones and other equipment needed in the double-hop drill. The jump feels a lot more natural for the leftie action than the right arm action. My non-bowling arm in the leftie action feels very uncontrollable or wayward though, so if anyone can give me some tips on how to control that to gain more pace, it would be really helpful. Also, really need to invest in some bowling boots as whenever I try to land on my front foot real hard and properly, I slip and almost always fall over in a painful mess...surprised I haven't twisted or rolled something as of yet. So if anyone can recommend me some good fast bowling shoes, that'd be much appreciated. (Personally, I was really interested in the 2015 New balance 4040av red/white bowling boots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj7nJQWTp1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Avu625FpQ

Looks good. The key to controlling your non bowling arm is to concentrate on the hand of your non bowling arm. Use it to guide where your arm will go.

That's all I;ve got.

I also recommend practicing your action, just roll your arm over in front of the mirror. No run up. Just roll your arm over and do a slow motion delivery. That should help your front arm plenty.
 
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thundaboult

International Debutant
Funny how I've always underestimated mirror practicing. Will give it a go. And here's a different angle to play with. (will need to use the youtube slow motion at 0.25 for a proper look) And I apologize to not just cane but the other posters as well if I'm annoying you all by spamming on here every few days with so many videos...I post these here not just looking for advice but also because it represents a proper timeline for my stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNpvBnnOAt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Si9dcl9ad8

Any analysis or critique is greatly appreciated guys!
 
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Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Funny how I've always underestimated mirror practicing. Will give it a go. And here's a different angle to play with. (will need to use the youtube slow motion at 0.25 for a proper look) And I apologize to not just cane but the other posters as well if I'm annoying you all by spamming on here every few days with so many videos...I post these here not just looking for advice but also because it represents a proper timeline for my stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNpvBnnOAt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Si9dcl9ad8

Any analysis or critique is greatly appreciated guys!
From the first vid (and similar can be seen on the other front on videos) your right leg collapses and your front arm is a split second ahead of where it should preferably be. You want your front arm down by your hip as your left arm is at the top not as it starts the motion.

Capture.PNG

Brett Lee below gets it right.

90315.2.jpg

Your action loses pivot and and natural upper body rotation that is forcing you to 'shoulder' the ball and be off balance. They are the main issues. I would also look at if you overstride in delivery.

Cheers and good luck
 
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binga24

Cricket Spectator
Hi everyone, I'd just like a second opinion on my bowling action if that's possible :). I haven't played cricket since my primary school days, so it's been quite a while. After binging on brett lee videos, I felt a sudden urge to have a bowl in my backyard. Any tips on generating more pace? This looks 60mph at best.
 

Blocky

Banned
Hi everyone, I'd just like a second opinion on my bowling action if that's possible :). I haven't played cricket since my primary school days, so it's been quite a while. After binging on brett lee videos, I felt a sudden urge to have a bowl in my backyard. Any tips on generating more pace? This looks 60mph at best.
You've only got this front on, so missing a few angles, but at a quick diagnosis...

Positives:
Looks like a very good load up, you've got a great front arm position and you seem to be using your run up to create momentum through the crease.
Your front arm looks good on release, looks like you're bringing it in tight which will help leverage your bowling arm coming through.

Couple Negatives:
Your rear leg is coming around your body a little too much, which seems to be having to impacts on your bowling action

1. You're falling over a bit due to your momentum bringing that leg around, rather than going straight through towards where you're bowling it - you can see this primarily with your head position, it falls away rather than remains high, which will mean two things, you won't get as much bounce off the wicket, nor will you have a consistent seam presentation.

2. Perhaps due to that rear leg coming around, your front leg is at a weird angle and I would say puts you at some pretty severe risk of injury, you load up nicely and almost get to a position of a braced front leg, but the thing that makes me cringe a little bit is that the knee seems to be buckling a little bit towards the off side rather than remaining straight.

If you look at your delivery itself, as you release the ball, your head is already down at your hip level, the weight transfer onto your front foot and leg causes you to fall towards the off side a bit more too and your follow through is being dragged that way also.

The key to working on that is walk through your action, for you I'd put a lot of emphasis on bringing that rear leg as close as you can to your body and driving it through and towards the direction you're bowling, focus on keeping your head position higher upon release and drive that follow through straighter. Step through your action one piece at a time, and just keep repeating "Rear leg, straight through, head high" as you release... then work it into a jog, then work into a half length delivery.

Pay a lot of attention to that front leg, if you're going to brace it then it needs to be as straight as it can be, any buckling will give you massive potential of injury during a season.

Seam position - can't see in that clip, but the front on action you have would be a good building block for the inswinger, so I'd suggest work on that grip.
 

binga24

Cricket Spectator
You've only got this front on, so missing a few angles, but at a quick diagnosis...

Positives:
Looks like a very good load up, you've got a great front arm position and you seem to be using your run up to create momentum through the crease.
Your front arm looks good on release, looks like you're bringing it in tight which will help leverage your bowling arm coming through.

Couple Negatives:
Your rear leg is coming around your body a little too much, which seems to be having to impacts on your bowling action

1. You're falling over a bit due to your momentum bringing that leg around, rather than going straight through towards where you're bowling it - you can see this primarily with your head position, it falls away rather than remains high, which will mean two things, you won't get as much bounce off the wicket, nor will you have a consistent seam presentation.

2. Perhaps due to that rear leg coming around, your front leg is at a weird angle and I would say puts you at some pretty severe risk of injury, you load up nicely and almost get to a position of a braced front leg, but the thing that makes me cringe a little bit is that the knee seems to be buckling a little bit towards the off side rather than remaining straight.

If you look at your delivery itself, as you release the ball, your head is already down at your hip level, the weight transfer onto your front foot and leg causes you to fall towards the off side a bit more too and your follow through is being dragged that way also.

The key to working on that is walk through your action, for you I'd put a lot of emphasis on bringing that rear leg as close as you can to your body and driving it through and towards the direction you're bowling, focus on keeping your head position higher upon release and drive that follow through straighter. Step through your action one piece at a time, and just keep repeating "Rear leg, straight through, head high" as you release... then work it into a jog, then work into a half length delivery.

Pay a lot of attention to that front leg, if you're going to brace it then it needs to be as straight as it can be, any buckling will give you massive potential of injury during a season.

Seam position - can't see in that clip, but the front on action you have would be a good building block for the inswinger, so I'd suggest work on that grip.

Thanks for your detailed and comprehensive analysis! I never really saw that back leg as an issue, but now that you've pointed it out, it may have been the reason I had issues with maintaining line and length back in my playing days.
 

greatergod

Cricket Spectator
Stance and Backlift review?

Hi All,

I'm getting back to cricket after a gap of 10 years or more. I wonder if my stance and backlift have changed with age. I've uploaded a video of my practicing in the backyard. Can you please take a look and suggest if I need any correction in my stance and backlift?

https://youtu.be/H5x76dL3ymU

Thanks!

Regards,
greatergod
 

Blocky

Banned
So a bit like the above, only one angle and only a couple of shots to assess that don't really tell too much about your stance or backlift.

The important thing about a stance is that you feel well balanced, agile to either go forward or back and that ultimately you know where your off stump is. From the angle you've posted, it looks like your feet are quite close together when you first take guard, nothing really wrong with that although personally I found a slightly wider stance gave me much better balance at the crease and let me go back or forward with intent.

Backlift, again, not too much I can say about it because you've only shown two shots and both of them didn't really rely on your backlift being good; a good backlift is one that allows you to come straight down towards the ball without any deviation - i.e going inside out, or coming down from off to leg, when you're looking to either defend off the front foot or drive straight.

In terms of your drive, good early foot movement, good weight transfer from your back foot into the stroke and a good straight bat face on connection, you watch the ball onto the bat (which so many players at club level don't actually do) which is good and your head is reasonable still on impact, two things to watch is that you've got a big gap between bat and where the pad would be, that's not a problem if the ball isn't swinging or seaming off the wicket, but lends itself to troubles once it does, you also have a bit of an exaggerated movement after hitting the ball but I don't think that's much to worry about, due to how early your front foot moves, and how well you transfer weight into the drive.

Stance: Realistically, whatever you feel comfortable with, moving backwards or forwards will get you results.
Backlift: Make sure you're coming down straight, practice in the mirror or have someone record you doing front foot defensive shots and straight drives, get your foot closer to the line of the ball so you're protecting yourself against swing/seam/inside edges on that drive.

Other than that, looks like you've got a good eye and you actually use it, and as mentioned, the amount of club cricketers who don't actually watch the ball is astonishing.
 

greatergod

Cricket Spectator
So a bit like the above, only one angle and only a couple of shots to assess that don't really tell too much about your stance or backlift.

The important thing about a stance is that you feel well balanced, agile to either go forward or back and that ultimately you know where your off stump is. From the angle you've posted, it looks like your feet are quite close together when you first take guard, nothing really wrong with that although personally I found a slightly wider stance gave me much better balance at the crease and let me go back or forward with intent.

Backlift, again, not too much I can say about it because you've only shown two shots and both of them didn't really rely on your backlift being good; a good backlift is one that allows you to come straight down towards the ball without any deviation - i.e going inside out, or coming down from off to leg, when you're looking to either defend off the front foot or drive straight.

In terms of your drive, good early foot movement, good weight transfer from your back foot into the stroke and a good straight bat face on connection, you watch the ball onto the bat (which so many players at club level don't actually do) which is good and your head is reasonable still on impact, two things to watch is that you've got a big gap between bat and where the pad would be, that's not a problem if the ball isn't swinging or seaming off the wicket, but lends itself to troubles once it does, you also have a bit of an exaggerated movement after hitting the ball but I don't think that's much to worry about, due to how early your front foot moves, and how well you transfer weight into the drive.

Stance: Realistically, whatever you feel comfortable with, moving backwards or forwards will get you results.
Backlift: Make sure you're coming down straight, practice in the mirror or have someone record you doing front foot defensive shots and straight drives, get your foot closer to the line of the ball so you're protecting yourself against swing/seam/inside edges on that drive.

Other than that, looks like you've got a good eye and you actually use it, and as mentioned, the amount of club cricketers who don't actually watch the ball is astonishing.
Thank you! That's exactly the kind of analysis I was hoping for! I'll keep practicing bringing the bat down straight.
 

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