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What Does 'Turning The Hips' Do In A Bowling Action ?

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
Turning the hips gives power as it completes a weight transfer from back to front foot in the case of bowling. It also creates a power blast between the hips and knees which results in bowlers 'getting off their feet' in some pictures you may have seen (cricinfo had one of Jimmy Anderson). Turning of the hips is also used in other sports because of boxing, simply because it also creates an explosive momentum when bringing the back arm forward, using the example of a delivery or boxing punch (non jab) - it helps turn the whole body to complement the motion of the arm. Since bowling is more complicated than just bringing the arm around, I recommend doing it by bringing the back leg toward the front hip whilst maintaining the momentum of the action creating a 'power blast' as Ian Pont has put it in his book. It is possible for front on bowlers to rotate around with the top half of the body to go from front on to a slight trunk rotation, in case you were wondering.

A notable exception to this is Brett Lee's new action which he has had since 2005 and settled into in this Australian season. He keeps the body going mainly straight with the back leg completing a perfectly straight motion after release. He generates most of his pace from dragging the front arm down and bringing the bowling arm over quickly - he is able to do this due to the natural explosiveness of his muscles though. Put simply, he will be able to bowl fast (over 135kph) with pretty much any sensible action, imo, but injuries and accuracy make settling on a good one far more difficult.
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
I would imagine it would have much more effect on a side on action, than a front on one?
I wouldn't say that, but a front on bowler can get away without one whereas a side on bowler must turn his hips somewhat. A front on bowler may suffer a huge lack of momentum if he doesn't turn his hips through, which means a fast run up and/or strong frame is needed.

Case and point is Brett Lee. I am aware that he was never perfectly side on or front on, but these two clips are from where he was closest to front on (first clip) and side on (second clip). I think that he is the perfect example since he is the only bowler who has hade both side on and front on actions during a career which has videos to it.

In this he follows through with the back leg powering forward. Many would argue that this is the best way to gain accuracy but not pace, but with a violently strong front arm and athletic action, Brett Lee begs to differ in his hattrick against Bangladesh.

Here in his World Cup 2003 hattrick, Brett Lee has the side on which he had used in international cricket up to 2006/7. Notice at 6s how he rotates the hip and powers the back leg through, making him face gully with his body. Although this is not ideal for accuracy, the sheer explosion creates a lot of pace, which is why Brett Lee had managed to touch the 160kph mark twice in the 2003 World Cup.

Dale Steyn is also one who rotates the hips very well in the action. However, something which I feel is neglected when one attempts to do this is that the leading side of the hip (the back side in the action) should face where you want the ball to roughly go.
 
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bond21

Banned
Lee never changed his action from 2005 to 2007.

Its exactly the same in those 2 clips as it has been for ages.

He has a midway action, or a semi open action which means his shoulders and hips face the slips. People think he is side on because his leading arm doesnt go straight up, he does the same kinda thing Allan Donald did, and a lot of bowlers do it, Dale Steyn aswell, its meant to be a faster way to get through the air instead of holding the arm straight up, he only gets it in the right position just before he pulls it down.

But when its at its optimal position, he is clearly looking inside it, which is an indication that hes not side on, also his back foot faces fine leg, meaning hes midway.

ie Malcolm Marshall faced straight down the wicket, fully front on. And someone like Dennis Lillee was totally side on, shoulders pointing down the wicket and his chest was facing the batsman at the non striker's end.

But yea Brett Lee's action is the same in those 2 videos, he himself describes it as "more front on than side on" in an article he wrote about bowling the fastest ball in the world.
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
But yea Brett Lee's action is the same in those 2 videos, he himself describes it as "more front on than side on" in an article he wrote about bowling the fastest ball in the world.
Damn, wrong video, I'll get one from 2003 (done), where he is most certainly more side on than now. After a back injury, Brett Lee opened up his action more, which cost him an initial 10kph of pace. However, he is touching the 150kph mark again.
 
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bond21

Banned
he got a back injury when he was 17 and he rang up Lillee and told him he was ready to listen to him. A year or two before Lillee said he would get an injury, Lee shrugged it off because he was bowling well then got injured.

Unless hes had a serious back injury when hes been playing internationals and changed it, the only time he changed it from side on(mixed) to front on was when he was 17
 

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