Bowling with new ball

[Harikrishnan]

Iam an 13 year old fast bowler and i play for my school team and my club. As iam the opening bowler i face difficulties in controlling the new ball as it slips of my hand. How do i prevent the ball from slipping of my hand and how do i control it?

[Daemon]

I've had the same problem for years. When I open the bowling I get some really good swinging deliveries in, just that I bowl 2-3 wides an over. Sucks really, can only bowl first or second change because of that. Lots of bowlers I know rub their hands on dirt, or carry a towel, maybe you could try that. If you figure out something please let me know too

[slowfinger]

Originally Posted by Harikrishnan

Iam an 13 year old fast bowler and i play for my school team and my club. As iam the opening bowler i face difficulties in controlling the new ball as it slips of my hand. How do i prevent the ball from slipping of my hand and how do i control it?

One of my lads have that difficulty, and the over normally ends in 10 balls. I would suggest you grip the ball a little wider, it might cut the pace down a little but you get more control that way.

[Daemon]

Or bowl cross seam. Which negates the point of bowling with the new ball tbh.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Harikrishnan

Iam an 13 year old fast bowler and i play for my school team and my club. As iam the opening bowler i face difficulties in controlling the new ball as it slips of my hand. How do i prevent the ball from slipping of my hand and how do i control it?

Are you Atul Sharma fast? How fast are you?

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Daemon

Or bowl cross seam. Which negates the point of bowling with the new ball tbh.

It negates half the reason but the ball is still hard and the seam is proud. Swing is taken out but bounce and seam movement exists still.

[Daemon]

Originally Posted by Goughy

It negates half the reason but the ball is still hard and the seam is proud. Swing is taken out but bounce and seam movement exists still.

True about the bounce but you'll find you don't get a lot of seam movement when bowling cross seam.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Daemon

True about the bounce but you'll find you don't get a lot of seam movement when bowling cross seam.

I frequently bowl cross seam, and have done for years, due to the new ball often slipping. If it hits the seam right, it goes like a big leg cutter.

[Tom 1972]

Originally Posted by Harikrishnan

Iam an 13 year old fast bowler and i play for my school team and my club. As iam the opening bowler i face difficulties in controlling the new ball as it slips of my hand. How do i prevent the ball from slipping of my hand and how do i control it?

Be patient - you will grow and so will your hands. Over time you will gain more control.

In the meantime:
* Don't try to bowl too fast. If you bowl within yourself (aiming for top off stump) you will get some rhythm and your pace will pick up naturally/gradually.
* Practice, practice, practice. Put a coin on the line and length you're trying to hit (just short of a good length) and try to improve your accuracy. But don't over-practice..maybe 24 deliveries at full pace is enough for a kid.
* Some coaches teach bowlers to focus their eyes on a spot on the pitch, but it is really whatever works for you.
* If you get a bit sweaty, during practice put a bit of talcum powder in your pocket for better grip. Of course you can't do that in a match, but you can learn the "feeling" of controlling the ball.

Good luck.

[Daemon]

Originally Posted by Goughy

I frequently bowl cross seam, and have done for years, due to the new ball often slipping. If it hits the seam right, it goes like a big leg cutter.

I see. Never happens to me unfortunately :\

[Outswinger@Pace]

Originally Posted by Goughy

I frequently bowl cross seam, and have done for years, due to the new ball often slipping. If it hits the seam right, it goes like a big leg cutter.

Bowling cross-seam and applying a little leg-cut or off-cut can be controlled and would have devastating effects.

During my club cricket days, I found the off-cutters particularly effective on matting wickets. The ball sometimes grips the mat, snakes in and bounces like an off-spinner and this can be achieved without compromising too much on the pace (about 3/4th as quick as your normal delivery). I could never control my leg-cutters well enough, tbh!



To answer the OP's question, I'd suggest something which my coach first taught me when I graduated to using the new ball. Bear in mind that I am naturally side-on and the biomechanics of my action are naturally conducive to outswing more than inswing.

For the outswinger, I started off with increasing the width between my fingers a bit and the seam pointed towards the first/second slip. Also a finger-width equivalent of distance between the ball and your palm is important to allow it to roll out smoothly.

With time as I achieved better control, I could bring my index and middle fingers closer on the seam and that would help increase some pace.


I'll be honest with you and say that I found the inswinger very hard to bowl at first. They'd clobber me through mid-wicket whenever I tried. Then, I tried the 3-finger-on-seam grip that Donald sometimes uses and my coach suggested. It took me a season of net practice and being hit in school/club matches to finally use it as a wicket-taking option.

Basically, you have the index and middle over the seam and the ring finger supports the rough side to help achieve better control at release. The pace is a bit slower (as compared to a two-finger grip) but you can start it from outside off and get it to dart in late. In the subcontinent, most schoolboys play with their head falling away to the off-side and are very good candidates for LBW/bowled against this kind of a delivery.

I'd also advice you to try and master conventional swing first before trying to cut the ball. It's a more demanding art and natural swing is always better with the new ball.

Hope I helped a bit. Keep bowling, man and remember that fast bowling is more about feeling the right rhythm than what a coaching manual tells you. Cheers!