Loss of bowling form - ideas?
 

I've just lost it totally. In the nets I can bowl fairly quickly and accurately, but in actual game situations my confidence in my action seems to go out the window, turning into a medium pace scatter-gun. Anyone else had similar issues? Ideas on fixing it?

Hi five bro. I think it's psychological, might have something to do with the nets themselves, because even when I bowl for practice in the middle with no batsmen and just the keeper, it's a lot poorer than in the nets.

Psychological, eh.... So electric shock therapy, a few drugs and it should be fine?

Nah, it must be the semi-enclosed net environment helping straighten my run and make my action more focused and compact or something. Just need to somehow carry that effect into games. The lack of pressure in net bowling is probably a large factor too, prehaps I should just cut loose a bit more and not worry so much?

Isn't that kinda psychological? It's what I mean anyways.

Yeah I got what you were suggesting, I was agreeing through re-stating it :p

dont try to bowl so fast. just pitch it in the right spot at first

Play some easy matches.

Sometimes i end up with a particular ball in the nets that just sucks to bowl with and there are no others left in the bag and I can't get into a rhythm and start spraying it. On those occassions i stop trying variations and i just stare at the spot I want it to land and it seems to go there and I recover control (and then I swap balls with someone!).

You should be doing exactly the same thing in the nets as you would do in a game. Measure out your run and focus on hitting the right line and length. Treat each ball like it's important and not just a delivery you're bowling while you muck around and chat to your mates.

The space you work in when you're bowling should be exactly the same whether you're in the nets or on the field. You only take up a tiny amount of space, but you need to make sure your approach is the same each time. Keep it as simple as possible and you shouldn't have too much to think about.

Had a mate who had this problem, bowled really well in the nets and then stuttered and stopped and bowled pies in the game. Was hilarious watching from 1st slip, but frustrating for him. It was a mental issue, and he'd then change his routine to try and compensate for it. Then everything went out the window.

Learn to bat.

Funny enough, I'm the opposite - spray it a lot more in the nets than during matches. Probably because there's no pressure in the nets.

6th in batting averages, ****

Become the keeper, or do you give that to the fat bloke?

Nah, the team midget/star bat has that covered.