Bowling speeds

[Barney Rubble]

Without the aid of a speed gun, it's always difficult to judge what kind of speed you bowl at - has anyone on here ever actually used a speed gun to measure the speed of their bowling?

I'm quite interested to find out the speed of the bowling I am used to facing more than my own, to be honest - I bowl loopy offbreaks, probably at around 35-40mph, but I can't be sure. I'd like to find out what kind of speed the bowlers I face bowl at - I suspect the fastest delivery I've ever faced is close to 80mph, but again, I have know way of knowing (partly because I didn't actually see it! ). Anyone have any idea of the rough bowling speeds of the average player at each level of cricket? Obviously the average FC seamer will bowl at around 80-85mph, with dobbers going at around 65-70mph, and spinners at around 48-52mph. At junior level, I'd imagine the speeds are marginally less than that - a fast bowler who was part of the county under-18 squad for his area might bowl at around 70-75mph regularly, I think, and spinners at just upwards of 40mph. If anyone has measured themselves or people they know or play with on a speed gun, it might help gauge the rough speeds of bowling at different levels of cricket - it gives you a better idea of exactly how hard it is to face 95mph reverse swing if you know how fast the bowling you play (and struggle!) against is.

 

[Stuart]

Only ever in indoor, so its not really much of a guide, i was bowling about 115-120 km/hr playing social C grade indoor cricket.

 

[Top_Cat]

130km/h when I was clocked at training 10 years ago.

 

[thierry henry]

Very interesting. I have always wondered this. My guess would be that the gap between FC/international bowling speeds and local social grade bowling speeds would be surprisingly small i.e. I am just an average social grade indoor cricketer whose greatest claim to fame is being a very military medium pacer at under-18 local club level, but I would love to think that I at least bowl maybe 105-110kph. It's just a hunch I have. When you watch a spinner, say Daniel Vettori, he usually bowls a well-flighted ball at around 85kph and I'm sure my medium-pacers are getting down the other end a fair bit faster than his tweakers. Also, I know a guy who bowls left arm orthodox for Auckland under-19s and is one of the better left-arm spinners going round in NZ, and he doesn't really bowl his spinners any faster than I bowl mine when I give spinners a go in the nets.

 

[thierry henry]

I would guess that for your average social grade batsman there's only a subtle change in pace that differentiates between the local medium pacer, and someone who seems unplayably fast. Like maybe 110kph seems perfectly manageable, but over 120kph is too quick for the average Joe Blow's reactions.

 

[sqwerty]

we had Travis Friend of Zimbabwe playing at our club last season. He bowls 140-145.

He looked pretty sharp and gave some blokes the hurry up but many young kids handled him ok - even lower graders in the under 24 comp.

 

[BoyBrumby]

we had Travis Friend of Zimbabwe playing at our club last season. He bowls 140-145.

He looked pretty sharp and gave some blokes the hurry up but many young kids handled him ok - even lower graders in the under 24 comp.

That's pretty seriously quick! 87-90mph in old money. I had no idea he was so rapid.

I've never been clocked, but I'd guess I'm around the 65mph mark. If I make an effort to bowl quicker I tend to lose my line.

 

[thierry henry]

we had Travis Friend of Zimbabwe playing at our club last season. He bowls 140-145.

He looked pretty sharp and gave some blokes the hurry up but many young kids handled him ok - even lower graders in the under 24 comp.

Travis Friend usually bowls in the 130s imo. Maybe he hit the 140s when he was in great rhythm or something, but I have generally seen him bowl a bit slower. I doubt he was hitting career best form playing club cricket, so I doubt he was over 140 at the time.

 

[Sir Redman]

The quickest I've faced would probably be around 125 km/h. One of our bowlers was clocked at 120 when he was 14, so he's probably at 130 by now (he's 20 I think), but he's not at that pace when he bowls in the nets.

My gentle medium pacers would probably only be around the hundred mark.

 

[Nate]

I can only really judge my speed in comparison to a few guys who I know have been clocked. And I think I bowl at my fastest high 110`s, but can`t be sure.

 

[Clarence]

Clocked at 119km a year ago when I was 15. Probably quicker now.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Been clocked at the low 70s, on average.

Regarding Theirry's point, there isn't a huge step-up in pace from your better social cricketers to the medium-fasts of the world, IMO, but once someone starts pushing over 130-135 clicks, that's enough to put the stockings up ya.

 

[Nate]

What would you know Jack?

...oh wait.

 

[Barney Rubble]

What would you know Jack?

...oh wait.

 

[honestbharani]

We tend to play a modified version of cricket at our parks at times, when it is too hot to play real cricket. We get into a volleyball court and we set up our pitch of about 14 yards and then the guys are allowed to throw the ball as fast as they can at us (obviously, beamers are not allowed). Those are one innings test matches, and they are pretty darn exciting. So, that way, I think I would have faced balls at around 110-120 Ks an hour, which is only about 10 or 15 Ks an hour lesser than the international guys are facing (did u guys watch the speed gun over the course of the delivery they showed on Channel 9?).



But I should also add that that form of cricket is played only with the hard rubber balls or the hard tennis balls.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Copied from the CW Coaching Section:

"Finally, we've got everything sorted out - so how fast do you actually bowl? Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

I've been using this strategy for over two years now and it has tallied approximately with radar gun readings I've heard second-hand when kids have gone to the NatWest Cricket Roadshow or whatever!

A quick U11 bowls at around 50mph (80kph). Quick U12s are around 56-57 (90-91). The quickest Colts player we have in the Devon setups is an Under 15 next summer, and has been radared at 77mph (123kph) and clocked by my stopwatch at 72-75.

I'm now capable of calling speeds by eye pretty accurately, and my medium pace is around the Quick U12 speed range, pushing towards mid-60s (100+) when I'm flat out. Generally that results in major spraying of the leg gully region.

 

[Shahid_afridi]

i am 16 and was already the fastest bowler in my club when i was 15.i bowl faster than the 30 year olds in my team but i got no idea how fast i am.i used to think that i am about 100kph but i must be a lot quicker....

 

[cricketboy29]

since, the club i used to play at used to have a bowling machine, we used that to measure our speeds, according to that, i usually average around 60-65m/h. thats what 110-115 km/h?

 

[honestbharani]

Copied from the CW Coaching Section:

"Finally, we've got everything sorted out - so how fast do you actually bowl? Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

I've been using this strategy for over two years now and it has tallied approximately with radar gun readings I've heard second-hand when kids have gone to the NatWest Cricket Roadshow or whatever!

A quick U11 bowls at around 50mph (80kph). Quick U12s are around 56-57 (90-91). The quickest Colts player we have in the Devon setups is an Under 15 next summer, and has been radared at 77mph (123kph) and clocked by my stopwatch at 72-75.

I'm now capable of calling speeds by eye pretty accurately, and my medium pace is around the Quick U12 speed range, pushing towards mid-60s (100+) when I'm flat out. Generally that results in major spraying of the leg gully region.

Thanks for bringing that up, Neil. I will finally see what the difference in speeds between my normal leg break, my googly, my faster one and my top spinner are.

 

[cricketboy29]

wow, u actually have a difference in speed between all 4?, usually i just have a difference between my faster one and my leg spinner.