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Bowling strategies in 4/5 day games

smoothboy

Cricket Spectator
I've always bowled to the opposite of a batsman's strength in a 4/5 day match when they first come to the crease and indeed throughout. So, if a batsman's preferences state that he prefers to play off the back foot and offside, I would bowl a ball to him full on middle stump. But recently I've been finding (especially with fast bowlers) this method to be not entirely successful, and at first I put this down to the fact I couldn't be bothered to formulate my own manual field. Thinking about it more, I realised it was a bit perverse to bowl half volleys on middle stump to a batsman who had freshly arrived at the crease, even though it wasn't their batting strength. Perhaps it was just better to bowl line (off stump) and length (the middle of the 3 length settings) to them until they've settled in the hope they'll go after one that may be to their liking?

Of course the flip side of this is that you'll be bowling balls which will be closer to what a batsman likes, so he'll find it easier to get off the mark and that they'll be more likely to nick ones that aren't balls that they want to play.

This is just me thinking alout really, but I would be interested to find out what line and length you guys bowl and how do you vary this throughout the course of a batsman's innings? I'm not bothered about the aggression settings, I think the strategy there is pretty self explanatory - bowl to an aggressive field when the batsman is fresh to the crease and gradually decrease the aggression level.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts and tactics.
 

pearljammonkey

Cricket Spectator
ive always wondered whether batsmans preferences is just a cosmetic thing and it doesnt really matter??
having said that, i always bowl leg stump line (attacking) with aggressive when a batsman first comes in, even to batsman who prefer leg side fast bowling - they do seem to score more easily but youre still a chance of a wicket. i always bowl full length with spinners, and throw in a lot a short fast balls at the lower order.
going around the wicket works regularly, and most of the time within 3balls of going around the wicket.
ive never had the patience to set manual fields, even though i play ball by ball and watch most highlights (on f/forward), but maybe ill give it go with more common field placings and see how it goes.
the thing is i think your disadvantaging yourself by starting out on a batsmen on off stump when it states in the manual that leg stump is the attacking line? would love to hear some other opinions
 

smoothboy

Cricket Spectator
Thanks for the post.

the thing is i think your disadvantaging yourself by starting out on a batsmen on off stump when it states in the manual that leg stump is the attacking line?
Maybe, but balls on off stump are harder to get away than ones on leg stump, which are easy flicked to the legside and negate the need for any slips, really. You're more likely to have people caught in the slips if you're bowling on or around off stump than if you're bowling on leg stump. Leg glances could feasibly result in top edges I suppose, but this'd only go to say short leg or leg slip, neither of which (iirc) are used in the attacking default fields. So bowling on leg stump with the fields the AI suggest doesn't seem a great idea. Plus, it just isn't traditional cricket.

ive always wondered whether batsmans preferences is just a cosmetic thing and it doesnt really matter??
So have I, but I'd really like to think that it does make a difference, otherwise why put it in? Unless it is for cosmetic reasnns, as you say.

going around the wicket works regularly, and most of the time within 3balls of going around the wicket.
When would you go round the wicket to a batsman? I normally do it to a batsman who is well settled as something of a last resort before I bring in part time bowlers to try and get them out. I never normally do it before a batsman has 40 runs, for example. Is this leaving it too late?

few new points: What do people think about going round the wicket with fast bowlers to start with to left handers?

Is the "normal" length for a fast bowler the same as for a spinner on the game?
 
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DJellett

International Debutant
:P I don't bother just start the game, click "Next Over" til End of Innings, then that is that
 

chooka_nick

International 12th Man
Common sense prevails: for instance, why in the world would you pitch a spinner halfway down the pitch even if it's to a batsman's weakness? I mean, c'mon?
 

smoothboy

Cricket Spectator
Common sense prevails: for instance, why in the world would you pitch a spinner halfway down the pitch even if it's to a batsman's weakness? I mean, c'mon?
if a batsman is well set and you are bowling to a defensive field then bowling short could be a good idea to try and draw them down the wicket, attempt a big shot and hole out to someone on the boundary. It's a risky business but there is something to be said for it I think.

And is a spinner's shortest length as short as a pacemans would be?
 

pearljammonkey

Cricket Spectator
chooka_nick said:
Common sense prevails: for instance, why in the world would you pitch a spinner halfway down the pitch even if it's to a batsman's weakness? I mean, c'mon?
why? because its a computer game and having a spinner bowl short may not make a difference. in fact to a batsman who prefers front foot spin bowling then maybe its more effective to bowl short
 

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