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Very serious case of bowling yips

frenchy76666

Cricket Spectator
I am 30 and recently returned to cricket having not played since school (18). At school I was if i do say so myself, a very decent fast bowler, capable of varying length and line almost at free will. I wish that was still how i bowled

This is very very much no longer the case! Any attempt at pace bowling either pitches incredibly short (so much so it doesn't reach the stumps sometimes) or baloons straight into the air (think it may even be capable of going for 6 in byes). This has now even started happening to my offspin bowling as well. I am reduced to bowling very poor leg spin. Which given my very average batting means I am struggling to take any pleasure in playing.

what are some drills I can do to work back to more effective control of line and length and what might be the causes of my very full or short bowling? Is it just a case of releasing at the right point and my body has forgotten the motor pattern to do so or might there be other causes?

Appreciate any advice or tips!
 

cnerd123

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Probably best to go right back to the very basics. Bowling off a standing start, just completing the action. Once you can get it down that way then slowly adding in a few steps. Don't worry about pace, consider factors like how you're holding the ball, where are you aiming at when you bowl, how is your follow through.

Might help to film yourself and see if you can spot anything going wrong as well.
 

Burgey

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Mark out a pitch length piece of grass in an open park with enough room for your preferred run up. Measure that run up out. Have someone handy with a camera to film you. Then put a blindfold on, run in and bowl. Don't worry much about direction, more whether you're able to repeat your action and hit a consistent length. You'll be able to feel what you're doing instead of relying on your eyes to tell you what you're doing. It won't solve everything but it might help you centre yourself again and get some muscle memory back
 

Daemon

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Mark out a pitch length piece of grass in an open park with enough room for your preferred run up. Measure that run up out. Have someone handy with a camera to film you. Then put a blindfold on, run in and bowl. Don't worry much about direction, more whether you're able to repeat your action and hit a consistent length. You'll be able to feel what you're doing instead of relying on your eyes to tell you what you're doing. It won't solve everything but it might help you centre yourself again and get some muscle memory back
wtf
 

Burgey

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I don’t expect you shallow souls to understand these deeper points.

Yips in anything are a case of over thinking or nervously reacting to ****. Remove the visual stimulus and practice a bit like this, film it and if they’re coming out ok then you know you have something repeatable and doable. That physically you can still do it. Removes a mental block. Then graduate to more orthodox practice.
Love
Gandhi Burgey
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I played with this guy (https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/kevin-emery-12717)

Went from fc debut to verge of test debut to out of the fc game in 2 seasons

Not exaggerating when I say that gully & leg slip was in more danger than the batsman by the time of his release & it was all mental

Basically got so anxious about his performance that he gripped the ball way too tightly

If your technique is okay then you just need to relax
 

Aritro

International Regular
Probably best to go right back to the very basics. Bowling off a standing start, just completing the action. Once you can get it down that way then slowly adding in a few steps. Don't worry about pace, consider factors like how you're holding the ball, where are you aiming at when you bowl, how is your follow through.

Might help to film yourself and see if you can spot anything going wrong as well.
This is good advice. Bowl off a standing start or two steps and repeat your action a lot, and don't neglect the follow through.

Also check whether your eyes are properly fixed on the point where you want it to land during both load up and release. Some mistakes which can cause you to develop a bad radar are a) only vaguely looking at that spot b) looking at the spot during the run up but changing where you're looking at load up. If you end up moving your head or looking too high at load up you'll end up bowling too full, and if you're looking too low it can go short c) looking at the right spot at load up but changing the direction of your eyes and head at release point, with the same result as in b.

Fixing what I'm doing with my eyes and head has helped me in the past when I was going too full or too short.

I've just realised this is the opposite of what Burgey said. Feel can be everything in bowling, but last season I found after ages bowling a lot and focussing on the feel in my body and hand I'd neglected to realise that I was doing the wrong thing with my head/eyes. So by all means, focus on the feel of it and see if you can get it back but don't neglect to check if you're doing the right thing with your head as well.
 
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Kraken

International 12th Man
Back to basics - get it right off one step, then slowly progress backwards. Front arm very important, remember that has to come back down before release (you’ll get a much better idea if you film yourself like others have said)
 

frenchy76666

Cricket Spectator
Thanks everyone happy to report as expected going back to a one step is working very well. Front arm was not being used at all properly. Now that i am properly pointing high and bringing it down to bring bowling arm through that has made the biggest difference.
Follow through was leaning away to left. And bowling arm wasnt coming through high enough ( turns out I'm not Malinga). Still work to do to get a full run up but one session in the nets has sorted it off a three step run up.
 

Pup Clarke

Cricketer Of The Year
First question - are you seriously thinking about bowling leg spin full-time? That's in no way a dig at you as if you're incapable, it's just that it might ease your mind if you stick to one bowling style without chopping and changing

Bowling from a standing start is ideal to begin with imo. Practice really following through and completing your action repeatedly without a ball - then introduce a ball and it should be second nature
 

Daemon

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Thanks everyone happy to report as expected going back to a one step is working very well. Front arm was not being used at all properly. Now that i am properly pointing high and bringing it down to bring bowling arm through that has made the biggest difference.
Follow through was leaning away to left. And bowling arm wasnt coming through high enough ( turns out I'm not Malinga). Still work to do to get a full run up but one session in the nets has sorted it off a three step run up.
did you try that dumb blindfold method burgey told you
 

BostallBandits

Cricket Spectator
Only thing to add to the advice being given is to remember about time in. I'm similar to you in that I've only recently picked up cricket again at the age of 31 (and very out of shape). I've been practicing for an hour a day 3-4 times a week for about 6 months and I'm now starting to feel confident and in control. Sometimes you just have to grind out those hours of solitary practice and employing all the tips you have been given in this thread. For some reason as a kid, the physical side of cricket comes so easily. As an adult, your body is slow and dumb and needs lengthy retraining to produce consistency. If you would like any specific bowling drills please reach out I'd be happy to tell you what I've been doing and what has worked for me.
 

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