Goughy
Hall of Fame Member
There are certainly different type of quicks.SJS said:A few things about the physique aspect.
1. A fast bowler's physique doesnt have to be a very tall man. Most of the great fast bowlers have not been beenstalks. A decent height and a strong body with strong legs and most importantly powerful shoulders and upper torso are generally are very good physical attributes.
BUT these alone dont make a fast bowler out of you.
There are the sprinter quicks which rely on athleticism and explosiveness. These bowlers do not have to be tall. As SJS mentioned, these are the bowlers that have to be strong on the chest, buttocks and shoulders. Examples include, Larwood, Tyson, Marshall, Shoaib, Fidel Edwards, Brett Lee, Waqar
There are the lever quicks which rely on the long levers that are their arms. The longer the arm the easier it is to bowl quick and it is far more efficient in converting the energy expended into pace. High levels of athleticism is not essential here. Examples include Ambrose, Walsh and McGrath, Reid
The fast bowling Holy Grail is the explosive and athletic 'giant' that probably does not exist.
As already mentioned, these fast bowling types rely on either size or athleticism and this requires the correct diet. For example, in SA there are issues producing Black fast bowling talent. It is a high priority for Cricket South Africa, but they are struggling with the smaller size of Black South Africans and, more importantly, dietary deficiencies especially calcium issues. This is problematic as the skeletan struggles to cope with quick bowling.
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