How to bowl at the death?

[Manee]

In the enviable minds of CW members, what are people's preferred strategies for death bowling and why? Why is your strategy better than other strategies, what is wrong with the other strategies and who are some examples of how to do it well?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Yorkers Yorkers Yorkers

 

[SteveNZ]

YORKERS

 

[_00_deathscar]

Yorker, yorker, bounce, slow ball, full, yorker. Vary that up.

(Yorker being anything that's length - not necessarily at the stumps).

 

[Jumno]

Yorkers and slower balls.

 

[Migara]

Set the field for a specific delivery, say a length slower ball. Then yoker, yorker, yorker. If batsman hits it for runs, then he's good and bowl another yorker. 20% of the time the slower length ball can come in.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

On EA Cricket 07, I used to set a guy at backward square and bowl Yorkers... it worked everytime.

Batsman would try to flick it and it would end up straight into the hands of the fielder placed at backward square.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yorkers Yorkers Yorkers

/ thread

modern tactic of bowling liquorice allsorts fails just as often as it works because the bowler can't get in a groove and just bowls bulk wides and **** balls

 

[SteveNZ]

/ thread

modern tactic of bowling liquorice allsorts fails just as often as it works because the bowler can't get in a groove and just bowls bulk wides and **** balls

You and me both brother.

I still think part of it is an IPL/domestic T20 comp audition problem. As I've said previously, 3-40 probably looks better to scouters than 1-28, even if it's not in the team's interest.

I can buy that maybe certain grounds might demand an adaptation to the plan - ie Eden Park, cutters into the deck might be a better idea than yorkers (especially straight and full) as if you miss you mark even slightly you're conceding six. But even then, if you exectue and they're not looking to ramp, it should work out for you.

 

[mr_mister]

Get an offie on and pack the legside field

 

[TheJediBrah]

Get an offie on and pack the legside field

Maybe but only if you're playing at huuuuuge ground, and bowling would have to be absolutely on-point

 

[CricAddict]

First ball: Yorker
Second ball: Bouncer
Third ball: Slower ball on the stumps
Fourth ball: Around the wicket and bouncer aimed at body
Fifth ball: A fast ball just inside the offside wide line
Sixth ball: Yorker again

 

[Starfighter]

I always found yorkers worked.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Should've posted a single-choice poll

 

[honestbharani]

The first thing about bowling at the death is to not be predictable. Which kinda renders the discussion a bit useless, doesn't it? It is not just about what you bowl but what the batsman thinks or knows you can bowl, based on your previous bowling (in that game or before) and the fields that are set etc. As long as you have 3 or 4 different varieties of balls that you can nail, you are ok more often than not. Also remember going at less than 10 runs an over and less than 2 boundaries an over is actually good death bowling in most games.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

As a right arm pace bowler, I usually go around the wicket with a packed off-side field, try to bowl leg-cutters that pitch in line with the stumps and move away. Also bowl an odd full delivery wide outside the off-stump. If I come across someone who is good in the off-side, I go back to yorkers and slower balls.

I can't stress enough on the importance of a good leg-cutter, it's just another delivery at the highest level, but at club level or lower, batsmen are almost never equipped to play it.

 

[Engle]

Depends on the batsman, innings, whether you're trying to get him out or contain the runs.

Yorkers, as tempting as they may be are fraught with risk. One slight misplacement and they'll be carted for 6. Be aware that this is the most tense situation and you need to have nerves of steel to deliver with pin point accuracy.

That over that Stokes bowled to Braithwaite in the T20 final was attempted yorkers - had the batsman stepped forward as a bowler would have expected him to in a death over. But he stayed back and carted 4 sixes.

 

[Manee]

Yorkers, as tempting as they may be are fraught with risk. One slight misplacement and they'll be carted for 6. Be aware that this is the most tense situation and you need to have nerves of steel to deliver with pin point accuracy.

That over that Stokes bowled to Braithwaite in the T20 final was attempted yorkers - had the batsman stepped forward as a bowler would have expected him to in a death over. But he stayed back and carted 4 sixes.

Yes - I think the "yorkers yorkers yorkers" brigade neglect the high risk in yorkers. And also the predictability factor.

 

[Manee]

The first thing about bowling at the death is to not be predictable. Which kinda renders the discussion a bit useless, doesn't it? It is not just about what you bowl but what the batsman thinks or knows you can bowl, based on your previous bowling (in that game or before) and the fields that are set etc. As long as you have 3 or 4 different varieties of balls that you can nail, you are ok more often than not. Also remember going at less than 10 runs an over and less than 2 boundaries an over is actually good death bowling in most games.

You act like this is a commonly accepted premise but I think some people think you should always try to hit the yorker on the basis that there isn't likely to be many runs if you get it right.

To be clear - I totally agree with all you said here.

 

[honestbharani]

You act like this is a commonly accepted premise but I think some people think you should always try to hit the yorker on the basis that there isn't likely to be many runs if you get it right.

Sure... because while we consider yorker to be a length, it actually does vary coz the aim is to hit the batsman on the toes, and it varies based on where the batsman stands. If you are good enough to nail 6 yorkers an over, you should go for it. But even Malinga was not there and I dont think I have seen anyone who was that good.