'Coaches need a good understanding of biomechanics'
The Wednesday Interview with Bruce Elliott, in charge of biomechanics at the University of Western Australia
04-Aug-2004
Biomechanics is an essential part of sport today. In simple terms it enhances the technique of a player in an efficient manner. Professor Bruce Elliott, of the University of Western Australia, has been involved with this discipline for more than three decades. In this exclusive interview he tells Nagraj Gollapudi about the importance of his subject, and how it can cure the ills of a cricketer:
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How long have you been associated with biomechanics?
I have been working in this field for about 30 years now. As for cricket and biomechanics, we started linking both the disciplines in the mid-'80s when Dennis Lillee, the famous Australian fast bowler, was injured and came to the University of Western Australia for rehabilitation. I had a small part in that, and from then on I became interested in injuries in cricket, particularly to teenagers. Then, for nearly two decades since, we have looked at analysing fast-bowling actions and what types of actions actually led to injuries.
I have been working in this field for about 30 years now. As for cricket and biomechanics, we started linking both the disciplines in the mid-'80s when Dennis Lillee, the famous Australian fast bowler, was injured and came to the University of Western Australia for rehabilitation. I had a small part in that, and from then on I became interested in injuries in cricket, particularly to teenagers. Then, for nearly two decades since, we have looked at analysing fast-bowling actions and what types of actions actually led to injuries.
So do you concentrate more on bowlers rather than batsmen?
Bowling is the area that we looked at specifically, though I have done one study on batting, but again the majority of the work in those early years had to do with fast bowling. More recently we have become interested in spin bowling, and have started doing work on the three-dimensional analysis of spinners. In the late 1990s we started doing some work for the ICC and different national cricket associations which rendered to the legality of bowling. It was our group who worked with Muttiah Muralitharan when his bowling action was first brought to notice.
Bowling is the area that we looked at specifically, though I have done one study on batting, but again the majority of the work in those early years had to do with fast bowling. More recently we have become interested in spin bowling, and have started doing work on the three-dimensional analysis of spinners. In the late 1990s we started doing some work for the ICC and different national cricket associations which rendered to the legality of bowling. It was our group who worked with Muttiah Muralitharan when his bowling action was first brought to notice.
How important is a knowledge of biomechanics for today's cricketers?
Biomechanics is involved in all aspects of the game as bowling is a totally biomechanical skill. This doesn't mean that the physiology and the psychology don't play a role in both bowling and batting, but bowling is a mechanical process. Batting, being much simpler, is difficult to modify, and good batsmen may never have had a technical analysis of them, but in general terms they have had good coaches who introduced them to good biomechanical principles slowly across their career.
Biomechanics is involved in all aspects of the game as bowling is a totally biomechanical skill. This doesn't mean that the physiology and the psychology don't play a role in both bowling and batting, but bowling is a mechanical process. Batting, being much simpler, is difficult to modify, and good batsmen may never have had a technical analysis of them, but in general terms they have had good coaches who introduced them to good biomechanical principles slowly across their career.
Do coaches in general really understand the biomechanical principles?
Cricket coaches are improving, like coaches in all sports. I can only really speak about Australia, where now, through the national accreditation programmes, we find that we can introduce biomechanics at Level Two - this is the generally the club coach and above. Elsewhere, associations are also introducing biomechanics for coaches who work with juniors, so that they are more aware of the dangers of bowling with particular techniques - so it is definitely growing. There is no question that coaches need to have a good understanding of biomechanics.
Cricket coaches are improving, like coaches in all sports. I can only really speak about Australia, where now, through the national accreditation programmes, we find that we can introduce biomechanics at Level Two - this is the generally the club coach and above. Elsewhere, associations are also introducing biomechanics for coaches who work with juniors, so that they are more aware of the dangers of bowling with particular techniques - so it is definitely growing. There is no question that coaches need to have a good understanding of biomechanics.
But coaches around the globe at grass-roots level are still unaware of most of the biomechanical principles?
It's the responsibility of the ICC and the individual cricket boards to develop training programs so that these people can be educated. Let me give an example: the International Tennis Federation (ITF) provide training to selected coaches of countries where the education is not so organised. I think the ICC is already doing something similar with Bob Woolmer, who assists in developing cricketing countries to raise their level to international standards. They are also developing coaching programmes for these countries and others interested in developing the game.
It's the responsibility of the ICC and the individual cricket boards to develop training programs so that these people can be educated. Let me give an example: the International Tennis Federation (ITF) provide training to selected coaches of countries where the education is not so organised. I think the ICC is already doing something similar with Bob Woolmer, who assists in developing cricketing countries to raise their level to international standards. They are also developing coaching programmes for these countries and others interested in developing the game.
`We need a better understanding of whether selected types of spin bowlers are extending their elbow during the delivery'
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Biomechanics enhances performance: can you specifically relate that to a bowler and a batsman?
A bowler who doesn't use a mixed technique has got a better chance of avoiding back injuries. As for batting, it would be someone who uses the correct upper-arm movement, which is the driving or control arm of a stroke. Biomechanics is only about technique.
A bowler who doesn't use a mixed technique has got a better chance of avoiding back injuries. As for batting, it would be someone who uses the correct upper-arm movement, which is the driving or control arm of a stroke. Biomechanics is only about technique.
So how do you dissect a player's technique?
The procedure to analyse the technique of a batsman or a bowler is similar, and we have got two options. Most of the time you would like to do your analysis in the nets or in the middle, so we usually use video cameras operating at normal speed, that are linked to special software. Another approach could be using multiple cameras and thus a 3-D approach - this enables you to look at the action in three dimensions. Or you could come into the lab environment which we have never done with batting, but we have certainly done with bowling. Here we can look at very accurate footage that would enable you to catch every part of the actions accurately. We would then compare results to other bowlers and make recommendations.
The procedure to analyse the technique of a batsman or a bowler is similar, and we have got two options. Most of the time you would like to do your analysis in the nets or in the middle, so we usually use video cameras operating at normal speed, that are linked to special software. Another approach could be using multiple cameras and thus a 3-D approach - this enables you to look at the action in three dimensions. Or you could come into the lab environment which we have never done with batting, but we have certainly done with bowling. Here we can look at very accurate footage that would enable you to catch every part of the actions accurately. We would then compare results to other bowlers and make recommendations.
Can biomechanics cure an error-prone technique?
Most of the time, it can. Biomechanical principles can be used to modify the technique for better performances, and reduce injury. The difficulty is always to make sure that the flair of the cricketer is retained; biomechanics is not used to create robotic movements, but just to enhance the performance.
Most of the time, it can. Biomechanical principles can be used to modify the technique for better performances, and reduce injury. The difficulty is always to make sure that the flair of the cricketer is retained; biomechanics is not used to create robotic movements, but just to enhance the performance.
It's probably fair to say that there are too many recurring injuries in cricket, especially to the bowlers. Does that mean the player and his coach are not following the biomechanical principles properly?
I accept that. It is true. The greatest difficulty is to make sure that coaches fully appreciate the advantages that biomechanics offers them, and the greatest problem is that people who teach biomechanics often haven't done this very well. It's just a question of showing coaches in a positive manner how the changes in technique can be done, which would reduce the occurrence of an injury and thereby improve the player's performance.
I accept that. It is true. The greatest difficulty is to make sure that coaches fully appreciate the advantages that biomechanics offers them, and the greatest problem is that people who teach biomechanics often haven't done this very well. It's just a question of showing coaches in a positive manner how the changes in technique can be done, which would reduce the occurrence of an injury and thereby improve the player's performance.
So are some coaches on the defensive on the subject?
Biomechanics, like a lot of sciences, is not being well-presented to coaches, so I don't blame them. In most instances, the biomechanics are to be blamed. All I can say is that we need to present science in a way that is easily understood by the coach.
Biomechanics, like a lot of sciences, is not being well-presented to coaches, so I don't blame them. In most instances, the biomechanics are to be blamed. All I can say is that we need to present science in a way that is easily understood by the coach.
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Then we have the controversy over chucking - how can biomechanics deal with that?
Oh, yes, it is a very, very important issue. It was an important issue for the fast bowlers, but more recently it's become more of an issue for spin bowlers, particularly finger-spin bowlers. To deal with this problem, the ICC is collecting more data, so that we know exactly what is happening in the world of spin bowling particularly. We need a better understanding of whether selected types of spin bowlers are extending their elbow during the delivery. The ICC analysed bowlers at the Under-19 World Cup, held in Bangladesh, to identify bowlers who were at risk. There is no doubt that we need to start to address the issue of overlooking poor techniques at a very young age so that we don't have people developing illegal actions.
Oh, yes, it is a very, very important issue. It was an important issue for the fast bowlers, but more recently it's become more of an issue for spin bowlers, particularly finger-spin bowlers. To deal with this problem, the ICC is collecting more data, so that we know exactly what is happening in the world of spin bowling particularly. We need a better understanding of whether selected types of spin bowlers are extending their elbow during the delivery. The ICC analysed bowlers at the Under-19 World Cup, held in Bangladesh, to identify bowlers who were at risk. There is no doubt that we need to start to address the issue of overlooking poor techniques at a very young age so that we don't have people developing illegal actions.
So is it too late for a bowler who is already playing at the highest level to correct his technique?
Let me cite the example of Shabbir Ahmed, the Pakistan pace bowler. He was reported during Pakistan's tour of New Zealand last season, and after initial testing at the university, his illegal action was confirmed. Following a week's coaching he was reassessed and his technique was shown to be legal. So you can modify actions at the highest level, but we need to make sure that the bowler takes away a better action, and that they are quite happy to bowl like that in the future. With Shabbir, Daryl Foster made him more side-on, which changed his upper-arm action and reduced movement at the elbow joint.
Let me cite the example of Shabbir Ahmed, the Pakistan pace bowler. He was reported during Pakistan's tour of New Zealand last season, and after initial testing at the university, his illegal action was confirmed. Following a week's coaching he was reassessed and his technique was shown to be legal. So you can modify actions at the highest level, but we need to make sure that the bowler takes away a better action, and that they are quite happy to bowl like that in the future. With Shabbir, Daryl Foster made him more side-on, which changed his upper-arm action and reduced movement at the elbow joint.
In another high-profile case, with Muralitharan, you asked the ICC to do more research on tolerance levels. Can you elaborate on that?
At the moment we are doing research on spin bowling, which is being funded by Cricket Australia. Now the ICC is also setting up a sub-committee on bowling that will recommend various things which will aid research in this area. The important thing is that we need to test more spin bowlers, particularly on their delivery. Again the ICC is addressing this problem. I don't think wrist-spinners are at risk, but finger-spinners who bowl with a bent arm are more so. That doesn't mean they use an illegal action, it's just that they are at risk and therefore you need to look more carefully at them.
At the moment we are doing research on spin bowling, which is being funded by Cricket Australia. Now the ICC is also setting up a sub-committee on bowling that will recommend various things which will aid research in this area. The important thing is that we need to test more spin bowlers, particularly on their delivery. Again the ICC is addressing this problem. I don't think wrist-spinners are at risk, but finger-spinners who bowl with a bent arm are more so. That doesn't mean they use an illegal action, it's just that they are at risk and therefore you need to look more carefully at them.