P Epasinghe: Fast Bowling - Big Appeal In Cricket (4 Dec 1996)

4 December 1996

Fast bowling - big appeal in cricket

By Premasara Epasinghe

Bowlers win matches. Batsmen save the game. This is the general form in cricket.

Looking at most of the inter-school matches that end in nodecisions it is very clear that batsmen dominate the scene. Very rarely do bowlers come on top.

Today we will discuss fast bowling.

In boxing, the biggest draw is the heavyweight bout. In cricket, the fast bowler has the greatest box-office appeal. Undoubtedly, it is extremely exhilarating to watch a man pound up to the wick- et from 40 to 50 yds away and hurl a ball down somewhere in the region of 100 miles an hour. I can still picture that great West Indies fast bowler, giant sized Wesley Hall, running up to the wicket in rhythmic style and with lightning pace delivering the ball to a batsman. It was undoubtedly a `fierce` sight for all.

A fast bowlers` job, especially when opening bowling, is to get the batsman out as quickly, and for as to low a score possible. So in a game of cricket fast bowlers play an important role. Much will depend on them. One of the greatest weapons of the really fast bowler is the fear he induces with his great pace. It is no fun to get hit by a fast bowler.

The aim of the bowler, whether he is fast, medium or slow is to defeat the batsman. To do this, two factors are vital - length and direction.

Bowling actions vary. It must be remembered that to be a successful bowler, good bowling action is essential. A correct grip, a smooth and economical run-up, an easy, rhythmical and well balanced delivery, and a deliberate and fluent follow through are very necessary.

One important thing that schoolboy cricketers should remember is that they should never try and bowl every ball at breakneck speed. If you open the bowling, no doubt, quick wickets are your aim. The ball is hard with plenty of shine and bounce. Opening pace bowlers bowl any thing from four or five to fifteen overs. Use your brains. Vary balls with a sprinkling of slower ones and bouncers. Variation means a lot to a fast bowler. You can deceive a batsman with a slower ball, which perhaps results in a catch forward of the wicket sometime.

As in any sport, hard work and practice is the only way of attaining a high degree of success. Fitness is very important to a cricketer. Remember, a fast bowler must be hundred percent fit. A paceman undergoes a tremendous amount of exertion. You must be physically hardened to the task.

Fast bowlers take many of their wickets either at slips, or by the wicket-keeper or from mistimed hook shots.

There is one golden rule which all would-be swing bowler should observe. Remember to pitch the ball up to the batsman and always to bowl a full length if you are swinging the ball. If you can master the delivery of the yorker that moves late in the air, then you will have at your command one very difficult delivery for a batsman.

Most of the schoolboy batsmen are very vulnerable of the outswinger. Sometimes, they tend to chase balls going outside the off-stump and fall prey to the slip cordon or the wicket-keeper. The in-swing balls cuts into your stumps and sometimes with sheer pace you will be rewarded with a wicket. The out swinger depends on his slips, the in-swing bowler get most of their victims at short leg.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)