answered
Q: Hi Josh, is 14 years old and he has never had any coaching and hasn’t finished growing. He rips in and has a great follow through. His take off landing is a little unconventional. Josh’s dad and I have been discussing should he try and iron it out or embrace it. We’d be grateful for any guidance.
https://vimeo.com/934449723
A: Josh seems to have a nice action and follow thru for his age. As Josh matures, he must ensure that he maintains his strength and his back leg does not collapse as this will affect his ability to get through the crease and ultimately his ability to generate pace and a consistent line and length.
Now is the time to get Josh into good habits with drills and strengthening exercises so he does not incur injuries during his development.
If Burt can recommend some drills specific to a young bowler it would be a good start.
Is Greg Maclay still looking after the Central West from a Cricket NSW development perspective? If so, I would have Josh's dad reach out to Greg.
answered
Q: Stuart Broad had a couple of his magic spells during the first test but did he get his tactics wrong with the new ball in the second innings in hindsight? Was he trying too hard to york the lower order batsmen out when good lengths would have been more difficult. At this level, what sort of bowling troubles the lower order?
A: Hello Steven
Couldn't agree more with Gregs summation of the scenario.
The skill set of lower order batsmen these days is a little further advanced than in the past and is improving however there is no substitution for an express fast bowler putting the fear of god into the tail and re enforcing the fact that they are not welcome in the middle at the latter stages of an innings.
At this moment in time England do not possess an express fast bowler to blast the lower order out. As Greg mentions a good attacking line and length mixed up with the occasional yorker and short ball to test the batsman out supported by a field set to the batsman's skill level is the consistent approach.
There is nothing better than seeing a quality express fast bowler apply his trade and watching the lift that he gives his team mates
answered
Q: In relation to the Mankad issue and its increased regularity especially in T20 cricket.
Bowlers are penalised for going 1mm over the crease for a no ball and it cost the team one run plus a free hit which could mean the penalty is 7 runs if the free hit is hit for 6. Bowlers are also penalised if they’re stray outside the markers and the ball is called a wide and it could also cost their team 7 runs if the additional bowl is hit for 6. That’s all fine because it’s in the rules.
The Mankad is in the rules but it’s not a good look and creates tension amongst the players so with all the technology involved in the game what if a penalty is introduced to the batting team if the batter leaves the crease before the ball is bowled.
The technology and penalty take the pressure off the bowlers and the umpires and like the bowler’s penalties means the batters have to stick to the rules of the game.
Is 2 or 3 runs too much of a penalty, keen to get your thoughts.
A: Hello Guys
Totally support Waynes's thoughts here ... something needs to be done as the Mankad is not a good look for our game under any circumstance.
In the past the protocol has been for the bowler to give the offending batsman a warning and after that he or she is fair game. Perhaps the process for the bowler or fielding side should be to make their observation of cheating by the batsman known to the umpire officially. The umpire can then refer it up the review umpire where the current video technology can be utilized while the bowler is walking back to his mark. If the batsman is found to be cheating by the technology the umpire can signal to all and sundry similar to the power play wave of the arm we see now. This then puts the batsman and batting side on notice that you are now fair game if you cross the line again. It will also send a message throughout the game and hopefully lessen the incidents of the Mankad.
Wayne Holdsworth
last year
question
Q: I was given a few tastes of first grade at the age of 17 and was captained by former NSW and Australian 2nd X1 batsman Tony Steele. Tony was a hard man but a very fair man for those that got to know him. Tony was a perfectionist in every venture he undertook, socially and in his business life. If it was a game of tiddly winks, tennis or golf Tony would want to win and find a way to take the cash every time.
My first-grade introduction was a baptism of fire and some of the best learning experiences ever. I was now playing with grown men who were duelling it out like there was no tomorrow which I took parts of into my future cricket career.
One of those early games was played at Manly Oval on a flat track of rolled baked mud recovering from the rugby season. When Tony gestured me up from fine leg for a bowl and placed the ball in my hand, he looked me in the eyes and said, “nothing short to this bloke. His name is Peter Toohey, and he is one of the best hookers and pullers in the game and doesn’t own a baggy green cap for nothing.”
Tony set the field for a flat deck accordingly. Yeah right, I thought. I used most of the first over to loosen up and said to myself it’s time to test this bloke out. The next ball was a rank half tracker that didn’t gut up above waist height that Peter pulled in front of square hard and flat. The ball didn’t go above head height and hit the mesh on top of the brick wall on the bowling club side of Manly oval.
After that over Tony called out Andy, got a sec. Tony’s summary and advice post my first over was ……. “If you bowl another short ball to Rats in this session, I will not bowl you again and you will be running from fine leg to fine leg for the rest of the game.”
My next over and contrary to Tony’s advice ……. I tried the old 3 card trick on the 5th or 6th ball with everything I had and was dispatched high and long into the top of the Slaggy Miller stand that backs on to Sydney Road. All be it over fine leg. I bowled 2 overs that game and true to his word Tony had me running from fine leg to fine leg till the close of play. Valuable lesson learnt. Don’t wear speedos under your creams.
answered
Q: I’d really like to know why in short form cricket and in particular T20, is the yorker not perfected and used more by bowlers, as it is widely acknowledged as the most effective delivery in the game?
A: Hello Guys. I also agree with Ben. A yorker bowled at good pace and line cannot be hit for a six and in my opinion is the best dot ball option in a fast bowlers armory in conjunction with a bouncer and off pace delivery in all forms of the game. At best a quality batsmen can squirt a yorker fine behind on both sides of the wicket. I'm guessing that most bowlers these days aren't being told or taught about the value of the yorker.
