How to measure bowling speed

[pnesam07]

Anyone know anyway of measuring bowling speed in the nets? ive heard about this speed gun and for £129 its not worth it.
anyone know any cheap speed guns or any other ways of detecting how fast you are bowling?
and whats a rapid speed a 14 year old fast bowler?

cheers fellow cricket fans

 

[Neil Pickup]

From the coaching section: "Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

A genuinely quick 14 year old is around 70mph.

 

[pnesam07]

From the coaching section: "Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

A genuinely quick 14 year old is around 70mph.

Wouldnt that be un-accurate?
and ive never seen a 14 year old bowl faster than 60odd mph so im not sure about that

 

[Neil Pickup]

If you want it for free it's the best you're getting. From experience it is remarkable how consistent a reading you get. Your margin of error at each end is identical so they cancel out, and the calculation is a simplification of the speed = distance/time equation.

70mph is a very top end estimate: you don't see it often but it is within the capability of a fast 14yo. 60mph is still quick.

 

[pnesam07]

http://www.opticsplanet.net/speedcheck-radar.html

would this work for cricket?

 

[Goughy]

http://www.opticsplanet.net/speedcheck-radar.html

would this work for cricket?

Yes. If I was buying a speed gun that is the one I would buy. Ive nearly bought it on a number of occasions.

 

[Matt79]

I prefer the old reliable nautical mile per minute unit (NMPMU) measurement myself.

 

[jackwilliams123]

A great way is for a seasoned pro to bat against you and he will be able to tell you pretty accuratley!

im a 14 year old i bowl for my county and bowl at 70mph max for effort balls, i know people my age who bowl 70mph consistantly and my older brother who is 17 bowls 75-80 mph

 

[PhoenixFire]

Sorry to be rude, but no.

The human brain and eye are notoriously bad at judging the absolute speed of something and is quite easily tricked by stuff like that. The only way is to use some sort of objective scientfic measure, like a speed gun.

 

[Daemon]

Sorry to be rude, but no.

The human brain and eye are notoriously bad at judging the absolute speed of something and is quite easily tricked by stuff like that. The only way is to use some sort of objective scientfic measure, like a speed gun.

Yeah, I agree. Over a long distance maybe this method is feasible but we're talking about a really short time over a short distance. Human reaction time is poor enough, but you have to multiply it twice since you're starting and stopping the stopwatch at the point of release and the point of impact. Also, consistency doesn't mean you're getting the right results.

 

[Howe_zat]

I prefer not to know, and just assume I bowl at around 90.

Works for Ray Price at any rate.

 

[Migara]

Things you need.

1. Practice wicket net removed.
2. One "wall" of the practice wicket covered with a cloth with 10cm x 10cm squares marked or a net with thick strands that of 10cm x 10cm.
3. Tripod and a video camera
4. Helper

* Focus the camera to the point of your release
* Now the mesh should show in the back ground. Make sure that the distance from the point you are bowling to the mesh is at least about 1/10 of that of from camera to you. (This will need a strong focal depth, more distnant the ca,mera better results because ir reduces parallax error )
* While camera is running, bowl about 10 deliveries
* Now take the video file on to your computer
* Use a video editing tool, so you can see it frame by frame
* Take the first frame where the ball has git released from the hand
* Go to the very next frame and measure the horizontal distance that has travelled using the mesh.
* Frame to Frame time is 0.05s, so you'll have your bowling speed! (speed = distance in 1 frame * 20)
* Average it in 10 deliveries to get a better value.

I've used this method, and my leg breaks seems to go at 70 - 80km/h speeds with the slider about 85 - 90kmh. Off breaks around 85kmph and medium pacers 105 - 110k

 

[vijay.genius1]

A Doubt...

I measure my bowling speed by taking a 17.68 m pitch(crease to crease)..Am I wrong?
We do have a 20.12 m pitch....but we generally get the speed with the bowler bowling from the crease and the batman batting on the crease...

 

[Son Of Coco]

Sorry to be rude, but no.

The human brain and eye are notoriously bad at judging the absolute speed of something and is quite easily tricked by stuff like that. The only way is to use some sort of objective scientfic measure, like a speed gun.

Yeah, I was told a guy I played against in the Devon league was 85mph. When I asked how he was measured there was no answer. Needless to say, he wasn't 85mph.

 

[vijay.genius1]

Guys answer!!!

I measure my bowling speed by taking a 17.68 m pitch(crease to crease)..Am I wrong?
We do have a 20.12 m pitch....but we generally get the speed with the bowler bowling from the crease and the batman batting on the crease...

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Batsmen usually get fooled in their estimates of a bowler's speed if the bowler gets good swing or seam, sharp bounce, or has a difficult-to-read action.

Not sure if it's true, but apparently before speed radars were commonplace, bowlers like McGrath and Ambrose were regarded by many as express.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

I've used this method, and my leg breaks seems to go at 70 - 80km/h speeds with the slider about 85 - 90kmh. Off breaks around 85kmph and medium pacers 105 - 110k

Never knew that Garfield Sobers was right-handed and from Sri Lanka.

Seriously, top stuff, mate!

 

[Cabinet96]

ive never seen a 14 year old bowl faster than 60odd mph so im not sure about that

I got clocked at Lords when I turned 13 and my fastest ball was 59 mph. I've never been a particularly quick bowler for my age. A 15 year old Kent bowler got selected for the England development squad and could supposedly bowl 81 mph so I wouldn't be at all surprised if a seriously quick 14 year old could hit 75 mph but the average is more around 60 mph.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Yeah, that sounds about right speed-wise. Gloucestershire brought their speed gun across to Oxfordshire last weekend for a fast bowling day, and our quickest U10 came in at 52mph: I didn't see anyone any quicker over the course of the summer. Add 5/6mph per age group and you're in the 70/75 range by the time you're 15. Nonetheless, I do however tell my boys that if anyone tells you a speed, then take 10mph off it and you might get an accurate number...

Of course, speed really isn't everything and bounce and a "heavy ball" make more of a difference than out and out numbers - see the classic Greg Blewett example.

 

[AlwaysProteas]

Things you need.

1. Practice wicket net removed.
2. One "wall" of the practice wicket covered with a cloth with 10cm x 10cm squares marked or a net with thick strands that of 10cm x 10cm.
3. Tripod and a video camera
4. Helper

* Focus the camera to the point of your release
* Now the mesh should show in the back ground. Make sure that the distance from the point you are bowling to the mesh is at least about 1/10 of that of from camera to you. (This will need a strong focal depth, more distnant the ca,mera better results because ir reduces parallax error )
* While camera is running, bowl about 10 deliveries
* Now take the video file on to your computer
* Use a video editing tool, so you can see it frame by frame
* Take the first frame where the ball has git released from the hand
* Go to the very next frame and measure the horizontal distance that has travelled using the mesh.
* Frame to Frame time is 0.05s, so you'll have your bowling speed! (speed = distance in 1 frame * 20)
* Average it in 10 deliveries to get a better value.

I've used this method, and my leg breaks seems to go at 70 - 80km/h speeds with the slider about 85 - 90kmh. Off breaks around 85kmph and medium pacers 105 - 110k

This is what I've been doing except Frame to frame time can vary, depending on frames per second your camera captures. Ideally you'd want a camera that can capture at least 60 fps, but 30 fps would do.

Another way to estimate speed if you don't have a mesh is count the number of frames it takes ball to go from hand to end of the pitch. Divide number of frames it took by frames per second of camera So for example, if your camera captures at 30 fps, and the ball takes 15 frames, you get 0.5 seconds. Divide the distance bowled by the time and you get average speed. Channel 9 had done a bit when Shaun tait was bowling showing the ball lost 15-20% speed when it reached the batsman. So multiply the speed you get by about 1.1 to get a good guess of speed of the ball when it was released from the hand.