The Thommo method of Bowling

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Always surprised me how did Thommo managed to generate so much of speed despite his 12-14 pace run up which has never been fully replicated.

Wanted to know from people of CW on how was it really possible for Thommo to generate so much of speed despite his so small and slow run up?

Also what advice would you give for a late teenager trying to really replicate Thommo?

 

[Prince EWS]

Scott Coyte could bowl 140s off two paces.

 

[Line and Length]

Thommo had a unique 'slinging' action that was similar to a javelin throw.
He had a son who modelled his action on his Dad's. I recall hearing that Thommo, returning from one of his speaking tours, was horrified to find that coaches had stuffed up (read stronger terminology) his son's action.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Also what advice would you give for a late teenager trying to really replicate Thommo?

strengthen your rotator cuff as much as humanly possible

 

[Silver Silva]

Always surprised me how did Thommo managed to generate so much of speed despite his 12-14 pace run up which has never been fully replicated.

Wanted to know from people of CW on how was it really possible for Thommo to generate so much of speed despite his so small and slow run up?

Also what advice would you give for a late teenager trying to really replicate Thommo?

Get bowling fit rather than gym fit, a lot of bowlers make that mistake ..
You've got to put the muscle memory into your body of what it feels like to bowl a delivery time and time again, don't wrap yourself in cotton wool or think spending more time in the gym will help you more than on the field..

 

[Midwinter]

I thought he just shuffled up to the crease and went whang.

HTH

 

[Immenso]

Was watching some footage on YouTube last night and he was starting his run from the edge of the 30m circle. Tiny little shuffle steps.

The 12-14 pace run up has its own mini run up?

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

Was watching some footage on YouTube last night and he was starting his run from the edge of the 30m circle. Tiny little shuffle steps.

The 12-14 pace run up has its own mini run up?

Think the long run up was after his shoulder injury.

 

[Starfighter]

Think the long run up was after his shoulder injury.

He actually first lengthened it a bit between the 74/75 Ashes and 75/76 WI series (not sure about England 75). Then lengthened it more and ran in faster after the major shoulder injury (and for some reason bowled everything from the edge of the crease).

 

[Hurricane2]

Always surprised me how did Thommo managed to generate so much of speed despite his 12-14 pace run up which has never been fully replicated.

Wanted to know from people of CW on how was it really possible for Thommo to generate so much of speed despite his so small and slow run up?

Also what advice would you give for a late teenager trying to really replicate Thommo?

Watch him on video and try to copy every part of his action including his front arm load up.
My friend when he was 8 years old was the worst bowler at school. Then he watched an ODI and picked an Australian Quick and spent all night copying his action and turned up the next day and was close to being the best in the school. Over night transformation.

 

[Red]

Similar to Tait who could generate massive pace looking pretty laconic.
All came out of the shoulder.

 

[social]

I agree that more should try to copy his action as it’s technically excellent in many ways plus it alleviates stress on some parts of the body

However, Thommo was also an incredible athlete and obviously very flexible

His runup was much shorter and action better before the shoulder injury

This is him against England in 74/75

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

I agree that more should try to copy his action as it’s technically excellent in many ways plus it alleviates stress on some parts of the body

However, Thommo was also an incredible athlete and obviously very flexible

Would like to hear your perspective in depth if you were say teaching someone to bowl like Thommo.

 

[reyrey]

Vaguely remember some discussion about this amongst some biomechanics experts. Basically anyone trying to replicate Thommos action wouldn't last more than a season.

 

[Starfighter]

Having very flexible shoulders would be a must, as would getting the timing right - I've seen a couple of guys who bowled like that who fell off to the side and dragged it off line.

As I've mentioned before, slinging actions used to much more common, some amount of 'slinginess' was common from the fastest bowlers until the front-foot rule removed the distance advantage of the side-on, long-dragging action. But the only other person I can immediately recall with that particular, rock-back-then-foward action is Voce. Both he and Thomson pivoted their whole bodies around almost like a spinner, keeping their hips and shoulders relatively in line (I wonder if that's why Thomson never picked up a significant back injury?)

 

[GotSpin]

Vaguely remember some discussion about this amongst some biomechanics experts. Basically anyone trying to replicate Thommos action wouldn't last more than a season.

Why?

 

[Big_Gun]

All you guys are wrong, the reason he was able to bowl so fast and able to get so side on at the last second ,was in his delivery stride he would cross his right foot behind his left foot, which enabled him to get so side on and then sling his arm back behind his body.
this technique is not taught today

 

[Ashes81]

It's always surprised me that nobody has tried to replicate Thommo's action.

Yes it put a strain on the shoulders in particular but he was an absolutely fearsome bowler in his pomp.

We had a good batting line up in 74/5 - Amiss, Edrich, Denness, Fletcher and Greig but we simply couldn't cope with Thommo and to a lesser extent Lillee.

He generated real pace but also could get the ball to lift off a good length- not an easy combination to deal with.

 

[Arachnodouche]

It's always surprised me that nobody has tried to replicate Thommo's action.

 

[Patience and Accuracy+Gut]

All you guys are wrong, the reason he was able to bowl so fast and able to get so side on at the last second ,was in his delivery stride he would cross his right foot behind his left foot, which enabled him to get so side on and then sling his arm back behind his body.
this technique is not taught today

Never noticed that despite watching loads of Thommo.

It's always surprised me that nobody has tried to replicate Thommo's action.

Yes it put a strain on the shoulders in particular but he was an absolutely fearsome bowler in his pomp.

We had a good batting line up in 74/5 - Amiss, Edrich, Denness, Fletcher and Greig but we simply couldn't cope with Thommo and to a lesser extent Lillee.

He generated real pace but also could get the ball to lift off a good length- not an easy combination to deal with.

Thommo’s action does generate better pace than any other action. Accuracy though is harder to maintain.