Run Up

[DCC_legend]

Lately I've been struggling with my run-up in matches and occasionaly in nets. I usually bowl off 18-20 paces but every time I run in it seems like i've made the run up too short. This leads to me stuttering my run up, which obviously affects my rhythm, pace and accuracy. It has also led to me losing confidence in my ability to bowl.

Is there anything I can do to eventually eliminate this and give me back the confidence that I had at the start of the season?

Cheers, Ethan.

 

[Son Of Coco]

18-20 paces is quite a lot, are you a fast bowler?

I'd recommend running from a set point and then delivering the ball when it feels right. Mark out the length of your run up and use that. When you run in do you look at the spot where you want to bowl the ball or the popping crease? If it's the latter that might be the reason why you stutter a bit as it's easy to second guess yourself if you're looking at how far you have to go to the crease rather than where you want to bowl it.

 

[Jakester1288]

Have you actually measured and marked out a run up?

Go to an emtpy place with plenty of space, then make a mark in the ground. Run through your run up and action with your eyes closed. Have a mate mark where your front foot lands in your delivery stride. Repeat until you are landing in the same spot every time. Then either step out the run up (to find how many paces it is) or if you can, measure it with a tape measure, but this means before every game you will have to go out with the tape measure and mark the run up out from both ends.

 

[DCC_legend]

18-20 paces is quite a lot, are you a fast bowler?

I'd recommend running from a set point and then delivering the ball when it feels right. Mark out the length of your run up and use that. When you run in do you look at the spot where you want to bowl the ball or the popping crease? If it's the latter that might be the reason why you stutter a bit as it's easy to second guess yourself if you're looking at how far you have to go to the crease rather than where you want to bowl it.

Yeah, Medium pace bowler. 18-20 feels the most natural when I can manage to get the rhythm right. Sometimes I find myself looking at the popping crease but only if I've stuttered the run up in the first place. Although I do find myself looking more when I can't get a good rhythm or I'm feeling low on confidence.

Have you actually measured and marked out a run up?

Go to an emtpy place with plenty of space, then make a mark in the ground. Run through your run up and action with your eyes closed. Have a mate mark where your front foot lands in your delivery stride. Repeat until you are landing in the same spot every time. Then either step out the run up (to find how many paces it is) or if you can, measure it with a tape measure, but this means before every game you will have to go out with the tape measure and mark the run up out from both ends.

As I mentioned before, 18-20 paces is my normal run-up. I don't feel comfortable on anything shorter. I might try that in nets tonight. Losing patience with bowling ATM due to not being able to get my run up right and getting a good line and length because of it.

 

[kevinpietersen]

Try making your run up from the opposite side so you start on the crease then run the opposite way from the wicket. When it feels like your at the right speed stop. Put a mark where you are. Then Bowl from that point.
In a match that is what I do. Every over just do it again. Just use your heel to make a mark if the umpire doesn't have anything you can put down.

 

[Jakester1288]

9000.

 

[Jakester1288]

Try making your run up from the opposite side so you start on the crease then run the opposite way from the wicket. When it feels like your at the right speed stop. Put a mark where you are. Then Bowl from that point.
In a match that is what I do. Every over just do it again. Just use your heel to make a mark if the umpire doesn't have anything you can put down.

Yeah, but you are in Under 13's. You don't just do that when you get older. You should always mark your run up, because no balls will become more important in the future for you than they are now. You can't just run away from the stumps then turn around and bowl.

 

[Tom M]

Practise More. I don't like marking run-ups with tape measures becuase you never play the same game twice. By that I mean from one game to the next you'll feel more/less tired/angry/excited/happy/horny than the last.

Just bowl in the nets more and it'll sort itself out.

 

[Goughy]

18-20 paces is quite a lot, are you a fast bowler?.

It does sound a lot.

When I was at my fastest I came in off 21.

After I lost a half a yard of pace, there was nothing I could do off 21 that I couldnt do off 7.

Also note, all my numbers are odd. Ive been coached, and I coach, to use odd numbers (I can probably count the number of no-balls Ive bowled in my life of my two hands)

To me, bowling of 20 paces is a lot of effort. I dont understand why anyone would sacrifice their stamina unless they had to aim for blistering pace.

Just a suggestion but I would try 11 or 15 and see how that goes.

 

[mat]

If it's the latter that might be the reason why you stutter a bit as it's easy to second guess yourself if you're looking at how far you have to go to the crease rather than where you want to bowl it.

I second this.

I find when I'm down on confidence and I start looking at the crease I stutter to get my front foot in the right place, whereas when I run off my natural run focusing on where I want the ball to land I will more often than not deliver from where I should be. When you are not even thinking about where your foot lands is when you start getting into a better rythm.

mat