Should I Bowl With My Head Down ?

[The Masterplan]

When i bowl i dip my head after releasing the ball... like James Anderson does, is this a good idea ? or should i be keeping my head up like say.. Glen McGrath or Mathew Hoggard, i feel i can bowl quicker when i dip my head but should i do it ? Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Manee]

The best thing to do would be to watch the bowlers who put their head down in the action and those who don't and think which one would you rather become.

 

[Goughy]

Simple answer is no. Its a terrible idea. Bowlers like batsmen need to try and keep their eyes level for as much of the time when possible. Sure there will be a moment when your head bobs down but if it is extended then its a real issue.

Causes a multitude of issues. Its not the same but to illustrate, stare at a dart board, then stare at the floor and throw. If anyone thinks they can be as accurate when they are not looking is fooling themselves and looking for a way to justify their own failure and weakness.

 

[Manee]

Simple answer is no. Its a terrible idea. Bowlers like batsmen need to try and keep their eyes level for as much of the time when possible. Sure there will be a moment when your head bobs down but if it is extended then its a real issue.

Could it be argued that bringing the head down puts the entire weight into the downswing of the arm? I am not saying if or if I don't believe this, but it is certainly an interesting question.

 

[Goughy]

Could it be argued that bringing the head down puts the entire weight into the downswing of the arm? I am not saying if or if I don't believe this, but it is certainly an interesting question.

Yeah it could be but its a cheap way to get a little extra pace. Its fools gold. Any increase in pace (usually relatively small) is paid for by a huge trade off in all other areas.

Pulling the head down is used for easy pace when the bowler isnt bringing their hips through. Rather than the pace coming from hip and shoulder rotation it comes from dropping the head and torso. Its a bad thing.

 

[Manee]

Yeah it could be but its a cheap way to get a little extra pace. Its fools gold. Any increase in pace (usually relatively small) is paid for by a huge trade off in all other areas.

Pulling the head down is used for easy pace when the bowler isnt bringing their hips through. Rather than the pace coming from hip and shoulder rotation it comes from dropping the head and torso. Its a bad thing.

Fair enough and well argued

 

[Nate]

Used to bowl with my head down, as it gave me the odd "miracle" delivery. As Goughy has said, there's just no substitute for accuracy.

 

[bond21]

every bowler drops their head for a fraction of a second on delivery, its natural.

Anderson's is exaggarated though, but hes accurate enough.

 

[Nate]

Nah, no way. Reckon he's a feel bowler.

 

[Jammy Dodgers]

tell that to paul adams his head was behind his legs looking backwards to the umpire when he bowled

 

[Goughy]

tell that to paul adams his head was behind his legs looking backwards to the umpire when he bowled

Not exactly a model of accuracy, consistency or success. He is barely a club bowler anymore in South Africa.

 

[spunbowler]

a good question, for me if you look at the best bowlers the world has seen, and if you take quick bowling as a example, and further more we take dennis lilly for side on and curtley ambrose for front on, as ball is delivered very little head rotation as in dipping, side on obvo the head needs to drop to the back to allow bowling arm to be correct hieght and cuff rotation, chest on not the same prob as head isnt in the way of the delivery arm, i would 100% give up a wee bit of pace to ensure steady and still eyes for as long as possible, for me james anderson has a high maintanence action, he is a "freak" as in his head is cattapulted into his chest because of this high mainanence action and nothing i would encourage in a young bowler.

 

[FBU]

Shaun Pollock bowled with his head down.

 

[spunbowler]

i know what you mean, but not in the same way anderson tucks his head in, at point of delivery pollock is probably looking where he wants the ball to go, whereas anderson is looking at his feet

 

[Cameron-Moss]

IMO, It could be either side of the argument, it could like your bowling on hard, bouncy wicket. You could be going for a high bouncer, and he does a backfoot defence, this could result in the ball coming to you if the batsmen plays the shot badly. You could miss the catch.

But a little extra pace on a yorker couldn't hurt could it?

 

[Matteh]

Accuracy > pace in any and every situation.

 

[jonny1408]

Technically, dropping your head is a terrible thing.

However, if you can't bowl with your head up well or how you would like to, then stick to bowling head down.

I would rather you bowled Head down and felt natural than head up and felt uncomfortable as you cannot perform to your best feeling uncomorftable and worrying about technique as running into bowl.

 

[Jakester1288]

You shouldn't drop you head to much in a delivery. Notice how Anderson doesn't have mush accuracy, though like bond21 said he can pull out a miracle delivery? Look where you want the ball to pitch. How can you bowl a good yorker or good length consistently if you are not even looking where the ball is going?