How to Throw a Cricket Ball

Throwing a cricket ball is an essential part of playing the game. Good bowlers, the people who throw the cricket ball, are fast, accurate and never miss a chance to play to the weakness of the batsman. While becoming an excellent bowler takes practice, every bowler starts out with the basic of throwing a cricket ball, and these basics are the nuts and bolts of great cricketing. The secret to throwing a cricket ball well, and not doing your shoulder any harm, is to involve the whole body in the throw.

Instructions

    • 1

      Gather the cricket ball in your throwing arm’s hand, with the stitching vertical—which means it should be touching the fingers. If the stitching is horizontal, it will put the balance of the ball off and affect your accuracy.

    • 2

      Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, facing sideways to the target (the batsman, or more specifically the wickets behind the batsman). Your throwing arm holding the ball should be furthest away from the target, your feet at the beginning of the cricket pitch. If you are planning on taking a run up, start six or seven paces from the beginning of the pitch and run straight toward the pitch, assuming the sideways position as you come to the pitch.

    • 3

      Raise both arms so that shoulder to elbow is relatively horizontal, and the forearms are up at an approximate 45 degree angle. Keep your head and eyes squarely on your target.

    • 4

      Turn with your whole body as you swing the back arm up and over. Let the ball go as the full weight of your body comes into the turn, at which point your hand will be about head height, but slightly on the downward turn. Your finishing position should be the throwing hand tucked into your chest after completing the throw, the opposite hand fully back and your legs still shoulder-width or slightly wider apart, but facing forward.