Types of Cricket Bowls

Cricket is a game of strategy and execution. Having an effective bowler on your squad is an essential part of success. Bowlers have an array of pitches varying in length, spin and speed upon reaching the batter. Each type of bowl has distinct advantages for the bowler and may have better uses in different parts of a match, depending on the situation of the defensive team.

  1. Yorker

    • When using a yorker the bowler (or pitcher) tosses the ball at a fast pace directly at the bottom of the bat. This will allow the ball to bounce close to the batter's feet, making it difficult to line up and drive the ball when it comes in. The yorker bowl requires good timing and accuracy to execute properly.

    Long-Hop Bowl

    • A long-hop is a type of bowl that tends to be much slower than standard bowls. An advantage of the long-hop is that it comes high off of the bounce, which is difficult for a batter to hit. This will result in popups and quick outs. However, if the ball does not gain enough height off of the bounce, it will come in slowly, giving the batter extra time to read any spin or break on the pitch.

    Full Bowl

    • A full bowl or full toss reaches the batter without bouncing at all. It is a very fast pitch that can make it difficult for the batter to gain solid contact. A disadvantage of a full bowl is that if a batter does get solid contact, he can drive the ball a considerable distance. In many instances, a bowler throws this pitch unintentionally when attempting a yorker.

    Good Length Bowl

    • A good length bowl is a pitch that bounces just before the batter's area and comes up sharply while remaining low the entire time. If the bowler bounces the ball too short it can turn into a long-hop bowl. If he bounces the ball too long, it can turn into a yorker. A good length bowl is one of the most popular and effective bowls in cricket.