How to Practice Bowling for Cricket

Bowling a ball in an effective way to get batsmen out and preventing the other team from scoring runs requires skill on the part of the bowler in cricket. Body motion, speed, grip and location of the bounce all play integral parts as to how well a bowler fares. Fine-tuning your grip, varying your delivery styles and learning to consistently negotiate line and length can make the difference between being an average bowler and a standout player.

Instructions

    • 1

      Get your grips on the cricket ball down pat, Place the seam of the ball in different positions in your hand and throw with your normal motion to see how the ball reacts when bowled.

    • 2

      Practice the three distinct delivery styles: fast bowling, off spin and leg spin. Each bowling style has different variations. For example, fast bowling deliveries include the bouncer (throwing the ball in a way so that it bounces well in front of the bowler and reaches him about chest high or higher) and the reverse swing (achieved by throwing a well-worn ball with both the forefinger and middle finger on one side of the seam or the other, depending on what side the batsman is standing on).

    • 3

      Work on developing a run up that allows you to bowl line and length, Set up a wicket and mark lines on the ground (such as tying a length of string between two golf tees) that represent the five areas that a bowler should be aiming for on the field: Long hop (bouncer), short of a length, good length, full length (half volley) and full toss. Work on hitting each one of these spots when bowling. If you're a fast bowler, aim for the shorter lengths; if you use a spin technique, aim for a good length or beyond.

    • 4

      Practice hitting your line every time in order to entice a bowler to offer at your throws. Mark off the imaginary channel around and just outside the off--stump area, a spot where a batter is unsure whether to play or leave the ball. Practice hitting this spot with all of the throws you normally use and determine which ones bounce in the manner most effective for you.