How to Bowl Fast in Cricket

Co-authored by Rishabh Mehan

Last Updated: March 6, 2022 References Approved

Being a fast bowler allows you to keep batsmen on their toes and to be your team's go-to bowler when they need a wicket. Perfecting your pace bowling technique takes time and practice. Through developing a solid delivery and strengthening your body, you can gain the necessary skills to be a great fast bowler.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Perfecting Your Run Up

1
Start your run up from the same point every time. Count the number of steps you are taking as you approach the crease. Make sure you are consistent to solidify your muscle memory for your delivery.^{[1]
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- Practice several deliveries to determine your natural starting position.
- Mark this spot on the pitch.
- Measure the distance of your starting location to the crease or foul line.
- Mark this spot on both ends of the field before you play each match.
2
Get a good final bound. Body position and jump height will vary from person to person. As you practice your run-up, determine what bound feels most natural to achieve the proper foot placement for your delivery. Jump toward the batsman to gain momentum.^{[2]
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- A high bound can disrupt your momentum and slow your bowling speed.
- Having no bound will give you less power to deliver the ball.
- Practice a moderate jump to optimize your form before delivery.
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3
Land your leading foot in the same location each time you bowl. Point your toe toward the batter as your hips swivel around. Although the hand position and spin may vary on each delivery, your body mechanics and placement should be consistent. Practice landing in the same spot to prevent being called for no balls.
- If you land on your back foot, aim to keep your weight in your toes. Then, transfer your weight to your leading foot as quickly as possible.
4
Practice your run up to solidify your technique. After you have determined the optimum distance, bound height, and foot placement for your delivery, practice over and over so you don't have to think about these items during matches. Let your muscle memory guide your body, and the speed of delivery will come as a natural result.^{[3]
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- Run in as you normally would—like an athlete! Aim to gain momentum as you run up.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Working on Your Delivery

1
Record a video of your bowling delivery to analyze. It is much easier to evaluate and understand how you are bowling if you are able to watch yourself.^{[4]
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- Set up a cell phone or video recorder to record your delivery.
- Bowl several deliveries to get a good measure of your form.
- Watch your recording to determine what aspects of the delivery need to be adjusted.
2
Maintain a fixed elbow flexion during delivery. Proper arm placement is important in generating faster ball speeds. Avoid using a straight arm delivery and you'll have better results achieving high bowling speeds. Follow through after you’ve bowled the ball.^{[5]
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- Keep your non-bowling arm outstretched before bringing it into your body. Imagine you are going to grab the batsman and pull them toward you to help gain speed.
3
Use your whole body to generate momentum. Bowling speed comes from more than just your arm. Make sure your whole body is involved in the delivery of the ball to achieve maximum bowling velocity.^{[6]
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- Land your front foot at the same spot relative to the crease each time.
- Rotate your upper body using your hips to propel you forward.
- Swing your non-bowling arm to whip your bowling arm forward.
4
Snap your wrist at delivery. The direction of your wrist snap aids the movement of the ball in the air. A smooth release punctuated by lots of wrist action helps to improve your bowling speed. A quick snap of the wrist puts an extra burst of momentum on the ball when you let it go.
5
Practice bowling a consistent line and length. Take time to practice knowing where you want the ball to bounce to be as accurate as possible. It won't matter how fast you can bowl if you are consistently being called for no balls.
- Mark a target on the ground where you want the ball to bounce.
- Set up a single stump to aim for.
- Bowl over and over to solidify your muscle memory.
6
Work on perfecting different types of fast deliveries. Fast bowlers employ several specific deliveries in their arsenal with different ball or hand positions for each. Keep opposing batters on their toes by practicing different deliveries. Use different grips and spins to achieve variation in your delivery:
- Practice dragging your fingers along the side of the ball as you deliver it to create spin and cause the ball to cut left or right after the bounce.
- Try to bowl the ball with little to no spin and perfect the delivery of a yorker. Aim for the batter’s feet and release the ball early.
- Position the seam of the ball vertically in your hand so the ball bounces off the seam and veers to the side after the bounce.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Improving Strength and Conditioning

1
Develop a work out regimen to increase muscle strength. Although proper technique is crucial to bowling fast, optimizing your body's performance through a consistent work out routine is just as important.
- Set aside three days a week for weight training.
- Do exercises to strengthen your arms, chest, back, and legs such as bicep curls, bench presses, lat pull downs, and squats.
2
Improve your stamina through cardio exercises. You can increase your body's ability to perform over time by doing cardiovascular exercises like running or jogging.
3
Strengthen your core to prevent injury. Because of the stresses and twists your body undergoes while bowling, having strong core muscles will help prevent injury.^{[7]
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- Perform kettle twists by sitting with both hands on one weight; twist from side to side placing the weight next to your legs on each side of your body.
- Do crunches to increase abdominal strength.
- Hang from a pull up bar and raise your knees toward your chest.
4
Practice consistently on a pitch. Be comfortable playing on the pitch by practicing each week. Make sure you take a few days of rest each week to prevent over exerting your muscles and causing yourself injuries.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I improve my bowling speed?

Community Answer

First of all maintain your fitness by running, choose your natural action, shift the whole momentum of your body on ball and throw at least 20 overs daily with same action and same run up. After 3 weeks you will feel your speed is improving gradually.
Question

How do I increase bowling speed? Also how do I swing the speed ball?

Community Answer

Increasing bowling speed relies on having good technique, but also on having a strong body. Maintaining overall good conditioning can help to bowl faster. Swinging the ball depends on your technique. If you can keep the seam upright, you will be able to swing the ball. It can take lots of time and practice to find the position of the ball in your hand that will make the ball stay upright on release. Bear in mind that not everyone can swing the ball. It is a special skill, which is why swing bowlers are in great demand.
Question

How can I increase my speed?

Community Answer

Try to run sprints for short distances and then slow down when tired. Again sprint for some distance with same procedure. Sprints are helpful in increasing speed. Do cardio exercises like cycling etc., to gain stamina. Legs should be strong for a fast and long run so to some efforts on your legs in gym. eat healthy and take proper rest after exercises.