Cricket: Hitting a Target

A Right-armed bowler bowling outswing will move the ball away from a right-handed batsman. The 1st and 2nd fingers are placed on the top of the ball and spread either side of the seam. The side of the thumb is placed on the underneath of the ball directly on the seam. To make the ball swing, ensure that the seam remains vertical and angled away from the batsman.

The index and middle fingers are placed either side of the seam with the thumb gripping the bottom of the ball. The index and middle finger joints wrap around the ball to keep the ball away from the palm. On release ensure that the seam is kept vertical and that the hand stays behind the ball to create backspin.

The practice should be setup as shown. Have one player as a wicket keeper and another as fielder. The bowlers take it in turns to bowl, with the fielder calling if the ball was a good line (pitched in the cones) or a good length (pitched level with the red hoop). If the ball pitches in the hoop then the ball is both a good line and length.

Get a resistance band and put around the player's waist Coach stands behind the player whilst they run towards the crease, pulling for resistance Player drives forward and bowls towards the wicket whilst resistance is applied Take off the band once bowled and quickly bowl again without resistance For progression and to stop players pulling to the off side, add resistance to bowlers off side to straighten the approach Player does six bowling motions against resistance. Then take off the band and bowl without resistance

**AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON** Bowler begins with take-off foot on the box. Bowler pushes up with take-off foot into the delivery stride towards the crease. The ball is bowled at the stumpst and follows through straight down the wicket.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Two cones a long stride distance apart. Standing behind one, facing the other, step the leading foot of the delivery stride to the opposite cone Drag through the back foot on the back cone encouraging the back knee to drive through straight towards your target  

All the players need a ball except for the wicket keeper. The first player in line takes a couple of steps before bowling the ball at the wicket. After bowling the player should follow their ball towards the wicket. The wicket keeper should gather the ball and gently throw it to the player who has just bowled before joining the back of the line.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Using a wall, set up a line of cones about a foot from the wall to create a narrow corridor Bowl along the wall (not releasing the ball) Bowl in both directions as one direction encourages front arm to align straight and other direction encourages bowling arm to align straight.   

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* In pairs with a football. Overhead football passes between the pairs, driving through to replicate bowling action. 

Set up hurdles leading up to the crease, you can use as many as you like Add two lines of cones beyond the crease to create a gate to promote a follow through Players run over the hurdles with a strong running technique, lifting the knees Players bowl towards the wicket and and follow through the cones

A right-arm bowler bowling to a right handed batsman will move the ball into them. The index and second finger should be placed either side of the the seam. The flat side of the thumb should be placed on the underneath of the ball. Ensure that the balls seam remains vertical and is angled towards the leg side.

Put players into pairs Both players kneel towards each other The player rotates their upper body, bringing the arm up and over the wheel to help create spin The opposite player receives the ball and bowls the ball back using the same technique

A leg spin bowler spins the ball from a right handed batsmans leg stump towards their off stump. The bowler grips the ball with the top joint of the index and middle fingers lying on the seam and the third finger bent along it. As the bowlers arm moves forward the fingers are straightened and the wrist is flicked forwards, with the palm finishing facing downwards. The 3rd finger is the one that imparts most of the spin. On release of the ball the bowler completes a full swing of the arm, driving through to the opposite hip. Its important to pivot on the ball of the front foot and make the back knee drive through the ball.

Bowl the ball with leg spin grip back and forward to each other, letting the ball bounce once before catching it.

Player 2 bowls the ball over the front set of stumps to try and hit the back set.

For this drill you need a wicket-keeper and a queue of bowlers at both ends of the wicket. The first player takes their run up and bowls an off spin ball on one side of the cones down the middle towards the opposite stumps. Ideally the spin generated should make the ball cross over the line of cones and bounce up for the wicket-keeper to take. Once the bowler has bowled they continue their run to the back of the queue on the other side and the drill repeats with the bowler at the other end.

The off spin moves the ball from a right handed batsmans off stump towards their leg stump. The spin is generated from the index finger, this causes the ball to alter its direction and bounce through. The ball is held by the joints of the index and middle fingers which are spread along the seam. The spin is then generated by turning the wrist in a anti-clokwise direction.

Place a few cones in line with the off-stump at both ends of the wicket, going down the pitch. Players get into pairs, roughly about the length of a wicket away from eachother. Players use the off-spin grip to hold the ball.  Player throws the ball to their partner and using their wrist and body, they are aiming to spin the ball from the left hand side of the cones to the right - replicating as off-spinners delivery.

Set up stumps or a raised barrier down the wicket Set up a line just in front of the batters stumps Bowler aims to fly the ball over the stumps and spin to the other side of the line Spin the ball hard and get it to dip fast

Organise the group into pairs and set up the activity as shown in the diagram. Ball is bowled to partner from the coil position. Partner catches the ball and bowls it back. The ball must bounce before reaching the partner.