91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ

91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Biomechanics and Motor Control Research Group

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Cricket - Fast Bowling

• Biomechanics research into fast bowling at 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ has focused on improving our understanding of the relationship between fast bowling technique and improvements in performance and likelihood of lumbar bone stress injury. The research is often conducted in collaboration with members coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, and medical staff of the England and Wales Cricket Board. The fast bowling research is conducted either in the National Cricket Performance Centre or within the National Centre of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs and Exercise Medicine (East Midlands).
• Ball speed is a key determinant of performance in fast bowlers. Research at 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ demonstrated that ball speed is liked to a faster run-up, braced front knee at ball release, delayed swinging of the bowling arm and greater flexion of the trunk between front foot contact and ball release. Further research has demonstrated links between ball speed and horizontal impulse, reduced vertical ground reaction forces and slower vertical and horizontal loading rates.
• Our research has also demonstrated that male and female fast bowlers use significantly different techniques to generate ball speed. While male fast bowlers utilise a technique which generates linear momentum in the run up, which is conserved through the delivery stride, female fast bowlers use whole body angular momentum and large rotator muscles used to rotate the pelvis and torso segments throughout the front foot contact phase to generate ball speed.
• The computer simulation studies conducted in our group have demonstrating the effect of elbow hyperextension on ball speed, and successfully optimised fast bowling performance in the front foot contact phase.
• Lumbar bone stress injuries are the most prevalent injury in cricket with a time loss that can exceed 8 months. The biomechanical research conducted in at 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ has demonstrated that fast bowlers who have greater rear hip flexion at back foot contact, and a more extended lumbar spine at front foot contact are at risk of sustaining a lumbar bone stress injury. Further research has also implicated high 7-day bowling workload in the aetiology of lumbar bone stress injury.
• Cricket places unique physiological demands on the musculoskeletal system of its participants. Fast bowlers are subjected to large ground reaction forces and muscular forces around the lumbar spine. As a consequence of the asymmetric technique of fast bowling, fast bowlers demonstrate a unique adaptation of the lumbar spine, with significantly greater bone mineral on the contralateral (to bowling arm) side of the lumbar spine, peaking at L4, where there is up to 20% greater bone mineral.
• /research/spotlights/fast-bowling/

Papers

• Alway, P., Felton, P., Brooke-Wavell, K., Peirce, N. and King, M., 2021. Cricket fast bowling technique and lumbar bone stress injury. Medicine and Science in 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs and Exercise, 53(3), 581-589. DOI:
• Felton, P.J., Yeadon, M.R. and King, M.A., 2020. Optimising the front foot contact phase of the cricket fast bowling action. Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences, 38(18), 2054-2062. DOI:
• Alway, P., Peirce, N., King, M., Jardine, R. and Brooke-Wavell, K., 2019. Lumbar bone mineral asymmetry in elite cricket fast bowlers. Bone, 127, 537-543. DOI:
• Alway, P., Brooke-Wavell, K., Langley, B., King, M. and Peirce, N., 2019. Incidence and prevalence of lumbar stress fracture in English county cricket fast bowlers, association with bowling workload and seasonal variation. BMJ Open 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ and Exercise Medicine, 5, 1-7. DOI:
• Felton, P.J., Lister, S.L., Worthington, P.J., and King, M.A., 2018. Comparison of biomechanical characteristics between male and female elite fast bowlers. Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences, 37(6), 665-670. DOI:
• Felton, P.J. and King, M.A., 2016. The effect of elbow hyperextension on ball speed in cricket fast bowling. Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences, DOI:
• King, M.A., Worthington, P.J. and Ranson, C.A. 2016. Does maximising ball speed in cricket fast bowling necessitate higher ground reaction forces? Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences, 34, 707-712. DOI:
• Worthington, P.W., King, M.A., Ranson, C. 2013. The influence of cricket fast bowlers' front leg technique on peak ground reaction forces. Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences, 31, 434-441. DOI:
• Worthington, P.W., King, M.A., Ranson, C.  2013.  Relationships between fast bowling technique and ball release speed in cricket.  Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 29, 78-84. DOI:
• Ranson, C., King, M.A., Burnett, A., Worthington, P.W., Shine, K. 2009. The effect of coaching intervention on elite fast bowling technique over a two year period. 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Biomechanics, 8, 261–274. DOI:
• Ranson, C.A., Burnett, A.F., King, M.A., Patel, N. and O’Sullivan, P.B. 2008. The relationship between bowling action classification and three-dimensional lower trunk motion in fast bowlers in cricket. Journal of 91ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵs Sciences 26, 267-276. DOI: