Optimising Fast Bowling in Cricket: The Science-Backed Strategies for Success

In 2003, Shoaib Akhtar made history by becoming the first person to bowl at 100mph (161km per hour) in a One-Day International Men's World Cup match. This achievement sparked expectations that more bowlers would regularly reach this milestone, similar to Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile. It was believed that this feat would inspire a global improvement in fast bowling. However, despite advancements in athletic ability, the top speed in cricket fast bowling has not seen significant progress. Only Brett Lee and Shaun Tait have surpassed the 100mph mark since then, and it has been over a decade since that happened.

During the current 2023 One-Day International Men's World Cup in India, only a few bowlers have managed speeds over 90mph (145km per hour), with the fastest around 95mph (153km per hour).

The performance of fast bowlers depends largely on two factors: the momentum developed during the run-up and the technique used to transfer that momentum into the bowling action. Research suggests that the fastest elite male bowlers focus on maintaining and transferring momentum from their run-up rather than relying solely on muscle power.

This raises the question of whether progress in fast bowling speeds has stalled despite advancements in training techniques and athletic abilities. It prompts a discussion on potential factors contributing to this stagnation and the need for new approaches or techniques to push the boundaries of fast bowling speed in cricket.

Pushing boundaries

To delve into the limits of fast bowling and understand why the top speed has seemingly reached a plateau, researchers developed a cutting-edge predictive musculoskeletal computer simulation model. This model created virtual clones of ten elite male fast bowlers and optimised their techniques to maximise ball release speed.

Surprisingly, the computer model did not predict any of these bowlers to surpass the 100mph mark. This finding raises questions about the factors that influence human movement patterns and how they impact the technique of fast bowlers.

To comprehensively grasp the reasons behind the stagnation in top speeds, it is crucial to consider the complex interplay of various factors affecting fast bowling performance. This includes biomechanics, muscle activation patterns, coordination, and other intricacies of human movement. By studying these elements in detail, researchers aim to shed light on why the anticipated progress in fast bowling speeds has not materialised as expected. By gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that contribute to fast bowling performance, it may be possible to identify areas for improvement and pave the way for future breakthroughs in achieving higher speeds.

The movement patterns we exhibit are influenced by three types of constraints: organismic, environmental, and task-related. Organismic constraints pertain to individual factors such as size, strength, and range of motion. Environmental constraints encompass elements like the atmosphere, temperature, equipment, and surfaces. Task-related constraints involve factors such as the goal of the activity, the rules, and the intensity.

Our technique in fast bowling is also influenced by our past movement experiences, encompassing what we have observed, been taught, and previously performed.

When considering areas for potential development in fast bowling, the organismic constraint, related to the inherent physiology of the fast bowler offers the potential area for further development. In contrast, the scope for improvement through environmental and task-related constraints is limited in fast bowling due to factors such as the absence of specialised equipment and the relative simplicity of the activity. While enhancing muscular strength, power and endurance is often deemed crucial for developing fast bowling performance, there exists a distinctive task-related constraint specific to cricket bowling. Bowlers must maintain a straight arm during the bowling phase, substantially reducing the available time to execute the throwing movement effectively.

Sudden initiation 

In elite male fast bowlers, the bowling phase is completed within approximately 100 milliseconds. This duration is comparable to the time needed for the explosive activation of a single muscle. Consequently, bowlers face limitations in developing additional momentum through muscular effort during the bowling phase, thereby negating the impact of strength gains on ball speed.

This phenomenon clarifies why maximizing momentum generated during the run-up is favoured over relying solely on muscular momentum during the bowling phase. It also explains why there has been no significant increase in fast bowling top speeds despite recent advancements in the athletic abilities of fast bowlers.

Interestingly, research on women fast bowlers has demonstrated that those who generate less momentum during the run-up, thus allowing more time to generate additional muscular momentum, adopt a movement pattern resembling throwing. In this approach, the momentum generated during the run-up is increased by the utilisation of large rotational muscles in the torso during the bowling phase.

Enhancements in the performance of the large rotational torso muscles in both men and women could potentially improve the generation of muscular momentum. However, it is important to note that research on fast bowling has deemed this technique sub-optimal.

One possible method to increase the time available for generating greater muscular momentum is to refine the range of motion in the joints during the bowling phase.

Increased joint flexibility

Recent studies have emphasised that elite fast bowlers who possess a greater range of motion in their hip and shoulder joints tend to exhibit higher ball release speeds. It has been suggested that the bowlers' technique during their formative years might have been influenced by their joint flexibility. Furthermore, an increase in ball release speed of up to 5% during the bowling phase has been observed in cases where the elbow joint hyperextends, extending beyond a straight position. However, there is a common misconception that taller bowlers automatically bowl faster due to the presumed advantage of having longer limbs.

Interestingly, as limb length increases, the rotational movement becomes more challenging. Since muscular strength does not proportionately scale with limb length, this can become a disadvantage. Hence, there may exist an optimal height for fast bowlers, although the exact value remains unknown.

Factors such as body shape, size, and joint hypermobility that contribute to increased ball speed are primarily determined by genetic factors. Given the slow pace of human evolution, advancements in ball release speed are expected to progress at a similar rate. Therefore, the achievement of surpassing the 100mph barrier should be perceived more as a formidable mountain that requires a once-in-a-generation bowler to conquer, rather than a barrier that can be easily overcome. The capability for further growth in this regard is constrained by the demands of the task and our inherent physiological capabilities.