Relationship Between Selected Physical Qualities, Bowling Kinematics, and Pace Bowling Skill in Club-Standard Cricketers

This study sought to determine these interrelationships. Thirty-one male club-standard pace bowlers completed 3 test sessions on separate occasions 4–7 days apart. The first testing session comprised an 8-over pace bowling assessment, where bowling skill and selected bowling kinematics were measured. A physical test battery was completed over the remaining 2 sessions. Peak and mean ball release (BR) speed were related with 1 repetition maximum pull-up strength (rs = 0.56, p = 0.005) and correlated with 20-m sprint time (rs = −0.42, p = 0.022; rs = −0.37, p = 0.044, respectively). Mean radial error was associated with 10-m and 20-m sprint times (rs = 0.41, p = 0.030; rs = 0.38, p = 0.037, respectively), and correlated with height and peak power from 3 countermovement jumps (CMJs) (rs = −0.39, p = 0.036; rs = −0.41, p = 0.031, respectively), and mean peak power from 20 CMJs (rs = −0.45, p = 0.020). Bivariate variable error was correlated with front-leg extension angle at BR (rs = 0.41, p = 0.036), and also with approach speed (rs = −0.36, p = 0.050). These relationships may assist strength and conditioning coaches in designing more effective training programs to enhance bowling speed and accuracy. Training interventions are warranted, however, to validate these associations.
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research