Front foot no balls. Why ??

[Donny]

In the current Test match, Lasith Malinga has bowled 15 no balls from 19 overs.:dontknow: Mashrafe Mortaza bowled 8 in SL's innings. Just what is it about fast bowlers ??? Are they naturally stupid ? It constantly amazes me to see professional cricketers risking their whole careers by hurling themselves at balls near the boundary to save 1 run and yet bowlers still try to gain an extra few centimetres by flirting with the front foot crease. These same bowlers are seen glaring at fieldsman who misfield. With teams having all sorts of coaches, these days, why does this continue to happen ? It's not really rocket science, fellas. Thoughts ?

[beetle]

They should take lessons from Ranadeb Bose.....:wink_smile:

[Gambit]

Most people tend to deviate from the basics in the heat of the moment, particularly fast bowlers. If a batsman has just smacked them for a 6 or a 4, most fast bowlers tend to get angry and their reaction usually is to hurl a real quick one to teach the batsman a lesson. Hence, the basics go out of the window. In attempting to doing so, in attempting to get that extra yard of pace, their front foot goes over the crease. I guess this also holds true for fast bowlers who've just taken a wicket and are pumped up. They want to make things as difficult as possible for the new man in which means bowling their first delivery to him as fast as possible which again might lead to a no ball.

[King]

It happens at times. Even though sometimes you are not looking forward to bowling fast you still end up bowling no balls. When in good rhythm the faster bowlers seem to bowl less no balls. I have at times annoyed my mates bowling no balls and particularly when tried to bowl a yorker I have bowled no balls repeatedly. At times it has costed me several wickets in a single game. A nice relaxed run up ensures less no balls but as Gambo said the heat of the moment at times takes away that relaxed run up in a faster bowler. Most fast bowlers are pretty mean and would not compromise even 5 k speed hence you don't see the bowlers bowl from a yard behind even when they are finding it hard not to bowl no balls.

[Ram]

It also has to do with rhythm of the fast bowler. After all , you dont have Malinga bowling so many no balls every match. If a fast feels in good rhythm on that day , his run-up is in place and everything falls into place. However , sometimes the fast bowler never feels that way ( due to a variety of reasons, including the square being unveven) and therefore loses his run-up and oversteps.

[Donny]

Sure Gambit but we're talking vastly experienced bowlers here and both those situations would be eliminated by simply starting their run up a bit earlier or marking it from a foot (.3 of a metre) behind the crease. Then, the extra effort ball would still see the front foot heel land on the crease, at worst.

[Ram]

Sure Gambit but we're talking vastly experienced bowlers here and both those situations would be eliminated by simply starting their run up a bit earlier or marking it from a foot (.3 of a metre) behind the crease. Then, the extra effort ball would still see the front foot heel land on the crease, at worst.

I think its a bit of psychology here too. If a bowler delivers the ball even 6-7 inches behind the front foot line , he might feel as though something about the ball is comprimised. Atleast , that is how i felt when i bowled. Sometimes in my anxiety not to bowl no-balls , i land well behind the popping crease. Whenever i did that , i always felt the ball has to travel more distance than usual and hence may lose some venom.

[Donny]

So you risk not getting a wicket instead of a simple adjustment ? The point is flawed anyway as a batsman may play a ball from back on his stumps or on the front foot. That's a possible difference of 4 to 6 feet which renders the 6-7 inches as inconsequential.

[The Outsider]

Kapil, I think said that most bowlers he has seen lack the discipline to follow the no ball rule strictly in the nets and that is where this habit creeps in. He had one of the most impeccable records as far as no balls are concerned and explained how he consciously makes the effort not to overstep in the nets. There is also the factor already alluded to by Gambit and Ravi. I have never been a fast bowler but whenever I have done it for the heck of it, I have had to glance down while bowling whether I am overstepping or not. For real fast bowlers, that is obviously not an option so every stride in your runup has to be measured and you got to get the count right. There are bound to be mistakes when you are not completely zoned in. No wonder cricket is considered such a mental game.

[Predator_05]

It's habitual. They have been bowling like this since they were young, so it's hard for them to get out of it. They also don't measure their run-ups properly.

[Donny]

My question wasn't so much why they do it but why do they keep doing it when so much goes into preparation & training in modern day professional cricket ? Surely, the measuring of your run up should be perfected by the time you are good enough to play for your country.

[The Outsider]

My question wasn't so much why they do it but why do they keep doing it when so much goes into preparation & training in modern day professional cricket ?

Donny, from whatever clippings I get to see of net practices on TV, I have never seen anyone monitoring no balls. They obviously do that in one to one sessions but in regular net practice it does not happen. Ultimately, it becomes a question of discipline and given that cricket attracts all kinds of personalities some don't care.