Stock ball and spin
Ready when: Bowl straight (b3) done.
What you are learning
A stock ball, the reliable ball that lands on target again and again. For pace the wrist sits behind the ball with the seam upright; for spin the fingers grip across the seam and turn quickly as the ball is let go. Spin it hard first, accuracy comes later. And a run-up with the same steps every time.
Words on this card Stumps, Crease, Bowler, Wicketkeeper, Front foot, Seam, Spin, Stock ball, No-ball, Run-up
- Stumps
- The three upright sticks at each end, with two small bails on top. A bucket can stand in for them.
- Crease
- The line in front of the stumps. The batter is safe while the bat or a foot is grounded behind it.
- Bowler
- The player who bowls the ball at the batter.
- Wicketkeeper
- The fielder who crouches behind the batter's stumps and catches the balls the batter misses.
- Front foot
- Stepping forward toward the ball, or back toward the stumps.
- Seam
- The raised stitching round a cricket ball.
- Spin
- Making the ball turn after it bounces, by twisting the fingers or wrist as it is let go.
- Stock ball
- A bowler's reliable everyday ball.
- No-ball
- A ball that breaks a rule, such as the front foot landing past the crease or a bent arm. The batting team gets a run.
- Run-up
- The steps a bowler takes before bowling.
Set up
Stumps, a cone for the run-up, a ball with a seam. A half-red, half-white ball helps to see spin.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Rock and bowl from standing: rock back and forward twice, bowl on the third.
- Pace grip: the first two fingers a little apart on top, along the seam, wrist behind the ball.
- Spin grip: fingers across the seam; as you let go, turn the fingers quickly so the ball spins.
- Walk up five steps and bowl; then a short run-up, counting the steps.
Your part while they practise
Keep wicket; call "straight" or "wide" after each ball.
Step by step
- Rock and bowl: rock twice, bowl on the third.
- A wrist flick from a straight-up arm.
- Gather (bring the arms in close as you reach the crease), then explode into the action, pulling the front arm down hard.
- Walk up five steps and bowl, then a short run-up.
- 12 balls a round; rest between rounds.
How much: 12 balls, 3 rounds, with rest between rounds 15 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: On the money
1 point for the near zone, 2 for the far zone, 3 for the stumps.
Who plays: a bowler and a keeper; swap after 12 balls.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Chalk two zones in line with the stumps: the near zone 6 to 4 m in front of them, the far zone 4 to 2 m in front
- Bowl 12 balls
- The keeper calls where each one bounced
- Fair play
- A younger bowler bowls from closer.
- Points
- A bounce in the near zone scores 1 point, the far zone 2, and a ball that hits the stumps 3.
- Fouls
- No points for that ball
- A bent arm
- The front foot past the crease (a no-ball)
- A ball that passes outside the gate (a wide)
- Winning
- The most points from 12 balls.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 20 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A shorter run-up.
A narrower target.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball slips out wide
Point at the target through release
The front arm and the eyes stay on the target. - the run-up is uneven
Count your steps and keep them
The same number of steps, the same start mark.
Self-check
4 of 12 balls land in the target zone.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the back, hips or knees; a fast bowler going through a growth spurt bowls less.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains the stock ball, spin, run-up.
awiseathlete.com/sports/cricket/cricket-i3