ECB Coaches Association links Inside Edge 6 May 2018 | Page 56

S T AY I N G F I T F O R C R I C K E T
O’Donoghue (2008), recorded fielders covering an
estimated 15.5km a day, but noted that the majority
of that distance was comprised of walking, with only
short bursts of high activity movement which totalled
1.6% ± 0.8% of match time. It is worth noting that
fielders in Test cricket have recorded higher distances
(29-48%) with faster movements compared to first-
class fielders (Petersen et al., 2011). Whilst these
findings may seem entirely logical, understanding
the demands of different positions, formats and
standards allows us to better prepare the cricketers in
our charge.
Much of the research regarding human
movement in cricket has centred on fast-bowlers,
studying the mechanics of the bowling action and its
composite parts. The science continues to explore the
exact injurious mechanisms of fast bowling, which it
must be said are complex and multifactoral. There is
“Understanding the demands
of different positions, formats
and standards allows us to better
prepare the cricketers in our charge.”
by Petersen, Pyne, Dawson, Portus & Kellett (2010),
fast bowlers performed the highest workload of any
position, covering the furthest distance (22.6km,
± 4.0km) as well as a higher amount of distance
sprinted (1.4 ± 0.9km) than fielders, spinners, batters
or wicket-keepers. It is also important to note different
demands for different formats. Petersen et al. (2010)
go on to discuss the relatively higher proportion of
sprinting required per hour in T20 and one day cricket
- an increase of 50 to 100% - compared to multi-day
cricket. In contrast, multi-day formats recorded higher
total distance covered, and more total sprinting due
to the length of the game. As we would expect,
shorter duration formats require higher intensity
physical efforts but a lower total workload than
longer formats (Petersen et al., 2010; Petersen, Pyne,
Portus & Dawson, 2011). Further to this, Rudkin and
evidence to suggest that fast bowling is associated
with the development of stress fractures in the lumbar
spine - generally on the contralateral (opposite) side to
the bowling arm (Gregory, 2004). Several studies have
shown a significant relationship between the amount
of shoulder counter-rotation in bowling actions and
abnormalities in intervertebral discs of fast bowlers
(Elliott & Khangure, 1992; Portus, Mason, Elliot,
Pfitzner & Done, 2004). There are several proposed
factors that may contribute to stress fractures,
many of which relate to the technical issues at play.
Interestingly, an intervention study demonstrated
that small group coaching over a 2-3 year period of
young male bowlers (mean age 13.3 years) was able
to significantly reduce shoulder counter-rotation in the
bowling action, which correlated with a reduction in
incidence and progression of disk degeneration. The
keeper and their lateral movements to the ball; the
fielders rotating, hinging, or diving to pick up balls; the
lunge-like strategies employed by batters to get close
to the pitch of a spinning delivery, to name but a few.
Whilst there is further room for research to be carried
out in order to identify these movement patterns and
skills, particularly for fielders (Macdonald, Cronin,
Mills, Mcguigan & Stretch, 2013), it makes intuitive
sense that these fundamental movement patterns
contribute to the efficacy of performance. It is our
job to observe and analyse these movements, and
challenge our athletes to become proficient at them.
In addition to the basic movement patterns
described previously, we should have an
understanding of the differing positional requirements
that our athletes face, in order to adequately prepare
them for the running distances and intensities that
they are required to cover in competition. In a study
A C OAC H ’ S G U I D E
England cricketers train on the eve of
the third Ashes cricket Test match in Perth
research that has been done highlights the extreme physical demands of the
skill, particularly on the lumbar spine: identifying lower trunk extension, side-
flexion and rotation (Ranson, Burnett, King, Patel, & O’sullivan, 2008). This
reinforces the notion that fast-bowlers must not only work towards suitable
bowling techniques but also develop physical capacities and skills in order to
cope with the demands of the activity.

It has also been observed that peak braking forces and vertical forces at
the moment of front foot contact are related to the bowlers’ release speed
(Portus et al., 2004). These findings are supported by Middleton, Mills, Elliott,
and Alderson (2016), who compared high performing fast bowlers to amateur
fast bowlers and observed the association between lower limb biomechanics
to ball release speeds. Their findings suggest that high-performance bowlers
were better able to withstand higher braking forces and ground reaction forces
(GRF) associated with bowling. Greater bowling speed is related to the ability
of the knee and hip extensors to develop sufficient force to resist flexion. A
study of the ECB elite fast-bowling group in 2011 showed that at front foot
contact, the mean peak vertical GRF was 6.7 ± 1.4 bodyweight, while mean
peak vertical GRF was 4.5 ± 0.8 bodyweight (Worthington, King, & Ranson,
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