cricket query - n/g

[wxgill]

I play cricket when at school but not since. I was quite a good left handed batsman but couldn't bowl.

I was watching cricket yesterday and have this question:

the ball when delivered at speed is hard. Why don't bowlers just bowl for a direct hit on the batsman's legs (without bouncing) for a certain LBW?

Or is this really hard to do in practice?

 

[Darland_Gills]

The more I watch cricket, the more perplexing it is. It's so steeped in jargon and minute detail that you really need a lot of experience to decode it. I've sat watching a game with wikipedia up on my phone, looking up phrases to try and piece things together - only with little success.

Really wish I'd taken an interest when I was younger when my brain was more pliable - I like watching it nowadays but beyond seeing people trying to hit a cricket ball with a bat I get a little lost

 

[Bert]

I play cricket when at school but not since. I was quite a good left handed batsman but couldn't bowl.

I was watching cricket yesterday and have this question:

the ball when delivered at speed is hard. Why don't bowlers just bowl for a direct hit on the batsman's legs (without bouncing) for a certain LBW?

Or is this really hard to do in practice?

That's quite a good idea, The batsman won't know whether to hit it for four or a six.

A full toss is the easiest ball to hit.

 

[wxgill]

That's quite a good idea, The batsman won't know whether to hit it for four or a six.

A full toss is the easiest ball to hit.

Thank you for clearing that up.

 

[timnolongerinbrisban]

If the ball pitches there are a few things that can happen. There could be variable bounce, the ball could hit the seam and deviate, if it’s a bouncer it could hit the batsman or create enough panic if it’s quick enough to get someone out. It could also swing if pitched up.As mentioned, if it’s a full toss it can be twatted for 4 or 6 normally.

 

[chris who]

I think I depends a little on the quality of batsman and bowler. If you have a quick bowler. Bowling to a very average player then a full toss aimed directly at the batsman when he is moving across his stumps can be a effective delivery if used sparingly.
But a bog standard bowler against a good batsman will almost certainly be hit out of the ground.

 

[Baghdad_Rob]

the ball when delivered at speed is hard. Why don't bowlers just bowl for a direct hit on the batsman's legs (without bouncing) for a certain LBW?

Or is this really hard to do in practice?

Yes. It is hard to do with an element of consistancy. Getting the length wrong can see the ball being bowled as a long toss which, as others have alluded to, tends to be swotted away for 4 or 6.

In some forms of cricket, there is a type of "penalty shootout" called a Bowl-Out where bowlers have to bowl at an unguarded wicket:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowl-out

although it has been phased out in some formats. If bowling straight at the wicket was straight forward then it wouldn't make sense to use.

The other reason comes down to the fact that if you keep bowling yorkers, then the batsman knows what you are planning to do and is therefore easier to respond to.

Some bowlers have more success bowling through the "corridor of uncertainty" with a little bit of movement and force the batsman to decide if he needs to hit it as it may clip his stump or leave it alone.

At the end of the day, most bowlers have a length or width that they have issues with or tend to struggle reading swing or spin.

 

[Baghdad_Rob]

That's quite a good idea, The batsman won't know whether to hit it for four or a six.

A full toss is the easiest ball to hit.

I assumed he was referring to a Yorker and not a full toss.

 

[londongills]

That’s what I thought too. A Yorker pitches just in front of or on the feet, but it is one of the more difficult balls for a bowler to perfect. If the bowler gets it wrong, then it is likely to end up as a full toss and usually easy for a good batsman to hit for runs. A good batsman... a less good batsman like yours truly once got out to a full toss while attempting to hit across the line

 

[Gills 58]

I'm relieved to see you back on form wxgill. A question about the most complicated game in the world and the best too imo.

I've been on the sauce in an attempt to stave off the rigormortis that seems to be afflicting me from today's game so I hope my contribution isn't total b#llocks.

Anyway, as others have said, a full toss on the legs is relatively wasy to smash away for a 4. Further, it will only be LBW if it hits the batsman right in front of the stumps, a rarity.

I've found that the easiest way to get out is to face superb fast bowlers for about an hour. Survive the onslaught.Then the oppos bring on some old pensioner who bowls some dolly ball that I excitedly try to put into orbit only to get bowled/caught.


Ps, just booked that B&B you recommended.
;-)

 

[wxgill]

I was watching the highlights of the test match yesterday.

A west indies batsman should of been out because the ball hit has gloves and an england player caught him.

England did not appeal.

If cricket has the technology why is this not reviewed without players appealing?

 

[chris who]

I was watching the highlights of the test match yesterday.

A west indies batsman should of been out because the ball hit has gloves and an england player caught him.

England did not appeal.

If cricket has the technology why is this not reviewed without players appealing?

Not certain about the case you speak of .But I believe there is largely a dependence on honesty in Cricket there are many occasions in club games where the umpires will depend on the fielders honesty in claiming a catch .Appealing is part of that.If a player honestly doesn't think he has caught it he should not appeal.This of course is also true of other types of dismissals.
This is largely where cricket is very different from a lot of other sports and in the main it works certainly if you are talking about the roots of the game.