Here is a small bowling guide that I had posted on IVG, so thought would copy it here incase someone finds it helpful
! I would not be posting the exact controls as they are already available in the guidebook. The points I mention are based on my experience with the game and so incase you find any errors, please feel free to mention them. The main aim here is to help someone who might be struggling with bowling in the game (though I dont think there are many
)!!
I) Pace Bowling:
1) Before you start the Runup, you need to choose
- The 'angle' from which the ball will be bowled (Left Analog Stick at 11 'O Clock means you deliver the ball from wide of the stumps, LAS at 12 'O Clock means straight, 1 'O Clock means close to the stumps when bowling over the wicket as a right hander)
- The target length area (I say target as where the delivery will finally land in that area would depend on when you move the Right Analog Stick (RAS) up. This is selected using the face buttons and the selection can be changed 'during' the runup as well incase you change your mind.
- Whether you want to bowl a quicker delivery (press Right Bumper or R1 for this), a normal delivery (dont press either bumper), a slower delivery (press Left Bumper or L1 for this). You can change your mind with this 'during' the runup as well.
- Optionally you may choose to shine the ball which effects swing
2) During the Runup but before the jump, you need to choose:
- The type of delivery. This is chosen using the LAS.
- The target length area (incase you change your mind)
- Quick, normal, slower delivery (again incase you change your mind)
- Pull out of the delivery (dont remember what is required for this)
3) The Jump and Release:
- To initiate the jump when you are approaching the bowling box, move the RAS back. Do it too early and your bowler will land 'before' the bowling crease which might result in a drop in your pace and possibly straying from the length you have chosen along with reduced swing (not sure about the result. Im assuming this is how it works) while if you do it late, the bowler will bowl a no-ball. The important thing to note here is when you move the RAS back, do not flick it and instead 'hold' it in place before you decide when to move it forward.
- To release the delivery, move the RAS forward, the 'timing' of which will determine the eventual spot at which the ball will land in the length area you had chosen earlier (releasing early will make the ball land fuller, a late release will make the ball land shorter) and the 'direction' of which will determine the 'line' of the delivery (as mentioned by SAM earlier, the line of the delivery is also influenced by the angle of delivery that you had chosen earlier).
The speed with which you move the RAS will also have an impact on the speed of the delivery
4) Other points:
- If you try to bowl quick all the time, your bowler will lose stamina and would eventually start bowling slower
- Be intelligent with the direction in which you move the RAS up to determine the line. For e.g. if you want to bowl an out swinger in conditions where the ball is swinging a lot, its a good idea to aim at the leg stump or outside so that with the swing the ball would eventually land on off or outside off stump.
- Always always always bowl to a plan and to your field (with occasional surprises).
- Be patient. You wont get a wicket on every delivery. Create enough pressure and the AI will certainly do something which it shouldnt
- Concentrate on the release of the delivery. The ideal time to release the delivery is when the bowling arm is at its highest point (see the pic in the guide. Thats where you should aim to release the delivery).
- Its always better to fall short of the crease than to go over it and bowl a no-ball.
- Always better to have all kinds of bowlers in your team. As you cannot pick the team 'after' seeing the conditions, its better to have a mixed set of bowlers.
II) Spin Bowling:
1) Before you start the Runup, you need to choose
- The type of delivery you want to bowl. This is done by moving the Left Analog Sitck (LAS) in the direction of the delivery you want to bowl. This did take some time for me to learn, however once I understood the controls they are actually pretty logical. You can only choose this once and cannot change your mind once you start the runup.
- The target length area (I say target as where the delivery will finally land in that area would depend on when you move the Right Analog Stick (RAS) up. This is selected using the face buttons and the selection can be changed 'during' the runup as well incase you change your mind.
- Optionally you may choose to shine the ball which would help the pacers in your team
2) During the Runup but before the jump, you need to choose:
- Rotate the LAS thrice in the direction of your 'main stock' delivery. So if you are a leg spinnner you always move it anti-clock wise (for right handed bowler) and if you are a off-spinner you move it clock-wise. I think you always need to move it in the mentioned direction irrespective of the delivery you are going to bowl. For e.g. when bowling a googly as a leg spinner, I tried rotating it clock-wise but it didnt register the input and I had to rotate it anti-clockwise for the input to register.
- To achieve the perfect timing for completing the LAS rotation, ideally the third 'complete' rotation should end at the same time as you push RAS forward (RAS control is mentioned in point '3'). Also the speed with which you move the LAS also has (I think....not sure) an impact on the rotations per minute (rpm) that you would achieve.
- The target length area (incase you change your mind)
- Pull out of the delivery (dont remember what is required for this and not sure if its there for spinners as well)
3) The Jump and Release:
- You do not need to pull RAS back when bowling as a spinner. So, you 'cannot' bowl a no-ball when bowling as a spinner (which is a real oversight)
- To release the delivery, move the RAS forward, the 'timing' of which will determine the eventual spot at which the ball will land in the length area you had chosen earlier (releasing early will make the ball land fuller, a late release will make the ball land shorter) and the 'direction' of which will determine the 'line' of the delivery.
- I dont think the speed with which you move the RAS will have an impact on the speed of the delivery (though someone can try this and confirm it)
4) Other points:
- Be intelligent with the direction in which you move the RAS up to determine the line. For e.g. if you want to bowl a leg spin delivery with drift, then its a good idea to aim the delivery well outside off stump so that with the drift the ball will land in the line of the stumps or just outside.
- Always always always bowl to a plan and to your field (with occasional surprises).
- Be patient. You wont get a wicket on every delivery. Create enough pressure and the AI will certainly do something which it shouldnt
- Concentrate on the timing of completing the rotations with LAS + the release of the delivery. The ideal time to release the delivery is when the bowling arm is at its highest point (see the pic in the guide. Thats where you should aim to release the delivery).
- Always better to have all kinds of bowlers in your team. As you cannot pick the team 'after' seeing the conditions, its better to have a mixed set of bowlers.
That part was the best double meaning for the post...
