Bowling in Test Matches

[puddleduck]

Remember you have to be on special to deliver a special ball. And bowling your own bouncers and yorkers can work just as well. As in pitching up at the batsmans feet or bowling short. When you do it yourself you can bowl them at the bowlers maximum speed instead of it being limited to slower ball speed

When your on special though, if you want to use the special bouncer or yorker as was said position the cursor in a good line with the stumps either on a good length or the opposite of what you want to bowl (so pitched up straight for the special bouncer, and short for the special yorker)

 

[UpTheIrons]

I've just played Australia on test mode with England. Bowled them out for 95, and then for 130 on a dry wicket at the Oval. Ended up recording victory on the morning session of the third day (lost 50 overs to rain), winning by 9 wickets.

Ignore the line and length. The marker when I bowl is grey, though I think that is because it is on test mode.

When bowling, if you bowl up to the power line, the ball will have an extra kick and bounce up higher than usual. In my test match v Aus, I bowled about 40 extras, but it's worth it as the extra zip in the ball usually gets people out, though using the seam on a slower delivery at around 60mph is also effective.

Edit your field, the default one is poor. Against New Zealand with Aus, I was using 5 slips in an umbrella formation, and having Warne spin from leg side to off quite short and fast, the batsman was trying to knock it square, and usually it carried through to about 4th/5th slip.

When I'm fast bowling, I tend to bowl short a lot using the pacey bowlers who can get up to 85mph+. Bowl from around the wicket to the right hander's offside, with the bowling marker about half way. A normal ball at pace, then one that'll go into him using the seam, at pace, and swing it a touch away from him. That has quite a decent success rate with the slips I found.

When a batsman is high on confidence, you'll find it hard getting him out. Don't try and attack the wicket, bowl for the maidens, or try and rough him up. Even if it costs you 12 odd runs, make sure you slam the ball into him, follow it up with a full length slow ball, then either a bouncer or yorker special.

If you want to go over the wicket, go short-mid length, full pace and outswing it a tad.

It all depends on the shot, but using the batsman timing, his confidence, and whether he played the last ball off of the back foot or not, use that to determine your next ball. I usually bowl a couple of duplicate balls, and then either a slower, or opposite swing/seam. The variation works decent.

The first time I played, Hayden hit me for 250 not out, since, I've not allowed him to get over 40. It's all about patience. If you bowl six different balls each over, you're just prolonging the game even further. Resist the temptation to try and rush and go for the stumps directly, and instead try and catch the edge through to the slips or wicketkeeper.

 

[Off spinner]

But Giles was the main tormentor for me picking up 7 wickets.

What was your bowling strategy with Giles? I am currently playing as England against India at Lord's on a green wicket and haven't even come close to a wicket with him. He's keeping the run rate down but not threatening them.

I have been bowling short-ish on the right-hander's leg stump with a touch of drift into or away from him and the occasional slower ball or arm ball (googly) but both Tendulkar and Laxman seem to hit it square almost all of the time (fortunately I have a man at deep point!).

What do you suggest I do?

 

[themuel1]

What was your bowling strategy with Giles? I am currently playing as England against India at Lord's on a green wicket and haven't even come close to a wicket with him. He's keeping the run rate down but not threatening them.

I have been bowling short-ish on the right-hander's leg stump with a touch of drift into or away from him and the occasional slower ball or arm ball (googly) but both Tendulkar and Laxman seem to hit it square almost all of the time (fortunately I have a man at deep point!).

What do you suggest I do?

With Giles, I make sure I swap bowling angles, so around the wicket and over constantly. Use one type of delivery, I use the slower ball that spins a lot (4) and on the last or second to last ball of the over change the delivery to a variation. If your over the wicket, pitch the ball leg stump but near the batsmens feet, not yorker length though.

 

[Off spinner]

Use one type of delivery, I use the slower ball that spins a lot (4) and on the last or second to last ball of the over change the delivery to a variation.

Where do you try and pitch it when you're bowling around the wicket? Just outside off stump and a little short to make the batsman play forward as it spins across the face of the bat?

 

[themuel1]

Where do you try and pitch it when you're bowling around the wicket? Just outside off stump and a little short to make the batsman play forward as it spins across the face of the bat?

Either offstump and short or middle stump and on a good length. Remeber, especially when pitching on middle stump to vary the flight and spin of the ball (so use 2 (faster, flatter ball) and 4 (spins more, given more air), change them occasionally, use one as your stock ball)

 

[Off spinner]

Does anyone have tips for taking wickets early in an innings? I generally have no problem taking the last 5 wickets relatively cheaply, but haven't managed to restrict a Test opponent to less than 300 because it takes me a while to get the top order out.

I have been bowling line and length with the odd bouncer or yorker from the quicks and bowling a lot of maidens, but don't seem to get many edges to the keeper or slips, or LBW appeals. The batsmen's confidence gets up pretty quickly and then it seems I'm in for the long haul until they play a rash shot outside off stump or inside edge one onto leg stump.

 

[Steeev]

Using fast bowlers to bang short balls into the body with fielders at silly point and short leg often gets wickets early, as the batsman can glove the ball to them if he doesn't get onto it. It's a good tactic for hitting them too, if you need to rattle their confidence.

 

[themuel1]

Using fast bowlers to bang short balls into the body with fielders at silly point and short leg often gets wickets early, as the batsman can glove the ball to them if he doesn't get onto it. It's a good tactic for hitting them too, if you need to rattle their confidence.

They glove them? I have never seen this. I will try your tactics!

 

[Off spinner]

They glove them? I have never seen this. I will try your tactics!

I'll have to try this out too. Currently running out of time in my 2nd Test against India so will have to bowl aggressively at them in the 4th innings and hope I can produce a win.

 

[Off spinner]

Using fast bowlers to bang short balls into the body with fielders at silly point and short leg often gets wickets early, as the batsman can glove the ball to them if he doesn't get onto it. It's a good tactic for hitting them too, if you need to rattle their confidence.

I tried this, but they just block everything, even if it's outside off stump and never go for a flash at it. The ball sometimes zips past the bat the keeper, but this happens quite often without a hint of an edge.

By the way what does the red/amber/green mean on the pitching marker? I thought it meant good or bad length, but I seem to get most wickets when it's red and least when it's green. That doesn't make sense!

 

[barmyarmy]

Once again I'm finding it hard to stop playing a test on BLIC. I have Eng v Aus on a crumbling pitch; Aus batting first. They've scored at about 3.7 an over and have 190 odd at tea on day 1. What I really love are the little touches. For example there are only decent footmarks at one end for Giles to bowl into as I've had Hoggard and Flintoff bowling round the wicket predominantly at the left handers.
The runrate is perfect the wickets have been satisfying and it feels like a real test.
First wicket: I worked Langer over with some short balls, speared in an inswinging yorker which hit him on the toe and got him given leg before.
Ponting: Flintoff bowling away swing for 7/8 deliveries; nipped one back in and middle stump out the ground.
Martyn: moved the cursor away at the last minute and took an edge through to Jones.
Absolutely loving this game especially now I have the correct Ashes squads (thanks to the Player Editor), stumps, ad boards etc.
Bowling is hard but satisfying; it's batting I find really difficult.

 

[willv88]

i suggest u all go and buy cricket 2005 because blic is just to easy. i mean bowling sides out consitantly under 100 jeez. on cricket 2005 even bangladesh are currently 2-115 against me.

 

[lillee&thompson]

I was playing England the other day and it took me about 6 hours to finish the match. It was so hard.
I found pitching the ball outside off with a little outswing didn't work so I tried banging it in short. The batsman took a swipe at a wide bouncer from Brett Lee and got an edge through to the keeper. You just need to try different things all the time and wickets should come.

 

[Off spinner]

Once again I'm finding it hard to stop playing a test on BLIC. Absolutely loving this game especially now .

I agree! The more I play BLIC the more I love it. All the patches make it a truly amazing cricket game.

I think bowling is excellent - I'm very frustrated at not quite skittling the top order of major teams yet, but it's elating to finally break up a vital partnership and to really work over a batsman before getting his wicket.

I played a one-day game yesterday and quit out to start a new Test series as I'm totally addicted to playing Tests at the moment.