Problem: Is there any point to Fast Bowling in Career mode?

[Valaskjalf]

Hey guys, just wanted to know if any of you had any advice for me.

Finishes my 1st year as a fast bowler in career mode (Pro Difficulty) and I must say it's turning out to be one of the most frustrating gaming experiences in recent memory, only eclipsed by Super Meatboy!

It seems just about impossible to take wickets...regardless of how well I bowl or who the batsman is. in 20odd First Class games I average around 45 run per wicket, and going at about 2rpo...I generally have the batsmen play and miss half the deliveries per over, but it seems that anything, absolutely ANYTHING en-route to the wickets get stonewalled, whether its an Opening batman or Graham Onions!

The most frustrating thing is perhaps how building pressure or bowling a really good spell and setting the batsman up with good deliveries, has zero effect on whether you will be able to dismiss him. It would often happen that a batsman is totally bamboozled for 5 straight ball (i.e ouswinger beating the edge) only to coverdrive a bending in-swinger as though the previous 5 deliveries never happened.

Tail-ender crashing 155kph bouncers in front of square for 4 on the first ball they face, sticking out the bat to the offside and planking a legcutter over 3rd man for 6, defending Wasim Akram-like swingers better than Dravid could ever hope to do, disregarding the "rules" playing full deliveries off the back foot or coverdriving half trackers....just a number of ridiculously retarded competence by AI non-batsmen.

On the odd occasion that I do get a wicket, it seems to come out of nowhere - The AI just decided that on the specific bal during the match, regardless of who is bowling or what type of delivery it is, they will coax me into thinking I figured out how bowling works. There's also never a sense of having the upper hand on any new batsman walking in, because their confidence/competence rating is merely a gimmick.

Finally...the other demoralising thing I find is that when I encounter games like these (pretty much every game lately) I would finish my spell with figures like 1/60 after 26 overs, only to simulate and see the AI dismissed the last 6 wickets for 29 runs - that drives me up the wall.

So what's the point? Are any of you experiencing similar frustrations with bowling? Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[lastig]

That is the reason why, like every other cricket game I end up only batting. My career player is an opening bat and if I play tours or tournaments, I bat for both sides. This gives an absolute wonderful immersive experience. The game also feels a lot more real, all without being frustrated bowling.

 

[Gamer Pradosh]

Hey guys, just wanted to know if any of you had any advice for me.

Finishes my 1st year as a fast bowler in career mode (Pro Difficulty) and I must say it's turning out to be one of the most frustrating gaming experiences in recent memory, only eclipsed by Super Meatboy!

It seems just about impossible to take wickets...regardless of how well I bowl or who the batsman is. in 20odd First Class games I average around 45 run per wicket, and going at about 2rpo...I generally have the batsmen play and miss half the deliveries per over, but it seems that anything, absolutely ANYTHING en-route to the wickets get stonewalled, whether its an Opening batman or Graham Onions!

The most frustrating thing is perhaps how building pressure or bowling a really good spell and setting the batsman up with good deliveries, has zero effect on whether you will be able to dismiss him. It would often happen that a batsman is totally bamboozled for 5 straight ball (i.e ouswinger beating the edge) only to coverdrive a bending in-swinger as though the previous 5 deliveries never happened.

Tail-ender crashing 155kph bouncers in front of square for 4 on the first ball they face, sticking out the bat to the offside and planking a legcutter over 3rd man for 6, defending Wasim Akram-like swingers better than Dravid could ever hope to do, disregarding the "rules" playing full deliveries off the back foot or coverdriving half trackers....just a number of ridiculously retarded competence by AI non-batsmen.

On the odd occasion that I do get a wicket, it seems to come out of nowhere - The AI just decided that on the specific bal during the match, regardless of who is bowling or what type of delivery it is, they will coax me into thinking I figured out how bowling works. There's also never a sense of having the upper hand on any new batsman walking in, because their confidence/competence rating is merely a gimmick.

Finally...the other demoralising thing I find is that when I encounter games like these (pretty much every game lately) I would finish my spell with figures like 1/60 after 26 overs, only to simulate and see the AI dismissed the last 6 wickets for 29 runs - that drives me up the wall.

So what's the point? Are any of you experiencing similar frustrations with bowling? Any tips?

Thanks!

Tips would be look at the batsman's weakest skill and bowl accordingly, he does make mistakes in them..Another tip is that make the AI play a few overs and see where they hit the ball in the air and set a fielder in those position and try bowling similar deliveries and then it is possible to get wickets..

What's your way of setting up a batsman??

 

[Acid Burn]

Or Play Online only ....

 

[Spoobir]

I recently switched from the PS3 version (patch 2.5) to PC version (latest patch) and started a new career (same difficulty) with the same style of fast swing bowler and I have noticed it is a lot tougher to pick up wickets in the PC version. I think this is partly down to the fact that the AI doesn't just randomly decide to hoik the ball to mid-on every so often anymore (which is awesome!) however the problem is there seems to have been no counterbalance to this buff to the AI batting. There is still zero point to bowling a short ball, the tailenders still have better defence than prime Boycott and edges are still hard to come by. I think all this stuff can probably be tweaked quite easily and considering Big Ant did a pretty good job balancing the player batting I think they can sort it out.

My suggestions:

BUFF the short ball (especially for extreme pace bowling)
NERF AI blocking (preferably so they edge the moving ball more)
NERF tailenders

 

[Langeveldt]

I'm glad people are picking up on the invincible tailenders bug, although I haven't seen anyone on here who may be able to offer advice or counteract it in a patch.. A game breaker for me, as what is the point in taking wickets if the best batsman comes in at 10-11?

 

[AshleyWilliam]

Ummm I might be the only one out there that enjoys bowling more than batting. I pick up regular wickets as a fast bowler in career mode. And outside of career mode I almost always have competitive matches with the AI, playing on Pro. I also get edges, probably average a little over 1 each innings I bowl - so not many. Would definitely like this improved.

To me, batting seems more out of my hands than bowling. Sometimes it feels like the computer decides to get you out.

 

[VampyreSquirrel]

I enjoy bowling in the shorter formats, but not in tests. I find tests to be HIGHLY frustrating.

 

[Spoobir]

Ummm I might be the only one out there that enjoys bowling more than batting. I pick up regular wickets as a fast bowler in career mode. And outside of career mode I almost always have competitive matches with the AI, playing on Pro. I also get edges, probably average a little over 1 each innings I bowl - so not many. Would definitely like this improved.

To me, batting seems more out of my hands than bowling. Sometimes it feels like the computer decides to get you out.

Can I ask what platform/difficulty you're playing on? Like I said I didn't really have much trouble taking wickets on PS3 version though it is behind the PC version. Also I find the batting easier on PC for the same reasons I guess.

 

[AshleyWilliam]

Can I ask what platform/difficulty you're playing on? Like I said I didn't really have much trouble taking wickets on PS3 version though it is behind the PC version. Also I find the batting easier on PC for the same reasons I guess.

Xbox 360. The patch on this seems almost perfect, except for AI innings pacing in T20's

 

[Valaskjalf]

I

Can I ask what platform/difficulty you're playing on? Like I said I didn't really have much trouble taking wickets on PS3 version though it is behind the PC version. Also I find the batting easier on PC for the same reasons I guess.

I also have the game on pc and its strange to me that there would be such a discrepancy in difficulty between formats. Now that you mention it i find batting on pc okay as well...from reading the feedback on here for months up until i got the game myself, i dreaded batting as it seemed impossible however ive scored 3 50s so far in FC by simply applying myself and generally at arounda run a ball.

As suggested earlier by someone, i do in fact check batsmen weaknesses and thats part of the annoyance - most guys who apparently struggle against short balls, for instance, are actually pretty good at it. And again, its pointless if the AI totally disregards the length you bowl by simply playing 90% of all lengths off the front foot - and not edging any of it.

 

[convertorboy]

I have a fast bowling all rounder and he does well. Not as well as spinners but I top the bowling for the 4 day, one day and T20 tournaments. One or two bad matches can occur, but I would usually set deep mid on, mid off, cover the off side, deep fine leg, third man and square leg, keeping an off stump line and occasionally bowling slower or straight ones. For the lesser batsman I go around the wicket, put a 2nd slip and a wide third man, taking it away form the batsman but as above, occasionally bowling it slower, keeping it straight or bringing it back in. Nicks to slip or WK has been happening more since patch 2.5 plus the cartwheeling of stumps make the fast bowlers worthwhile, even if it's a second career.

 

[Valaskjalf]

I have a fast bowling all rounder and he does well. Not as well as spinners but I top the bowling for the 4 day, one day and T20 tournaments. One or two bad matches can occur, but I would usually set deep mid on, mid off, cover the off side, deep fine leg, third man and square leg, keeping an off stump line and occasionally bowling slower or straight ones. For the lesser batsman I go around the wicket, put a 2nd slip and a wide third man, taking it away form the batsman but as above, occasionally bowling it slower, keeping it straight or bringing it back in. Nicks to slip or WK has been happening more since patch 2.5 plus the cartwheeling of stumps make the fast bowlers worthwhile, even if it's a second career.

Sounds pretty much exactly like what Im doing. I bowl a very tight line just outside off a add just enough variety to keep them guessing. I mix it up with slower balls or bowl 4 similar type of deliveries and take it the other way on the 5th ball etc. etc....Lucky you, Im bowling the way one would bowl in real life to take wickets but all I end up getting is tons of maidens, tons of plays and misses and the AI hogging all the wickets when I simulate.

Strange thing is I find getting wickets much easier in limited over games / 40overs - not necessariy due to batsmen being more aggressive, but I get way more nicks to the keeper/slips...even more LBW and bowled dismissals. My biggest issue is First Class, to the point where Im thinking of putting the game away indefinitely. FC / Tests are my favorite form of cricket and it really infuriates me that Im doing everything the way I should but get stonewalled.

On another note....do the skill increases you get after each game actually do something? As your skills increase is it more likely to get more wickets or is this a gimmick?

 

[AshleyWilliam]

Can I ask what platform/difficulty you're playing on? Like I said I didn't really have much trouble taking wickets on PS3 version though it is behind the PC version. Also I find the batting easier on PC for the same reasons I guess.

Further evidence in this thread that the current PC version is stuffed. Its impossible to take wickets and bolwing has become frustrating. On xbox360 bowling is as fun as ever. @superfreddie

Hopefully they revert back to the xbox360 patch version settings for patch 3.

 

[Fantazm]

I had a bit of a moan a few weeks ago about batsmen even on rookie level becoming like limpets in FC matches. Block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block block 4.

They still tended to fall like skittles in limited over games though. Which was a weird contrast.