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Introduction
Cricket has been one of the world’s most popular sports since the late
1800s when Australia played England in the first ashes series. The game
has come along way since then but the fundamentals of the game have not
changed much at all.
Everyone can enjoy a game of cricket without having to involved in
thinking about what they are doing.
Cricket is quite a simple game in theory, the central action of the game
takes place between the batsman, who stands behind the popping crease,
and the bowler, who delivers the ball from the opposite end of the pitch,
bowling from the area between the return creases while keeping the front
foot on or behind the popping crease. (Refer to the diagram on page i.)
The complexities of cricket begin when professionals are concerned. For
the best bowlers in the world, pitching the ball in the exact spot they want
to the batsmen finding the gaps in the field.
For your common Sunday afternoon cricketers, these aspects are not of
the same importance. However it is not as easy as it looks to bowl a
batsmen middle stump!
The underlying principles of cricket rely on dynamics and kinetics, both
physical sciences that involve the study of movement.
The purpose of this assignment was to investigate the ‘physics’ involved
in cricket, and show that cricket, a team sport anyone can enjoy, is
underneath, a simple game.
The subject used in the experiment, was an ordinary person, of little
cricket background. The equipment used was of your ordinary backyard
standard. All these factors contribute to the fact that there is a simplicity
to cricket and that anyone can play it as well as enjoy it.
My Hypothesis
To become the next Dennis Lillee or Sir Donald Bradman, in the game of
cricket would take years, and for some players ‘divine intervention’. For
the purpose of my experiment only the bowling action ( excluding spin
bowling) will be taken into account to show that an ordinary bowler can
become a good bowler, if not a ‘perfect’ bowler with just a few minor
adjustments.
The experiment I will conduct will address the possibilities and
practicalities of the ‘perfect’ delivery. The two areas which I will
investigate are the run up before the ball is delivered and the releasing of
the ball.
The results of the experiment will prove to you, that anyone can bowl a
ball in a game of cricket. By the end of the experiment, a person who
either could not bowl on the pitch or perhaps has never played before will
be on their way to the next cricket World Cup!
The bowl will be practical because of the naturalistic way in which the
body moves. The basic rules of levers will apply, in that the arm must be
fully extended for maximum force, and therefore maximum velocity will
result. The run up before the bowl, too, is an integral part of the delivery.
For maximum results the run up has to be just long enough so you can gain
enough momentum and be balanced for the delivery. These factors are
quite simple will only take a matter of practice you bowl the ‘perfect’
delivery.
My Experiment in full details:
Aim: To investigate the possibility, and practicality of a perfect bowl
based on the principles of kinetics and dynamics.
Equipment: Cricket ball
Cricket pitch
Photographic camera
Procedure:
PART 1
Let the person bowl how they normally would without any instructions.
Record the height when they release the ball, and indicate where it landed.
Repeat, still recording observations 12 times which is equivalent to two
overs in a game of cricket.
Observe and record the other major points in the delivery.
PART 2
Now instruct the bowler to practice a run up, so that the run up is smooth
and effective. Extend your arm and your body so there is maximum
leverage.(see page 7 for exact) Observe and record the results.
Results:
PART 1
Before advice is given
PART 2
After advice is given
The Instructions given to my subject
Bowl with arm extended
Bowl with back upright
Bowl side-on to the stumps
Make your run up long enough to gather pace and momentum
Aim the ball between 2.5 metres short of the stumps and the popping
crease
Aim the ball at off stump(see diagram on page i)
Discussion:
The Run Up before the Delivery
This is very important in the bowling of a ball. There is no set distance for
the run up. The person bowling has to trial different distances until
comfortable. The reason for the run up is to gather momentum and bowl
while you are moving to generate more speed. It is not a case of ‘if you
run faster, you bowl faster’. The bowler needs to be in control just before
delivering the ball.
Releasing the Ball
The arm must be fully extended and almost perpendicular to the ground.
Research has shown that the arm should be just past perpendicular as
shown in the diagrams on the next page. The arm must be fully extended
to take full advantage of the longest lever possible. The higher the ball is
released the faster your arm is moving at release.
The diagram on the next page is the ‘perfect’ bowl . This diagram is
based on the fact the maximum height reached is 2.5metres.
The alert reader would have noticed that there has been no account for any
resistance, whether it be wind, or the actual release from the hand. It is
not as necessary as it may seem, as the resistance’s encounted by the ball
and the bowler is beyond the control of the player.
Diagram showing Perfect Delivery
Photos: Before
Photos: After
Errors
Measuring the heights was inaccurate, but the exactness was not crucial.
The photography was also subject to error therefore some of the photos
were taken while the subject was still.
Calculations made in working the angle for the most efficient delivery
were rounded to two decimal places and therefore are possibly not as
accurate as they could be.
All other parts to the experiment were observatory, and so, errors do not
hinder their significance.
Improvements that could be made to the design and the execution of this
experiment include the use of a height chart, freeze frame photography,
video cameras and radar guns.
The addition of these factors would undoubtedly increase the complexity
of the assignment, but the results would be based on much more of a
quantitative result, rather than the qualitative results of the presently
conducted assignment.
Theorem Page
The principles used in this assignment all stem from discoveries of
scientists such as Nichlaus Copernicus and Sir Isaac Newton. The
inference made was that gravitation force is dependent on two variables -
mass and separation distance.
This statement and other principles are evidenced by the equations of
motion concerning gravity: s = 0.5gt2
Fg = G m1 m2
d2
Fw = mg
This particular equation which is dealt with in this experiment is first,
s = 0.5gt2; This equation is used in calculating the angle of projection of
the ball.
The angle at which to bowl the perfect delivery was calculated using
trigonometry and the dimensions of the cricket pitch.
The rule used was:
tan ß = opposite length
adjacent length
It was also indicated that a straight line path took less time to travel to the
ground than a parabolic path beginning at the same height. Bowling the
ball up at an angle would increase the range , and therefore increasing the
time in flight. Bowling the ball at a downwards angle would decrease the
range and therefore decreasing the time of flight.
If the range is as small as possible (that is 2.5m before the stumps),is
advantageous if the bowling velocity is quick, As this gives the batsmen
limited time to react to the ball, as small range and fast velocity means
smaller time of flight.
Conclusion
In demonstrating the principles of kinetics and dynamics, it was
discovered that the most advantageous way of bowling was to release the
ball at maximum height just past perpendicular to the ground. In cricket,
the arm has to be as straight as possible or it is classed as a throw.
Therefore it has been inferred that the arm should be as straight as
possible to allow for longer extension and therefore greater leverage. The
longer the lever, the more force pushed downwards. In this particular
area, cricket, the more force applied means greater velocity and
subsequently, less flight time, which then becomes a more difficult ball to
hit for four.
In summation, it can be said that the perfect delivery consists in the
judging of the run up, precision in the angle released and a large velocity.
All these factors allow for a delivery that is most desirable for the bowler
in a game of cricket. The nature of these actions suggests that practice
becomes the next essential, which answers the original question that the
perfect delivery is practicable and possible.
Reference list
Broer, Marion R, and Houtz, Sara Jane; Patterns of Muscular Activity in
Selected Sports Skills, Springfield, 1982
Lasford, L., The Science of Movement, Samson, Low, London,1966
Rapkins, G., Senior Physics, Oxford University Press Australia, 1997
Microsoft Encarta, [online] available: http://www.encarta.com
Acknowledgements
Numerous people have helped in preparation and implementation of this
assignment. First and foremost I would like to acknowledge the
encouragement of Dr Hanley who allowed me to perform the assignment.
Secondly I would like to thank Kacey Sinardi for her help in using the
university library and her guidance in directing me to books and websites.
Simon Maggiora my inexperienced cricketer should definitely thanked for
his vital contribution to the most important part of the assignment, the
practical experiment.
Log Book
10/7/00 - I began my research for my assignment, “Fundamentals of
Cricket:Bowling”. I travelled to Townsville to use the research facilities
available through JCU. (3.½ hours)
17/7/00 - I began to piece out my assignment and plan the setout. (1 hour)
4/8/00 - I designed my experiment entirely, and wrote it up. First I
decided on a hypothesis, and then I completed the experiment using the
titles: aim materials, procedure, results, discussion and conclusion.
(3 hours)
14/8/00 - Today I undertook the physical side of the experiment. Simon
and I went to Victoria Mill’s cricket nets. His deliveries were
photographed, and observed, and results were recorded in the results
section. (2hours)
24/8/00 - The experiment was typed up on the computer. As well as the
main headings covered, I wrote a page on the theories involved in the
principles and conventions used in the experiment. (3½ hours)
2/9/00 - I finished the assignment completely and printed out the
assignment (½ hour)
Total time spent 14 hours
Word Count: 1801
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