title: The associations between fast bowling technique and ball release speed: a pilot study of the within-bowler and between-bowler approaches.
abstract: The inability of the between-bowlers methodology to control parameters external to technique could lead to erroneous significant and non-significant associations being reported between fast-bowling technique and ball release speed. Using Pearson's product - moment correlation, we first examined the effectiveness of a within-bowler methodology to identify associations between technique and ball release speed of an elite semi-open fast bowler over 20 deliveries. These results were compared with associations identified from a between-bowlers methodology in which 20 single-performance trials bowled by elite fast bowlers adopting a semi-open shoulder alignment were collated. Sufficient variation was observed in within-bowler ball release speed to allow f relationships to be identified between technique and ball release speed. Although greater variation in bowling technique parameters was observed in the between-bowlers methodology, no associations were identified between technique and ball release speed. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that 87.5% of the within-bowler variation in ball release speed can be attributed to run-up velocity, angular velocity of the bowling arm, vertical velocity of the non-bowling arm, and stride length. The within-bowler methodology provided significant detailed information about the individual bowler that the between-bowlers methodology overlooked, forming the basis of a performance enhancement programme. It is recommended that within-bowler methodology be used in future investigation of technique relationships.
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Sports Science, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia. craigsalter@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Craig W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Marc R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Portus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020958:Australian Capital Territory; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis