Cricket - essential skills and techniques The cricket overarm bowl technique

An overarm bowl is the legal way to deliver a ball in a competitive game of cricket.

Stage one

• Stand a maximum of 15 metres behind the wicket and begin running in.
• Keep your arms close to your body, your head steady and your eyes fixed on the batter.

Stage two

• As you get close to the crease, start turning your body so your shoulder is facing towards the wicket and lean back slightly.

Stage three

• On arrival at the release point, keep the ball close to your chin and your non-bowling arm up with your elbow pointing towards the target.
• Keep your head looking at the wicket from behind your front arm.
• As your back foot lands before the popping crease line, keep your body upright and raise your front foot pointing your knee towards the target.
• As your front foot lands, your toes should be pointing to the batsperson.

Stage four

• On releasing the ball, begin rotating your shoulders and push your bowling arm forward and down from the coil position.
• The non-bowling arm should be pointing to the batter.
• Finally your arms should rotate through with the ball and release it at the top of the delivery arc.
• Continue to follow through and maintain a visual on the batsperson.