Fast bowlers must think and act aggressively - Bob Willis

By A.C. De Silva

FLASHBACK: Want to be a fast bowler? You will have to be aggressive. You'll never be a fast bowler if you start feeling sorry for the batsman when you've hit him. You've got to think and act aggressively all the time the ones who fall by the wayside may have as much natural fast bowling talent as the ones who make it, but they lack that crucial aggressive, resilient, determined streak.

According to former England pace bowler Bob Willis, the fast bowlers he know were split personalities they'd spit fire and fury in the best Fred Trueman manner, yet be quiet off the field. But they all wanted to be a success.

The fast bowler of any side should have the power of quick recovery. When he's hit for a boundary he should try not to show how upset he is. You've got to have guts and the higher the standard the more guts are needed. The are needed when you're really shattered on a hot day and your feet are killing you.

A fast bowler must be optimistic. His job is to bowl sides out, not to keep batsmen quiet with the kind of nagging, medium-pace stuff that's such a feature of the modern game. And he should be happy to use the bouncers whenever they are needed. He should not allow himself to worry if his bouncers hit the batsman. Of course, no one wants to see broken bones or blood on the pitch, but a fast bowler should be proud of his power within the rules of the game.

According to Bob Willis he hardly got involved in the kind of intimidation former England batsman Brian Close and John Edrich had to suffer at Old Trafford in 1976 (against the West Indies) because Willis says that it is not part of the game.

Willis says that bouncers should be bowled at everyone. He says that he doesn't agree with the code of conduct that means the tail-enders should be allowed to build an innings that could prove decisive in the match.

Action puts great stain

Bob Willis the English pace bowler says that he is not exactly the kind of model a youngster should have if he wants to beat a good batsman by sheer pace. Willis says that he is are of his limitations when he was bowling for England. Willis says that his action puts great strain on a physique that not especially well developed. His style has put particular strain on the groin, ankles, the sides and the shoulders. He says that he is open-chested when he delivers the ball, he has to rely on the shine or the seam for the outswinger.

He, however says, that for some reason, he was able to bowl fast during his fast bowling days in Tests.

His height (Willis is 6ft 5 inches) enabled him to got extra bounce. Willis says that he appreciates the value of fitness. If anyone doubts the importance of fast bowling, a peep into the Test match figures of the past two to three decades will

give the answers. The decisive factor has almost always been fast bowling - think of the South Africans (Procter and Peter Pollock against Australia in 1970), think of Snow for England against Australia a year later, then Lillee and Thomson rattling through England in 1976?

It's the fast bowler who makes the decisive breakthrough in Tests, even more so when he has to contend with a typical easy-paced wicket. He's the man his skipper turns to when he's lost the toss and demands something special to counteract the disadvantage of batting second.

All-out attack

There's no respite when a fast bowler is operating at full throttle. If he's quick enough he'll be desperately difficult to score from, and with the new ball he can always come with the unplayable delivery. It's war of attrition, and the mental strain on the Test batsman is immense.

A fast bowler has a great responsibly to his team within the framework of the modern age.

What others qualities must he have? He's get to be proud, resilient, mentally and physically, he must be determined, optimistic, have a good memory and a lot of guts.

It's not a matter of sheer strength, looseness or limbs is more important, and the final rotation of the hips to give that vital propulsion which brings the bowling arm ever fast. All budding fast bowlers, just watch the opening bowler next time you're at a Test. His bowling arm will be a blur at the crucial moment of delivery.

Michael Holding 14 wickets at Oval

Remember Michael Holding's 14 wickets at the Oval against England in 1976? Now that was a great piece of bowling on a dead track. How did Holding get all those wickets? By sheer speed through the air never mind all the talk about seam and curve and swing. Holding beat the bat by speed because his arm came over very quickly.

So you've got to be natural to bowl fast. It's extremely difficult to coach fast bowlers. In fact, very few of the coaches take on the fast bowlers. Fast bowlers really aren't manufactured, they're born. It doesn't matter who keen you are, natural ability's vital.

Support from the team

A top-class cricketer is basically a selfish person. It's a game after all where the individual shines, and often a cricketer can forget his own interests.

Often a bowler doesn't bowl at all well, but brilliant fielding and catching rescues him and gives his analysis a flattering look.

That kind of thing happens to all bowlers at some time, but it's at times like that when you realise how valuable team spirit is to your performance as the strike bowler.

The England team under Tony Greig and Mike Brearley was a classic case. According to Bob Willis, he used to enjoy their team talks on the eve of the Test.

Team spirit can be judged by the quality of the fielding. The 1977 England side was the finest fielding side he played in-Willis says that he picked up several wickets because of fine catching, particularly in the slips by Hendrick, Greig and Brearley.

That kind of thing gives the quickie a tremendous lift. He forgets he's shattered he thinks to himself: That was a bonus, because it wasn't a great ball.

According to Willis if he is able to sort out his length, he should be able to run through the batting.

Fielding plays vital role

Fielding is one area that's common to all classes of cricket. The club cricketer may have trouble keeping his head still when he's bowling, or he may never master delivering the slower ball, but he should be a good fielder if he is keen on his cricket. Unlike a fast bowler, a good fielder can be manufactured. Good catching is so vital for the fast bowler. At any level there are hardly any flawless innings. The good batsman normally gives at least a half-chance, and the match often turns on whether the chance is snapped up or not.

Take the case of Garry Sobers you could normally bank on him giving a chance early in his innings, often outside the off stump.

If it was dropped, that was normally all you'd get. He never used to give more than one. A fast bowler needs support at the other end. An accurate, nagging bowler like Statham often helped Trueman get wickets because the batsman would have a go St Fred after being frustrated at the other end.