CORRELATION BETWEEN ARM BOWLING

KINEMATICS AND SELECTED PHYSICAL

QUALITIES IN SUB-ELITE PACE BOWLERS
RIYA SATPUTE

GUIDE : Prof. Dr. AHMED THAJDUDEEN (PT)

CO-GUIDE : Dr. KRISHNA M
MPT
The Oxford College of Physiotherapy
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Cricket is an International popular sports characterized by prolonged low intensity

activities with high intensity movements such as bowling and batting. 1

Pace bowling is a strenuous and asymmetrical activity involving the absorption of

high-impact forces 2 which increases the risk of injury in comparison to batters, wicket
keepers and spin bowlers. In pace bowling, members with higher ball release speeds
have more anterior posterior chest depth, lean upper body, and great arm
circumference.3

The incidence of upper limb injuries in elite and sub elite cricketers players is
significant, it was further calculated to be 1.24 per 10,000 hours of play. 4
Yearly injury incidence was 64 wounds/100 players per season, and yearly injury prevalence was
12.5% Yearly injury incidence was 64 wounds/100 players per season, and yearly injury prevalence
was 12.5%, where fast bowlers average rate was 20.6%, Lumbar stess injury was the most prevalent
injury.5

The shoulder is the most common injury location in the upper limbs , with musculotendinous tissues
typically affected.6

Players that are viewed as elite players, have typically reached adulthood, usually around the ages of
19 years for females and 22 years for males. 7

Elite professional players present better abilities to sprint when correlated with lower-level players
whereas, the jumping abilities doesn't seem to make any difference between other competition levels. 8
Assessing the important physical qualities of pace bowlers gives several important benefits
relating to the design of effective training programs.9

The 2D software called Dartfish Pro Suite 5.5 (Dartfish) uses digital video as input and
generate values for the location of markers in two dimensions. The data can be widely used and
adopted for many innovative purposes to make informed decisions that can improve the
treatment of a patient.10

Dartfish is a valid and reliable tool to measure lower body and upper limb movements.The
visual data is radily brought into Dartfish programming from which reports are made with
pictures and video giving visual and composed input that can be utilized to target treatment
approaches.11
NEED OF THE STUDY :

Pace bowling is the high intensity activity that comprises of different dynamic postures.

Bowling includes various movements like repetitive twisting,extension and rotation.17

Previous studies stated that shoulder biomechanics plays the most vital role in pace

bowling activity. The throwing movement includes composed movements from toes to

fingertips. Both bowlers and fielders are inclined to shoulder injuries because of

repetitive nature of throwing and large amount of forces generated during this activity.
The shoulder joint needs to balance mobility as well as stability.18 Research is needed

on the optimal strengths required by fast bowlers in the different regions of the body is

recommended to enhance performance and minimize injury.

This study will give the outcome of various selected physical qualities of different

regions of upperlimb that will help to identify the tests athletes are lacking in, and its

effect on upper limb kinematics which will give the region of force generation in

movement while bowling.

This will significantly enhance understanding of cricket fast bowling techniques and
therefore, have greater impact on injury prevention and improving their performance
by adding these selected physical activities in everyday training.

Thus, this study is to find the correlation between bowling kinematics and selected
physical qualities in sub-lite pace bowlers.
AIM

To correlate between bowling kinematics of upper limb and selected

physical qualities in sub-elite cricket pace bowlers.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

• Primary objective : To find the correlation between bowling

kinematics and selected physical qualities in sub-elite pace bowlers.

• Secondary objective :

• To measure bowling kinematics of upper limb in sub-elites pace

bowlers using dartfish application

• To evaluate physical qualities in pace bowlers.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

• Webster, Thomas M. et al (2022) did study on “Relationship Between Physical Fitness and the
Physical Demands of 50-Over Cricket in Fast Bowlers” in Lancashire County Cricket Club,
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; this study  aims to investigate the relationships between
50-Over physical match performance and tests of physical qualities in fast bowlers. Fast bowlers
experience the greatest physical demand during match-play; despite this, research has
overlooked the importance of specific physical attributes to optimizing physical match
performance.  Fifteen professional male fast bowlers participated in the study, sum of skin folds,
counter movement jump (CMJ), 20-m sprint, and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1
were the physical fitness tests done. Global positioning system data were collected during 6
professional 50-Over fixtures.These findings demonstrated the importance of prolonged
intermittent running ability, jump, and sprint performance to match running performance of elite
fast bowlers in 1-day cricket.
• Ryan T Letter et al (2022) did study on “The Physical Qualities of Elite
Australian Pace Bowlers: Typical Characteristics and Longitudinal Changes in
Men and Women” in Centre for Sport Research, School of Exercise & Nutrition
Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC,Australia; this study aims to determine
whether the most important physical qualities in elite Australian male and female
cricket pace bowlers change with age and phase of the cricket season. It was also
seen that absolute and relative measures of force in the isometric midthigh pull and
strength in the 1-repetition-maximum bench pull tests were significantly greater in
older male and female pace bowlers. Older male pace bowlers demonstrated
significantly faster absolute and relative best run-of-3 times.
• Anthony Weldon et.al (2021) did the study on “Physical profiling of international cricket
players: an investigation between bowlers and batters” in The Technological and Higher
Education Institute of Hong Kong ; the study aimed to develop a physical profile of
international cricketers, and investigate positional differences exist between bowlers and
batters. 19 international male cricketers, eleven bowlers participated in this study. The physical
test battery included; power, speed, strength and aerobic fitness tests. It is found that batters
demonstrated significantly higher scores for the counter-movement jump and squat jump and
batters showed non-significant but small effect size for faster 0-5 m and 0-10 m sprint times,
superior hand grip strength and higher Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test scores .Bowlers showed
non-significant but small effect size for faster 5 km time trials , lower body weight and lower
body fat percentage. However, intra-positional and individual differences amongst players were
observed.
• Kenji Doma et.al (2021) did study on “Effect of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage on Bowling-
Specifific Motor Skills in Male Adolescent Cricketers” in Sport and Exercise Science, College of
Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; this study resulted that a bout of
resistance training evokes exercise-induced muscle damage amongst sub-elite, adolescent male
cricketers, which impairs anaerobic performance and bowling-specific motor performance measures.
They examined the acute effects of a bout of resistance training on cricket bowling-specific motor
performance. 8 sub-elite, resistance-untrained, adolescent male fast bowlers completed a bout of upper
and lower body resistance exercises. Indirect markers of muscle damage , anaerobic performance , and
cricket-specific motor performance were measured prior to and 24 and 48 hours following the
resistance training bout. The resistance training bout significantly increased , DOMS and 15-m sprint
times, whilst significantly reducing vertical jump height for up to 48 h. The ball speed and bowling
accuracy were significantly reduced, whilst run-up time was significantly increased for up to 24 h.
• Mitchell R L Forrest et al (2018) did study on “This paper provide a
rationale for the development of an exercise-based IPP specific for
adolescent pace bowlers. It design principles and provides an example
exercise programme that can be implemented at the community level. In
addition, the paper addresses other injury prevention techniques concerned
with the prescription of appropriate bowling loads and the modification of
poor bowling biomechanics. Performing an exercise-based IPP before
cricket training could reduce injury rates in adolescent pace bowlers.
• Dean J McNamara et al (2017) did study on “Assessment of Workload and its Effects
on Performance and Injury in Elite Cricket Fast Bowlers in School of Exercise
Science, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. In this review
articles from 2005 onwards with male participants, high-performing or elite, and fast
bowlers in the game of cricket were considered for inclusion. A total of 751 articles
were identified.  The study concluded that Fast bowling workload has a well
recognised relationship with injury and performance. Although monitoring acute and
chronic workloads of fast bowlers remains the most ideal method for identifying
preparedness and injury likelihood in fast bowlers, complexities exist that make the
systematic prescription of bowling workloads difficult.
• James A Johnstone et.al (2014) did study on “The athletic profile of fast
bowling in cricket: a review” in Sport and Exercise Research Group, Department
of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom; this
review aims to critically analyze the emerging contribution of physiological-
based literature linked to fast bowling in cricket, highlighted the current evidence
related to simulated and competitive in-match performance, and relate this
practically to the conditioning coach. It was clearly explained that there is scope
for more ecologically valid and longitudinal exploration capturing in-match data,
providing quantification of physiological workloads, and analysis of the physical
demands across the differing formats of the game.
METHODOLOGY :

• Study Design : Cross sectional observational study

• Study Setting : Sports Academy and Clubs

• Population : 1) Sub-elite cricket pace bowlers in Bangalore

2) Cricket pace bowlers under regular training.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Sub elite cricket pace bowlers

• Aged 18 and above

• Male players

• Athletes with 2 or more years of training

• Players with no acute injury in 6 months of time span

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Players who had gap in their training for more than a month

• Players with acute upper limb injuries

• Any history of shoulder injuries or surgery of upper extremity

• General health sickness

• Sample method : Purposive Sampling

• Sample size : Total 59 Samples

Formula : (Z1 - ɑ/2 + Z1 - β) (1 - r2)

n=
r2

where, Z1 - ɑ/2 = 1.96 (alpha value)

Z1 - β = 0.74 (power)
r = 0.36 ( from mother article)
 ETHICAL
PROCEDURE : APPROVAL

SELECTION OF
CENTER

PERMISSION APPROVAL
FROM THE CENTER
 SELECTION OF
PARTICIPANTS

INFORMED CONSENT
TAKEN

MATERIAL REQUIRED
FOR THE STUDY
 INSTRUCT PLAYERS
ABOUT THE PROCEDURE

EVALUATE VERTICAL JUMP, 20 BENCH

PRESS THROW TEST, SIDE PLANK TEST,
REACTIVE STRENGTH INDEX AND ASSESS
BOWLING KINEMATICS

TO CORRELATE BETWEEN BOWLING

KINEMATICS AND SELECTED
PHYSICAL QUALITIES
OUTCOME MEASURES

1. Vertical Jump Test

• Purpose : To measure leg muscle power

• Reliability : 0.99

2. 20 Bench Press Throw Test

• Purpose : To evaluate an athlete's upper body strength endurance,

performed in a Smith machine.

• Reliability : ICC - 0.92

3. Side plank test :

• Purpose : To measure isometric core strength-endurance and assesses the

strength of the lateral core muscles.

• Reliability : 0.99

4. Reactive strength index :

• Purpose : To measure reactive jump capacity of athletes. It is related to

acceleration speed, change of direction speed and agility.

• reliability : 0.93
5. Dartfish application :

• Purpose : To provides the most powerful video analysis to do the

technical and tactical game analysis, helping teams and athletes to
improve their performance.

• Validity : ICC - 0.98

 References :
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players: an investigation between bowlers and batters. Biology of sport, 38(4), 507–515.
https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2021.100148
2. Orchard, J., James, T., Alcott, E., Carter, S., & Farhart, P. (2002). Injuries in Australian cricket at first
class level 1995/1996 to 2000/2001. British journal of sports medicine, 36(4), 270–275.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.36.4.270
3. Johnstone, J. A., Mitchell, A. C., Hughes, G., Watson, T., Ford, P. A., & Garrett, A. T. (2014). The
athletic profile of fast bowling in cricket: a review. Journal of strength and conditioning research,
28(5), 1465–1473. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a20f8c
4. Dhillon MS, Garg B, Soni RK, Dhillon H, Prabhakar S. Nature and incidence of upper limb injuries in
professional cricket players a prospective observation. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol.
2012 Nov 8;4(1):42. doi: 10.1186/1758-2555-4-42. PMID: 23137197; PMCID: PMC3520788.
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updated consensus definitions. Open Access J Sports Med. 2016 Dec 13;7:187-194. doi:
10.2147/OAJSM.S117497. PMID: 28008292; PMCID: PMC5167453.
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Pace Bowlers. Sports Med. 2018 Nov;48(11):2449-2461. doi: 10.1007/s40279-018-0981-6. PMID:
30178303.
7. McNamara, D. J., Gabbett, T. J., & Naughton, G. (2017). Assessment of Workload and its Effects on
Performance and Injury in Elite Cricket Fast Bowlers. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 47(3), 503–515.

8. Spyrou K, Freitas TT, Marín-Cascales E, Alcaraz PE. Physical and Physiological Match-Play Demands and
Player Characteristics in Futsal: A Systematic Review. Front Psychol. 2020 Nov 6;11:569897. doi:
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.569897. PMID: 33240157; PMCID: PMC7677190.

9. Bompa, T. O., & Buzzichelli, C. (2019). Periodization-: theory and methodology of training. Human kinetics.

10. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
248644834_Evaluation_of_the_Performance_of_Digital_Video_Analysis_of_Human_Motion_Dartfish_Track
ing_System

11. .https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
263100697_An_analysis_of_functional_shoulder_movements_during_task_performance_using_Dartfish_mov
ement_analysis_software