Line, Length and Accuracy

In this lesson you will learn the two words that describe where every delivery goes. Line is the direction of the ball, from the leg side across to the off side, measured in relation to the stumps. Length is how far down the pitch the ball bounces, from a yorker at the batter's feet to a bouncer short in the pitch. Together, line and length decide which shots the batter can play and how risky those shots are. Coaches, captains and commentators use this language constantly, so learning it will help you understand feedback and plans. You will see that bowling well is mostly about controlling these two things ball after ball.

• Line: direction relative to the stumps
• Length: where the ball bounces
• Line and length decide the batter's options
• Learn the language to understand feedback

In this lesson you will work through the main lengths from full to short. A yorker lands at or near the batter's feet, around the popping crease. A full length or half-volley is slightly shorter and invites a drive. A good length is the area where the batter is unsure whether to go forward or back. Back of a length is a little shorter, rising towards the hip or rib area. A short ball, or bouncer, pitches well short and rises to chest or head height. A full toss does not bounce at all before reaching the batter. Knowing these lengths helps you choose the right delivery for the situation.

• Yorker: at the batter's feet
• Half-volley: full, invites the drive
• Good length: forward or back is uncertain
• Back of a length and short: rising deliveries

In this lesson you will learn about line. A ball can be on leg stump, on middle, on off stump, or outside off stump, and it can drift down the leg side or wide of off. For most bowlers against a right-handed batter, the channel just outside off stump, sometimes called the corridor of uncertainty, is the most effective line, because the batter is unsure whether to play or leave. Straight lines at the stumps bring bowled and leg before wicket into play. Lines down the leg side are usually easy to score from and risk a wide. You will practise aiming at the top of off stump as your default target.

• The channel just outside off stump creates doubt
• Straight lines bring bowled and lbw into play
• Leg-side lines are easy to score from
• Top of off stump is a strong default target

In this lesson you will discover that good length changes. A quicker bowler's good length is further from the batter than a slower bowler's, because the ball rises more steeply off the pitch. A spinner's good length is fuller still. Pitch conditions matter too. On a hard, bouncy surface you may need to pitch the ball a little fuller, while on a slow, low surface you may need to be fuller to hit the stumps. The batter also changes the picture. A tall batter who gets well forward may need a slightly shorter length. Watch where the ball is reaching the keeper and the batter, and adjust.

• Faster bowlers' good length is further from the batter
• Spinners pitch fuller
• Pitch bounce and pace change good length
• Watch the keeper and batter, then adjust

In this lesson you will learn how inaccuracy turns into extras. A wide is called when the umpire considers the ball passes too wide of the striker for them to hit it with a normal cricket stroke. In T20 cricket, playing conditions usually interpret wides strictly, particularly down the leg side, so even a small error can cost a run and an extra ball. A no-ball also concedes a run and an extra delivery, and a front-foot no-ball brings a free hit. Wides and no-balls count against your bowling figures. Check the WFA competition regulations for the exact wide guidelines used in league matches.

• Wides and no-balls cost a run and an extra ball
• T20 wide interpretation is usually strict
• Leg-side wides are especially common
• Check WFA competition regulations for wide guidelines

In this lesson you will build accuracy through structured practice. Place a target, such as a cone, a towel or a marked zone, on a good length in the channel outside off stump. Bowl a set number of deliveries and record how many land in the zone. Gradually make the zone smaller or move it to practise different lengths and lines, such as a yorker zone or a short ball zone. Practise with a single stump at the other end, and score your efforts. Keeping a simple record over weeks lets you see real progress. You will find that measured practice is far more effective than simply bowling lots of balls.

• Mark a target zone on a good length
• Bowl a set number and record hits
• Shrink or move zones to progress
• Track your scores over weeks

In this lesson you will look at keeping your accuracy when the game is tense. In a T20 match, a single loose ball can be hit for four or six, and pressure can tighten your muscles and change your rhythm. Use a simple routine before each ball, such as a breath, a clear picture of your target and a cue word, to reset your focus. If you bowl a bad ball, let it go and commit fully to the next one. In practice, add pressure by setting challenges, such as needing four out of six on target to finish. Learning to stay calm helps your accuracy far more than trying harder.

• One loose ball can be costly in T20
• Use a short pre-ball routine
• Let bad balls go and commit to the next
• Add pressure challenges in practice