Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: MrCricket321 on April 02, 2015, 05:51:38 AM
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Just Wondering if we could use a tennis ball chucker for dogs instead of the sidearm thrower?
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No
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Why Not??? ;)
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The ball doesn't fit
The plastic is too flexible
It just doesn't work...
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Let's imagine the dog thrower was never invented. Just the side arm.
A guy in China sees it and the price and thinks "wow I could make that alot cheaper, and all the tight gets will buy my knock off"
So he sets off to copy it, but does no research into it.
He's never seen a cricket ball.
He has no idea it has a seam
He has no idea it weighs 5.5oz.
He just has a tennis ball in his back garden and some cheap ass plastic.
Your on ebay and see this at 99 delivered! Boom. Buy it now buy it now.
It arrives. You excitable get a cricket ball and realise it doesn't fit. Due to the seam you have to force it in. But you do and it's in.
You attempt to use it.
Non go anywhere near the batsmen. And as your going you think sweet. Balls going in easier now. It's opening up.
6th ball you go to place the ball in. And realise there's no longer a head on your thrower. Its where the last ball went 100 metres past square leg.
Batsmen utters "you buy cheap you buy twice"
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Also as a side note, the Sidearm Pro version is surprisingly difficult to use. You need to really go for it to get it out of the cup at any real speed, Beamers aplenty I found.
The Club version on the other hand (the yellow one) is really easy to use, i assume it's something to do with the flex in the arm?
And as it says on the tin really, the Club version is fine for most club levels.
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Agree I got the Pro and its a real learning curve to get it right. Also don't leave it lying around as its lethal if people don't know how to use it 80 mph beamers I wont let the colts anywhere near the thing. Once you have it figured its brilliant the best tool possible for batting practice. Haven't tried the club version but my mate has one I'll give it a go and report back.
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Agree I got the Pro and its a real learning curve to get it right. Also don't leave it lying around as its lethal if people don't know how to use it 80 mph beamers I wont let the colts anywhere near the thing. Once you have it figured its brilliant the best tool possible for batting practice. Haven't tried the club version but my mate has one I'll give it a go and report back.
Better than a bola??
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Better than a bola??
Both have there advantages.
But a side arm you follow the arm through, just like a bowler, And it's rarely same spot over again. So you can't camp on the foot it's set for.
Plus. If you don't have an indoor facility. A side arm is much easier to carry onto your practice pitch than getting a bola there is.
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Better than a bola??
A Bola costs at least a couple of thousand pounds, needs special (expensive) balls, a battery or electricity, setting up and putting away after each use and without an auto feeder requires two people.
It's not got the bowlers arm coming over as a reference to watch the ball out the hand/trigger and is pinpoint accurate, so you can get into position to play a shot early.
A sidearm costs about £20, is easier to carry, can take any balls you already have (or that are cheaper than bola ones) and also needs two people.
You can follow it and trigger as if it were normal bowling, and there's the natural variation you'd get in a match, so it's a more realistic training session in my opinion than the machine.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, so take your pick!
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I think it depends.
You really do need someone who know what they're doing on the end of it (the Sidearm that is) Otherwise its a total waste of time.
Sidearm is more realistic, relatable practice, but the Bola is excellent for engriaining the muscle memory for individual shots.
Bola for the Winter. Sidearm for the Summer.
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I'd suggest both have different main pros and cons. Doubt you can groove a shot with a side arm but as someone points out, it's cheap and you do get that bolwers arm follow through.
Bola can be mixed up, not just the same spot? People seem to forget that, of someone is camping on one foot, throw in a short ball or yorka on demand.. Deadly accurate and keeps you thinking
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I'd suggest both have different main pros and cons. Doubt you can groove a shot with a side arm but as someone points out, it's cheap and you do get that bolwers arm follow through.
Bola can be mixed up, not just the same spot? People seem to forget that, of someone is camping on one foot, throw in a short ball or yorka on demand.. Deadly accurate and keeps you thinking
The tools at my club spend about half a bucket getting one to get down the other end that's not a wide! If they can suddenly start changing the line and length subtly enough to catch a batsman off guard at will (or even without a 15 minute delay) it's a miracle! :-[
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agree with most of the above. Don't get on with bowling machines as there is no trigger and i have the reflexes of tree stump. With the machine I have to start with the bat up high like Goochie, which isn't how i bat in a match. The side arm is cheap instant and the guys I practice with are all club coaches that i have taught how to use it properly.
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The tools at my club spend about half a bucket getting one to get down the other end that's not a wide! If they can suddenly start changing the line and length subtly enough to catch a batsman off guard at will (or even without a 15 minute delay) it's a miracle! :-[
user error, its stupidly easy to mix it up. i do it all the time on mine and it works a treat. you can bat for hours facing random balls someone decides to bowl you. set you up easily, bore you with accurate bowling or tear you apart with yorka/bouncer sessions. its down to the skill of the operator
add to that changes of pace and the lack of trigger means you have to react far quicker.. meaning you pick up line and length quickly.. so then, when you have a bowler you find it easier and tend to be in position quicker.
I've found no bowler is capable of matching the bola for providing a real working over. if you can keep a skilled operator out on a bola then you should score thousands of runs. obviously if you just fire the same ball down then it's not as useful
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i have a sidearm pro up for sale
how much do you want to pay for it? .... no taking the p1ss with the offer
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i have a sidearm pro up for sale
how much do you want to pay for it? .... no taking the p1ss with the offer
Pm me what you want for it etc
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they are £20 new??
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what condition is it in ?
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I have some thoughts on the side arm.
Although I haven't given it the time to learn it's full potential, I have found it most useful when I keep it simple.
I've been using one now for a couple of years and every time I try anything other than a steady paced top of off stump line, there's a chance it will be unplayable, dangerous or both.
Being left handed, if I become complacent with it, my heart can skip because of the angle into a right hander, but thankfully so far only the odd bruise.
I don't enjoy bowling, it hurts too much, but I want to help so I got efficient at the side arm.
There's a knack to it no doubt but don't be put off, I sure wish some of our other players would try to learn, top of off stump sure would be nice compared to some of the dross that we all get served up from time to time.
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We've tried a side arm in nets this season. Its more like a weapon than a bowling aid in the wrong hands. There are certain club members who are banned from using it. Can be difficult to pick length early as well.
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Side note on the Side Arm, mine broke really quickly having only used it a couple of times which was rather disappointing
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I bought my sidearm a few years ago and have barely used it, normally due to a lack of consistency. I never really had the patience to use it. However, I finally cracked it with reasonable consistency this week. Once you get into a rhythm, it feels like an extension of your arm and not some alien tool.
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That's it Cam, sounds like you are getting it.
I found, the harder I tried to up the speed the more likely it was going to be a beamer.
You can counter this by aiming shorter but it then becomes more of a lottery with regards to line and length and then the best case scenario is a bouncer which has pitched closer to you than the batsman. You can imagine how ugly that can become, I'd rather have had to face Jeff Thomson tbh.
My tips would be, keep it simple, keep your arm high and straight and don't worry about the speed to much.
I'm as quick with it as our quickest bowlers and any increase or even decrease in speed and it becomes harder to operate.
Oh, and stick with it, its has the possibility in the right hands to be almost as useful as a bowling machine and it can far exceed the average standard of balls you will receive from a lot club bowlers.
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Cam? What did I do? :o
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Sorry Cam, my bad, I glanced at the post above and confused you with wayward.
But, while we here, keep up the practice with the side arm.
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Sorry Cam, my bad, I glanced at the post above and confused you with wayward.
But, while we here, keep up the practice with the side arm.
I had it last Saturday! I started off with a club to get my eye in, then moved onto the pro once I was confident I wouldn't kill anyone!
We had a net with just me and a mate and he wanted to do some keeping.
I was getting it to swing round corners, on a good length and throwing Yorkers dowb at will! Hopefully I can do the same with a batsman stood at the other end.
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I found, the harder I tried to up the speed the more likely it was going to be a beamer
Hello there, Cam here again :D
I found this too, any kind of quicker ball ended up with beamer. Rhythm over pace any day.
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Thats a great way to practice, I will definitely ask our keeper to help me practice now.
I guess the reason I keep saying to keep is simple is because even after using one for over 2 years I am still a novice with it really.
I don't practice with it because I didn't feel, up until now, that the time spent to learn anything but the basics, would justify the benefits. Couldn't be arsed if I'm honest.
I think trying to practice whilst doing a net is fruitless for both but giving the keeper some practice at the same time never dawned on me, thanks Cam.
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Hello there, Cam here again :D
I found this too, any kind of quicker ball ended up with beamer. Rhythm over pace any day.
Sorry about the confusion, I'm reasonably new to this internet stuff.
I might play along and throw in the occasional incorrect name just to keep it going for giggles.
Regarding the beamers, I can only assume it's the weakness in the plastic splaying when you impart too much force and trying to counter this is just too difficult.
I don't think I have the talent to overcome this to a point where it's safe for the batsman, make sense?.
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Side note on the Side Arm, mine broke really quickly having only used it a couple of times which was rather disappointing
Do you think it could of been damaged prior to its last use?, or do you think it was a fault?
If memory serves I think they were quite brittle in their infancy, I think I may have v2, not sure, but initially I was really careful with it, but now I have the confidence in its rigidity to be complacent with how I care for it.
You may have a very early version or just unlucky I suppose.
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Not sure to be honest. The cup section where you put the ball developed a large crack. Didn't notice it happen.
I bought it on here so didn't have a receipt and just took it on the chin
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Sorry to bring this thread back up, i just brought a pro and used it last night, as already stated threw some horrible beamers more often than not, a couple of wide ones... Then my mate went into bat and for his sake I tried slowing it down. Pitched on off, he didnt see it and struck him plum in front! Ive been clocked at over 70mph bowling against him at lords and he said it was much much quicker. Then again we havnt batted for a few weeks.. I still need more practice though
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I've batted against the sidearm pro and enjoyed batting against it more than the bowling machine.
Need to order a sidearm for myself
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I've batted against the sidearm pro and enjoyed batting against it more than the bowling machine.
Need to order a sidearm for myself
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Agree. If you have someone who is able to use it well, I much prefer the sidearm to a bowling machine due to the variation. Don't get me wrong, I like the bowling machine if I want to work in a particular area but the sidearm takes away the predictability of the bowling machine
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My club have gone through two sidearm elites (both cracked in the ball holder) but both were replaced and the third time we just asked for a pro which is still going strong. The elite was a lot quicker but with the pro you can definitely get it quick enough with a pro.
Our trick is to stand a little taller and really graft to follow through.
I'd have a sidearm over a bola...
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Elites had problems according to IJC thats why they stipped stocking them
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I really struggle with the side arm, I'm guessing there's a certain niche to it cause try as I might i just ended up belong be smears or bouncers, any tips?
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Keep practicing and you will find the right technique. Keep the action smooth and don't flick your wrist. It works really well for me when I throw it firmly. I find it brilliant as I can put it down at a good pace and land it pretty much where I want. However, some of my net buddies don't like facing it. In fact one guy called me a 'lazy bast*rd' for not bowling myself. Charming.
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I have a club and a pro.
Club has become saggy and bent. But was the easiest to use so has had alot of use.
The pro can be lethal in the wrong hands(ask our scoreboard that took a damaging hit..... And it's 115m from our square!!!)
They are both good for when there is a small amount at a net, 2 or 3 of you as your gonna get tired easily but all want a good net.
We tend to go.
Bowler 1 over
Side arm over from bowler 2 over
Bowler 2 over
Side arm form bowler 1 over
And repeat.
Keeps howlers fresh and batsmen in practice.
If you have a 8 man net and everyone is bowling, but your just randomly queuing with the sidearm, then both batsmen and bowlers will not be happy due to the laziness.
Not easy to get used to 1 in 7 being flung from the plastic thing.
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Used it a lot of the last two seasons, it's great now I can put it where I want it!! Such a useful tool