Bowling machine
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addu84

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Bowling machine
« on: November 08, 2020, 02:47:36 PM »
Hi everyone,

As lockdown continues, contemplating purchasing a bowling machine for hone to be used either in the driveway or garage area.
I noticed there are broadly two set of options: Paceman machines around £300 or Bola Junior/Paceman Pro around £1000.

I have gone through the prior posts but just wanted more recent views given paceman has introduced new machines. Are the cheaper Paceman machines not worth it? Does the light ball not mimic an actual cricket ball. Not sure what the difference between the light and limited balls are. The regular ones only work with the pro.

I am familiar with the Bola machines but does the junior use the same balls as the club one (apart from being very slightly smaller)?

All views welcomed. Many thanks.
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SD

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2020, 12:11:48 PM »
We have one of the paceman machines with the lighter balls but only use it with juniors making the step up from soft ball cricket to hard ball cricket where they have to wear full batting kit.  It is a good piece of kit to use at u11 level and is good  value for money.  I wouldn't recommend it for use above this age group through.  The balls seem to hang in the air in flight so it isn't realistic to actual bowling. 

The Bola is more expensive but worth the investment in my view.  We have one that has been going for 25 years and has only needed replacement carbon brushes in that time
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KettonJake

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2020, 02:11:54 PM »
Quote from: addu84 on November 08, 2020, 02:47:36 PM
Hi everyone,

As lockdown continues, contemplating purchasing a bowling machine for hone to be used either in the driveway or garage area.
I noticed there are broadly two set of options: Paceman machines around £300 or Bola Junior/Paceman Pro around £1000.

I have gone through the prior posts but just wanted more recent views given paceman has introduced new machines. Are the cheaper Paceman machines not worth it? Does the light ball not mimic an actual cricket ball. Not sure what the difference between the light and limited balls are. The regular ones only work with the pro.

I am familiar with the Bola machines but does the junior use the same balls as the club one (apart from being very slightly smaller)?

All views welcomed. Many thanks.

BOLA junior balls are also lightweight, albeit a little heavier than paceman ones. The man advantage of any BOLA over a paceman is  BOLA is a proper twin wheel machine designed for cricket, paceman machines are single wheel and are all variants of a machine developed for baseball, a sport where the ball doesn't bounce.

You can't use 'proper' 5oz BOLA balls or cricket balls in the BOLA junior like you can in a BOLA Pro.
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InternalTraining

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2020, 02:34:47 PM »
BOLA Jr owner here. I can't recommend the machine enough. The lighter, and softer balls are perfect for practicing shot timing.

I wish BOLA had never used the word "Jr" in the name. In terms of capability and "correctness" of practice, there is nothing "Jr" about it -  it hits all the right notes.

You have the added option of using white balls which are heavier and harder. I bring the machine closer and use white balls for short-ball, back-foot shot practice.

Don't over think it, you'll love it.
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addu84

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2020, 03:38:11 PM »
Thank you all for your feedback. I guess the vote is for Bola Junior - should be good enough for home use. I will try to order the white bola ball just to see what it is like.

Any idea if these machines ever go on sale? Let's say BlackFriday....

 
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KettonJake

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2020, 04:17:17 PM »
Quote from: addu84 on November 09, 2020, 03:38:11 PM
Thank you all for your feedback. I guess the vote is for Bola Junior - should be good enough for home use. I will try to order the white bola ball just to see what it is like.

Any idea if these machines ever go on sale? Let's say BlackFriday....

They don't unfortunately. BOLA know they are the best, and price accordingly which is fair enough for a top product.
We are one of, if not their biggest customer and therefore should be competitively priced, feel free to send me a message or email :)
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Chompy9760

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Re: Bowling machine
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2020, 08:31:00 PM »
The cheaper paceman units that only throw the 50g balls are ok, but you will have to replace the wheel fairly regularly.  It has a light rubber coating that wears off after a while, and makes the machine vibrate.  Fairly easy to change, but not something you have to do on units that are designed to throw heavy balls.

The light balls don't have the momentum, and slow down much quicker through the air than heavy balls.  Our club has a Juggs machine, and while using the 140g yellow balls, I occasionally throw in a 50g ball, which works out as a great slower ball to make the batters think.

The light balls will also swing more than heavy balls
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