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[Akewstick]

I'm a batsman, not a bowler, but playing for a lower XI there are weeks where I'm asked to bowl on a saturday and am regularly asked to hold up an end on a sunday, so I do want to improve my bowling, not least because spraying leg side filth for an hour at nets isn't a great feeling. I'm quick enough, and I can bowl good balls, but not consistently, last season I took 2-30 in seven overs against a decent side, but that 30 included 16 wides. I run in about 20/25 yards and people keep telling me to shorten my run up.

This year's winter nets is in a place with no space for a run up, like one and a half steps before your delivery stride and I'm bowling SO much better, it feels marginally slower but I'm still pushing it through, hitting a length and the wides are down to a minimum.

I can't bring myself to bowl seam off two steps in a match, but it has convinced me that my run up is probably too long.

I don't suppose anyone could or should tell me how long it should be because that's an individual thing, I assume. But, has anyone had any experience shortening a run up, what are the important things to look out for?

[arsenal123]

Those nets sound terrible!

Truth be told, unless you are unbelievably quick at the level you play, accuracy is king.  Not to mention, if you play timed games, having a seamer who can get through his overs quickly and accurately is a godsend.  Nothing worse than watching a guy run in miles, spray it and bowl 2 wides per over.  The game loses all its flow and as a skipper it drives you mad.