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[uknsaunders]

Interesting twitter exchange here:-

https://twitter.com/Ponty100mph

Concerning Englands bowlers and some pics:-

[mk_chappo]

No wonder our guys can't get it above 85 mph.

[yogi206]

I have been to one of Ian Pont's training seminars, no doubt that it works Catherine Dalton was there, 5'8 thin and bowling mid 80's on the speed gun.......

[123*]

Looking about, speaking club and county youth standard there seems to be a million and one people who can offer batting tips but very few who know what they're talking about when it comes to spin or fast bowling. Speaking as a junior coach and I do this myself I feel we are very guilty of focussing only on batsman creating a perfect cover drive and neglecting a young quicky, front arm up is often the only advice they receive. I think a lot of junior cricketers pick up very bad bowling habits simply because coaches don't know what they're looking for and the ECB courses don't really help, thoughts?

[joeljonno]

I think it is easier to "fix" a batsman than a bowler.  You can look at the stance, eyes, head, how they play the shot and can do this slowly without a ball.

It is a lot more tricky to slow down a bowler without changing his action.  A lot more video analysis is helpful with bowling, which coaches often don't have.

[Nickauger]

Video analysis is key to bowling, and also the old coaching curriculum said 'if something looks odd in a bowling action, get a higher level coach in to look at it'. Coaches have no confidence to adjust technique!

[mo_town]

Is 'fixing' a players always good though?..there are lots of examples of players completely losing their natural skills just cos someone suggested a different technique or identified a 'correction'. I think this doesnt really apply for International players. all this correction makes sense for kids who are just starting, but if a player has made it to the national side surely he must have done something right. Why change it then?

[Number 11]

Is 'fixing' a players always good though?..there are lots of examples of players completely losing their natural skills just cos someone suggested a different technique or identified a 'correction'. I think this doesnt really apply for International players. all this correction makes sense for kids who are just starting, but if a player has made it to the national side surely he must have done something right. Why change it then?

I agree with you there, I think they tried to "fix" Devon Malcolm's technique, he turned into a disaster.

[Nickauger]

Malinga would have been changed, so would Tait. And if they had been, would they have played more tests? Perhaps! Its a toss up between maintaining effectiveness, or prolonging careers! Adjusting glaringly obvious technical weaknesses to a normal technical model however, is completely different to a complete technical redesign based on a coaches' view of an athlete's action being unorthodox.

[smilley792]

Didn't they change Andersons when he first played tests. And needed up back at lancasthire as poor bowler.
So he changed back and got back to test level.

[joeljonno]

For every one that gets worse due to changes, I bet there are more that improve.  Whether it is a yard quicker, more accurate, better strength.

[Buzz]

Malinga was coached and they tried to change his action. After a few sessions they realised that he was losing his effectiveness and accuracy and they stopped and told him to go back to what he did.

I think there are two points here - if someone is naturally unorthodox sometimes it is better to make suggestions but in general to leave the play alone, especially if they are successful.

In the case of Stokes - he is trying to be orthodox, so should be helped in that process.

Don't forget that Ian Pont has a business to promote so will always seek to point out ways that he believes will make a bowler faster in public so that more of the paying public will use his services. That doesn't make him right all the time - but he has had many successes.

In this case I think he has a point, it does beg the question as to what his coaches have been doing as he developed.

If you want to see two players with what Ian Pont thinks have the most efficient actions - look no further than Brett Lee and Dale Steyn. 

[Nickauger]

Yeah, that is my point though... change for changes sake is pointless. Little things like running in straighter, or getting your front arm higher will help! As long as its safe, and effective, leave it be. However, when things start falling apart, that is when little changes should be made. In those pictures, there should be a lot of things that should be worked on because a) they're not a complete overhaul, and b) they're bowling very poorly currently.

Buzz, if Malinga had come through this countries system, there would be no way he would have got to 15 with that action, let alone test match level!

[tim2000s]

I was struggling to work out which two bowlers it was!

[Bats_Entertainment]

Ian Pont didn't exactly set the world on fire as a cricketer. Nor did that other 'top coach', Gary Palmer.