Today, I am going to talk about the role of the opening bowler in cricket. Cricket is played between 2 teams. The bowling team needs to get the opposition out for less runs than they scored.

Bowlers win cricket games. It is the opening bowler who leads the charge, and he / she will use every tactic they can.

I had a very good coach. He was not a nice man – but he taught me a lot.
Thunderguts
When I was at Junior High School, I had a cricket coach who taught me many things. Huge, imposing and, just mean. Donald Francis Stormer (yes, Stormer) – we called him “Thunder Guts”.

“Thunder guts” used to bowl to us, just to give us a sense of reality. He was 6 ft 8 (6 ft 4 in reality), 22 stone (probably 16), who bowled fast and bouncy. Boy, if he hit you, you bruised! If you didn’t get in behind (or try), it was probably a caning.

When he appealed for LBW, caught behind or anything, he roared so loudly, I’d swear the entire neighbourhood would shake in their boots!

Thunder guts struck fear into our hearts, and this applied to all who faced him. He considered batsmen an “irritable inconvenience” – and did all he could to get rid of them. I learned a lot from Thunder guts – many from the School of Hard knocks and imposing body language!

I carried on with a lot that Thunder guts had taught me. I didn’t care for batsmen (unless it was me). I treated them aggressively and with disdain. At the end of the day, it was about me dominating – physically and psychologically – and about the opposition being bowled out for less than us.

Watch some famous Australian or West Indian fast bowlers over the years. Outstanding examples include Australia’s Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thompson and Mitchell Johnson. Also the West Indians Michael Holding, Wesley Hall and Joel Garner (big bird was even bigger than Thunder guts, and faster!). Watch the aggression. Watch their eyes! Watch their body language.

Here are some of the tactics.
1) First ball. Give the batsman the hard eye. It’s not a gentleman’s game. You want his wicket.
2) When you beat the batsman, you run down the wicket towards him. Hands on hip. Glare! You use such intimidatory tactics to try to break his concentration. If he loses focus, he is more likely to make a mistake.
3) Dropped catch – glare!
4) Bouncer – the odd word or gesture.
5) Swinger
6) Slower ball – with an “effort” grunt.
7) Appeal as though you mean it. How’s that!! (implied “you bastard”)

Repeat the dose for the rest of the team. Fight.

Let them know you are at them all the time. Win.

As Churchill would say, “Never, ever give up!”

Conclusion:

The role of the opening bowler in cricket is to dominate the opposition early. Use all your skills and aggression – not just your skills as a bowler.
• Use body language to break the batsmen’s concentration. Use aggressive stance, movement and gestures.
• Bowl aggressively – your aim is to get the opposition out.
• Facial expression and eye contact.
Dominate.

If you are unsure, ask yourself – “What would Thunder Guts do?”