What is it about?
Cricket is unique because players on the same team compete in different formats of the game. Fast bowlers who play in all formats often bowl a varying number of overs. We wanted to measure the physical demands on fast bowlers and understand how fatigue develops based on the number of overs they bowl.
Featured Image
Photo by LumenSoft Technologies on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Understanding the connection between fast bowling workloads and fatigue is important for support staff, such as strength and conditioning coaches and sport scientists. These professionals play a key role in reducing fatigue and preventing injuries. For example, if they know that fast bowlers experience fatigue lasting more than 24 hours after bowling 10 overs, they can adjust training plans. Players might avoid intense training sessions until they have fully recovered.
Perspectives
I hope this article helps practitioners—and even cricket fans—gain a better understanding of how physically demanding fast bowling is and how long bowlers can experience fatigue, which can reduce their performance. By improving how workloads are managed, this could help bowlers avoid injuries and play more matches.
James Bray
University of Hull
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Creatine kinase and neuromuscular fatigue responses following differing spells of simulated cricket fast bowling, PLOS One, January 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317692.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
