THE VELOCITY DEPENDENCE OF TECHNNIQUES COMMONLY LINKED WITH LOWER BACK INJURY IN CRICKET FAST BOWLING

The aim of this study was to examine the velocity dependence of shoulder alignment counter rotation, maximum hip-shoulder separation angle, maximum front knee flexion angle and maximum trunk lateral flexion. High-performance fast bowlers (n=17) were required to bowl multiple deliveries in a fast, normal and slower ball category. No statistical association was found between bowling velocity and maximum shoulder counter rotation or knee flexion. Significant associations were found between ball release velocity and trunk lateral flexion and maximum hip-shoulder separation angle. Significant differences were found between the bowling categories for separation angle and knee flexion. A regression analysis showed that trunk lateral flexion and separation angle only accounted for 11% of the ball velocity variance, for the normal delivery (31.3 ms-1)