Ecological Dynamics of Spin Bowling in Test Match Cricket

Test match cricket can be played in 12 countries around the world and each of these countries present their own individual environmental challenges.
1. In the theory of ecological dynamics, it is at the individual-environment level that decisions emerge, and experts can exploit this relationship in order to create a competitive advantage. This is one possible reason for the overwhelming winning percentages seen for some home teams in test match cricket played today. Additionally, the environment is one of three constraints known to influence movement solutions in a performance context.6

This online activity will focus on three studies being conducted as part of a PhD project at Cricket Australia aiming to highlight the adaptive behaviour that can be attributed to the environment. There are numerous factors which go into defining the environment, this study will focus specifically on the cricket pitch as it is thought to be pertinent to the game of cricket.7,8 The studies specifically focus on the delivery of spin bowling; The first being a retrospective analysis of delivery speed data between Australia and India; The second quantifies the pace bounce and deviation properties of spinning deliveries bowled on two contrasting pitch surfaces; The third is an adaptability analysis of a series of simulated matches where some of the best spin bowlers in Australia were tasked with performing on a common Australian pitch (designed to produce lower amounts of spin) and a bespoke international pitch (designed to miming a “spinning” pitch).

This is a recording of a webinar presented by ESSA on 19 August 2020. 

Presented by Mr Rian Crowther, PhD

Rian is currently employed by Cricket Australia as the Lead Sport Science Officer, a position which he has held since 2016. Prior to this he was awarded a post graduate scholarship position at the Australian Institute of Sport in biomechanics (2009) which corresponded with his final year studying at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Rian later completed a Bachelor of Science (Sport & Exercise) with Honours in 2011. Rian have been working as a Sport Scientist at Cricket Australia since 2013 covering Performance Analysis, Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition. Performance Analysis services are mostly Australia A programs with some Australian Men’s team cover, while Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition cover pathway to senior teams nationally.

Rian is continuing to develop his learnings in Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition by studying a Doctor of Philosophy at Queensland University of Technology covering both of these areas. Two of the three studied planned for this research can be sound in the International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching (Ecological dynamics of spin bowling in test match cricket: A longitudinal analysis if delivery speed between Australia and India) and the European Journal of Sport Science (Spinning properties of two cricket pitches with contrasting soil properties). The third is currently under investigation, preliminary results will be shared in this online activity.

Rates per person

ESSA Member		$30.00
Non-Member		$50.00
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Student Non-Member		$25.00

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Any Accredited Sports Scientist Level 1, Accredited Sports Scientist Level 2 and/or Accredited High Performance Manager

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