How did the bowling action develop?

How did the bowling action develop?

The growth of cricket has been decided to a large extent by developments in bowling, rather than batting. In the earliest days or cricket, the ball was bowled along the ground with an underhand delivery. The last part of the 18th century saw improvements in bowling techniques that revolutionized the game. It was during this period that the ‘length ball’ was perfected. The length ball, is a well-pitched ball that bounced only once before reaching the striker. Hambledon player David Harris was its biggest promoter. Harris’s technique of bowling demanded changes in batting techniques and cricket slowly became a defensive game as well.

The next major change was the introduction of ‘round arm’ or ‘straight arm’ bowling, in which the ball is delivered with the arm extended more or less horizontally. The pioneer of this style was John Willes. In spite of initial protests from ex-players and attempts to bring laws against it, this style became very popular. In 1835, a law was passed that allowed the bowler’s hand to be raised as high as the shoulder. However it was clear that the straight-arm delivery would be more effective if the arm was raised above the level of the shoulder. Thus it was only a matter of time before the transition to the modern-style over arm delivery to take place