Allan Border urges pace bowlers to spend more time bowling and less time lifting weights

‘MY gut feeling is that weight training is not nearly as important for cricketers as it is for most other sportspeople.’

Dennis Lillee (with Australian flag over his shoudler) is applauded from the SCG. Cricket. 1984.

IF Dennis Lillee had played today, his cricket career may have been a pale imitation of the great one we will forever cherish.

Lillee’s body was always so ravaged with aches and pains that he could barely drag himself out of bed in the mornings.

But he got himself to the ground, bowled in pain at reduced pace for a while before he eventually loosened up a bit.

These days, there is no way the great fast bowler would have been on the cricket field nearly as much.

Lillee would have struggled to convince team officials of his fitness these days.

DK would have had to endure a constant stream of medical scans and been told he had to rest. Medical scans would have always showed a small tear or a niggle or other problem.

Back in Lillee’s day, he knew he could get by despite the pain. He didn’t want to report any soreness or injury because he didn’t want to give another bowler a chance.

Another great Australian fast bowler, Glenn McGrath, always had the same answer when asked if he was fit to play.

No matter how McGrath was feeling he always said: “I’m fine, I’m ready to go, let me at them.”

Lillee working with Mitchell Starc.

But in today’s modern cricket, players are told they must report absolutely everything.

When something turns up on a medical scan, even minor, the case is put to the bowlers that they should be resting. They are told they have the potential to break down. And that is that. The decision is taken out of their hands.

Another thing which worries me a bit about modern cricket is the amount of weight training the fast bowlers do compared to the amount of specific bowling preparation they do.

My gut feeling is that weight training is not nearly as important for cricketers as it is for most other sportspeople.

With all the fast bowling breakdowns in recent years, we really need to look at what is going on with all these injuries.

I am certainly no medical expert but I would rather the quicks were bowling in the nets more and maybe doing some extra stretching work, like Pilates, rather than spending a lot of time on the weights.

I reckon the fast bowlers should be foregoing one of their gym sessions a week, and bowling an extra 50 deliveries at training.

Bowling in the nets is really all about teaching your body what to do and how to react in game situations.

Border is Brisbane Heat assistant coach to Stuart Law (right). Photographer: Liam Kidston.

FREDDIE Flintoff has been telling anyone and everyone how excited he is to have me working closely with the Brisbane Heat.

Well, I can tell you I am every bit as excited to be back in a cricket dressing room again.

I am a bit like a little kid in a candy store. I have been turning up early to Heat training, ready to help out however I can.

I have been running around at training and doing all the sort of stuff which I used to love for all those years.

I want the Heat players to come up to me whenever they want and chew the fat about absolutely anything.

We have already had some good chats and there will be a lot more as I get to know them better over the next seven weeks.

There is a really positive feeling in the playing group. I am expecting the Heat to get off to a winning start against the Sydney Thunder on Sunday night.

Originally published as Allan Border urges pace bowlers to spend more time bowling and less time lifting weights