I've just been looking at the stats for our club and it looks like there's a chance that either Ben or Kieran will take the prize for the U13's bowler of the year. I was the one that introduced Kieran to cricket and taught him to bowl in the Paddock and over at The Rec.
Kieran on paper looks to be the best statistically, but Ben has won it before and did so without having the best stats. When he was awarded the prize it was mentioned that he'd won it on the basis of his attitude and his approach to bowling e.g. a kind of poker faced approach where - whatever happened he gave the impression that it didn't matter and wasn't affected if the ball was hit for 4 or 6. Again this year he's gone through the year with no histrionics, his head doesn't go down and he bowls with full commitment and enthusiasm and bowls both in the U13's and U15's and has done really well in the U15's.
The stats...
Ben
31-4-134-8
Best bowling 2 for 11
Average - 16.75 (Runs conceded per wicket)
Economy 3.11 (Runs per over)
Strike rate 23.25 (Balls per wicket)
Kieran
16.2 - 4 - 63 - 10
Best bowling 3 for 14
Avearge 6.30 (Runs conceded per wicket)
Economy 3.86 (Runs per over)
Strike rate 9.72 (Balls per wicket)
It looks like a clear cut win for Kieran, but I reckon it'll be close as they're likely to look at things such as attitude, committment, technique and the likes. Kieran's done really well, primarily I reckon because of his ability to produce in-swing, he's not fast, but he's accurate with regards to his line and length and coupled with that he gets the ball to swing.
Ben on the hand, doesn't swing the ball at all as far as I'm aware and he gets his wickets by varying the pace - sometimes enormously and bowling a fairly good line and length. Anecdotally, I think Ben has been pretty good this year with regards to wides and no-balls, one daft thing that he has done, which I've seen him do in each match is bowl bouncers to good batsmen. He gets away with it usually the once, but up till the point where I had a word with him, he'd bowl a second one and the bats were always ready for it and generally put it away for 4's and 6's.
With a little work with the coaches speaking to him and getting him to produce a good seam presentation in order to create swing - I reckon he'll do really well in the U15's next season.
Just thought Ryan as well could be a contender...
Ryan (not in the Dave Thompson Bowling academy)
20 - 0 - 106 - 6
Best Bowling 2 for 21
Avearge 17.67 (Runs conceded per wicket)
Economy 5.30 (Runs per over)
Strike rate 20.00 (Balls per wicket)
