RESEARCH NOTE

UPPER BODY MUSCLE STRENGTH AND BATTING

PERFORMANCE IN CRICKET BATSMEN
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MOGAMMAD S. TALIEP,1 SEBASTIAN K. PRIM,2 AND JANINE GRAY2

1
Department of Sports Management, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa; and 2MRC/UCT
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Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Newlands,
South Africa

ABSTRACT Physical preparation has become increasingly important

for cricket batsmen, so much so that Noakes and Durandt (14)
Taliep, MS, Prim, SK, and Gray, J. Upper body muscle strength
found that upper body strength as measured by the 1
and batting performance in cricket batsmen. J Strength Cond
repetition maximum (1RM) bench press (corrected for body
Res 24(12): 3484–3487, 2010—The aim of this study was to
mass) was similar in elite cricket batsmen compared to in elite
determine if upper body muscle strength (as measured by the
rugby players (backline and loose forward). It is possible that
1 repetition maximum bench press) was associated with cricket physical preparation, and in particular, upper body strength
batting performance. Cricket batting performance was defined could be 1 of the factors that distinguishes successful elite
by the maximum hitting distance during a batting task and batsmen from unsuccessful elite batsmen. In cricket, an
batting average and strike rate during 1-Day and Twenty/20 increase in upper body strength is particularly important
(T/20) matches. Eighteen, provincial level, elite cricket batsmen when executing powerful cricket strokes. Well-timed power-
participated in the study. Upper body muscle strength was ful cricket strokes provide batsmen with the best chance of
found to be positively correlated with maximum hitting distance hitting boundaries. With the advent of the Twenty/20
(p = 0.0052). There were no significant correlations between (T/20) cricket (where a batting team is only allowed 20 overs
upper body strength, batting average, and strike rate for both for the entire batting innings), batsmen are required to
the 1-Day and T/20 matches. The results of this study have consistently hit boundaries to be competitive (17). Good
implications for coaches choosing a particular batting line-up. upper body strength is therefore a crucial factor for the
Batsmen who have stronger upper bodies could be favored to
success of a cricket batsman. However, there is limited
research investigating the relationship between upper body
bat when a match situation requires them to hit powerful strokes
strength and cricket batting performance.
resulting in boundaries. However, coaches cannot use upper
In the only other study investigating the importance of
body strength as a predictor of overall batting performance in
upper body strength in cricket batting, Nunes and Coetzee
1-Day or T/20 matches. (15) found that the best isokinetic shoulder internal and
KEY WORDS power, skill, training, fitness, elite external rotation strength (left internal rotation total work)
and strength endurance predictors (left internal rotator
average power, right internal rotator peak torque, and right
INTRODUCTION external and internal rotator peak torque of subelite cricket
batsmen were not significantly correlated with batting

I
n recent years, there have been a growing number of
performance (runs per innings) in 1-Day matches (45 overs
scientific studies on cricket batsmen. These studies
or 270 balls). However, it is unlikely that the relatively small
have either tried to profile elite cricket batsmen or have
rotator cuff muscles largely contribute when executing
investigated differences between elite and nonelite
a powerful cricket stroke and therefore might not be
batsmen. They mainly covered areas of kinematics (8,20–22),
important in limiting batting performance in 1-Day matches.
physiology (14), brain function (23,24), visual tracking (4,12),
and perceptual decision making (1,5,13,16). However, there One-day and T/20 cricket matches are limited-overs
is a lack of research describing factors that could determine matches, where there is a requirement to increase the ratio
batting performance within an elite group of batsmen. of the number of runs scored to balls faced compared to 4-day
cricket matches. The quickest way to score runs is to hit
boundaries, which results in either 4 runs (if the ball touches
Address correspondence to Mogammad. S. Taliep, [email protected]. the ground before reaching the boundary) or 6 runs (if the ball
24(12)/3484–3487 reaches the boundary without touching the ground). To
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research achieve this, batsmen have to be physically strong. It is also
Ó 2010 National Strength and Conditioning Association more likely that the larger muscles of the torso such as the
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pectoralis major and minor, teres major, lattismus dorsi, Procedures

deltoids, biceps, and triceps are the major contributors for Physiological Data. All subjects performed the 1RM bench
power generation in cricket batting. For this reason, the 1RM press, as previously described (11), to determine the upper
bench press, which is a compound exercise that uses multiple body muscle strength.
muscle groups, including the triceps, anterior deltoids,
serratus, and coracobrachialis (6), would be a more appro- Performance Data. Before performing the hitting distance task,
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priate functional test of upper body strength than the all subjects underwent their regular warm-up and stretching
isokinetic internal and external rotation of the shoulder as routine. Subjects were then allowed to hit as many cricket
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measured by Nunes and Coetzee (15). balls as necessary before starting the trial. Each subject then
Research studies in other sports that require powerful had his maximum hitting distance measured while perform-
hitting of the ball have also investigated the relationship ing a lofted off-drive, on-drive, or straight drive (refer to digital
between upper body strength and sporting performance display of a batsman hitting the ball). The subjects positioned
variables (2,3,7,9,10,18). In golf, Doan et al. (7) found that an themselves in their normal preparatory batting stance on
11-week golf specific strength, power, and flexibility training a cricket practice pitch. Hitting distance was measured as the
program, resulted in an increase in upper body strength and distance from the front foot to where the ball landed after
improved driving distance by approximately 4.9 m. Driving being hit. The subjects were instructed to hit a number of used
distance has also been positively correlated with golf scores cricket balls, thrown over-arm (from a distance of ca., 15 m
in elite golfers (9). In baseball, a significant increase in upper down the batting pitch), using a straight-bat technique. Each
body strength was associated with an increase in bat swing ball was thrown at approximately the same speed, but
velocity (19). It can therefore be hypothesized that in cricket the exact speed of the ball was not controlled. Ball speeds
batting, greater upper body strength would be positively were estimated to be thrown between 17 and 25 m
s21 and
associated with batting performance. as close to a half-volley length as possible. Each batsman was
Cricket coaches and team selectors are looking for the best satisfied with the speed at which the ball was thrown and
performance predictors to choose cricket teams. In limited- with his maximum hitting distance achieved.
overs cricket, where hitting boundaries is important, it is One-day and T/20 batting averages (runs per innings) and
possible that the best players are those who are stronger in strike rate (runs per 100 balls) were obtained from
their upper bodies and are able to hit the ball the farthest, thus crikinfo.com and were calculated for each player from his
performing more successfully (i.e., better batting averages and previous 2 seasons.
strike rates). Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate
the relationship between upper body strength as measured by Statistical Analyses
the 1RM bench press, hitting distance, and batting perfor- Although 18 players were analyzed for their upper body
mance in 1-Day and T/20-over matches in elite cricket strength and maximum hitting distance, not all these players
batsmen. participated in both the 1-Day and T/20 competitions. Eighteen
players participated in the 1-Day matches and 16 in T/20
METHODS matches. Correlation analysis was used to compare the
relationship between the maximum upper body strength and
Experimental Approach to the Problem
batting performance measures (hitting distance, batting average,
The relationship between upper body strength and batting
and strike rate). Significant difference was observed at p # 0.05.
performance of elite cricket batsmen was investigated. Batt-
The sample of 18 subjects correlated for the 1RM bench press
ing performance parameters were defined by maximum
and maximum hitting distance provided a 90% chance (power)
hitting distance, batting average, and batting strike rate.
of detecting a difference for a population r = 0.63 tested against
A Pearson product–moment coefficient of correlation
a constant of 0, with an alpha level of 0.05.
analysis was performed to assess the degree to which upper
body strength and batting performance was related.
RESULTS
Subjects There was a significant positive correlation between hitting
Elite male cricketers, who were contracted for provincial distance and the 1RM bench press (r2 = 0.40, r = 0.63, p =
cricket franchise teams in South Africa (n = 18; mean 6 SD, 0.0052, Figure 1). There were no significant correlations
age = 24.1 6 3.5 years, and weight = 83.8 6 7.1 kg), were between 1RM bench press and 1-Day batting average
recruited for this study. Testing took place preseason, and all (r2 = 0.04, r = 20.20, p = 0.42, Figure 2A) and strike rate
subjects were on regular resistance training programs. (r2 , 0.000, r = 20.0008, p = 0.998, Figure 2B). There were
Subjects provided written informed consent for participation also no significant correlations between the 1RM bench press
in the trial. The study was approved by the Ethics and and the T/20 batting average (r2 = 0.06, r = 0.24, p = 0.37,
Research Committee at the University at which the study Figure 3A) and strike rate (r2 = 0.04, r = 0.20 p = 0.46,
took place. Figure 3B).

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 Upper Body Strength and Batting Performance
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Figure 1. The relationship between the 1 repetition maximum (1RM)

bench press and maximum hitting distance. The dotted line represents the
95% confidence interval.

Figure 3. The relationship between the 1 repetition maximum (1RM)

bench press and A) batting average and B) batting strike rate during T/20
matches. The dotted line represents the 95% confidence interval.

DISCUSSION
This study provides evidence that upper body strength in
cricket batsmen is associated with hitting distance during
a batting task but not with match performance variables such
as batting average and strike rate. Because of the lack of
electromyographic evidence identifying muscle groups
recruited in cricket batting, we estimated that there is
a considerable overlap in upper body muscle recruitment
between the bench press and batting stroke play. Therefore,
the greater the force generated by these muscles through
the bat swing, the greater the power output of the cricket
stroke. Assuming a similar skill level among batsmen resulting
in the perfect timing of the ball, batsmen who have
stronger upper body strength will be able to transfer more
power through the stroke, resulting in their hitting the ball
further. The advantages of upper body strength in generating
power and positively impacting on sporting performance
have similarly been found in other sports (2,3,7,9,10,18).
Figure 2. The relationship between the 1 repetition maximum (1RM)
bench press and A) batting average and B) batting strike rate during However, the results of this study also indicate that there was
1-Day matches. The dotted line represents the 95% confidence interval. no significant correlation between upper body strength and
batting average and strike rate. There are many possible
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