Paul James Felton

• Doctor of Sports Biomechanics
• Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University

Cricket fast bowling training and research are often conducted on artificial turf, while matches are played on natural grass. It is unknown if technique differs between the different surfaces; therefore, the aim of this study was to explore if fast bowling technique differed between surfaces. Shoe slip distance and kinematic and temporal parameters...

The study investigates the effect of increased isometric strength on technique in elite male cricket fast bowlers. A 16-segment forward-dynamics simulation model individualised to investigate optimal technique of the front foot contact phase of fast bowling for ten elite male bowlers was utilised. For each individualised model, isometric strength w...

Introduction: Fast bowling technique has been implicated in the aetiology of lumbar bone stress injuries (LBSI) [1]. Statistical analysis used previously is limited due to its linear outcome characteristics and removal of variables due to multicollinearity. This can potentially be overcome by non-linear machine learning methodologies. The aim was t...

All Correspondence: K.P.Manawadu@lboro.ac.uk Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the main differences in ball release angle between three common pitch length deliveries; yorker, bouncer, stock and to find out which technique parameters explains these differences. METHODS: Data were collected from twenty-one county level fast bowlers...

Group-based and individual-based studies in cricket fast bowling have identified common technique characteristics associated with ball release speed. The applicability of these findings to individual bowlers is often questioned, however, due to research approach limitations. This study aims to identify whether the optimal initial body position at f...

This work describes the fabrication of a carbon fabric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based strain sensor to monitor the human kinematics with high flexibility, durability, and sensitivity. A flexible stretchable strain sensor is fabricated by using activated carbon fabric and PDMS to form the nanocomposite film. For the fabrication of the flexible se...

Dual-task activities are essential within everyday life, requiring visual-spatial memory (VSM) and mobility skills. Navigational memory is an important component of VSM needed to carry out everyday activities, but this is often not included in traditional tests such as the Corsi block tapping test (CBT). The Walking Corsi Test (WalCT) allows both V...

Background: Despite an increase in the professionalism and participation of female cricket, the coaching of female pace bowling is still reliant on male-derived knowledge. Objectives: To investigate the association between key male-derived kinematic and anthropometric parameters and ball release speed (BRS) in female pace bowlers. Methods: Eleven...

The modularisation of sports science curricula allows students to individualise degrees to fit their interests and aspirations via elective modules. The aim of this study was to explore the factors which influence sports science students' elective biomechanics enrolment decisions. A total of 45 students completed an online survey focussing on perso...

Fast bowling technique characteristics associated with performance and injury have been established; however, the effect of joint range of motion (ROM) on technique remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate ROM and its effect on fast bowling technique. Eighteen ROM measures and thirteen technique parameters were determined for 45 elite male...

Background and Aims The period between March 2020 and March 2021 saw an unprecedented change to everyday life due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This included the closure of businesses in the health and fitness sector. Such closures impacted people in several ways; increasing stress, reducing mental well‐being, and decreasing motivation to exercise. The...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the underestimation of maximum knee joint torque using a single joint-angle position for a variety of realistic torque-angle curves. The maximum force production capability of the knee flexors and knee extensors was modelled using literature-based parameters to define a quadratic torque-angle relationshi...

This study aimed to identify differences between ball release parameters and different pitch length deliveries in cricket fast bowling. A total of 707 fast bowling trials (bouncers, yorkers, stock balls) performed by 21 male fast bowlers were recorded and used to investigate the variations in ball release parameters. Ball release angle (p < 0.05) w...

Investigating the effect of a prosthetics size, shape, and stiffness on sports performance requires a theoretical approach, however this requires a more complex representation of the prosthetic beyond those previously adopted. A chain model was used to investigate the level of complexity (n-segments; n=2,3,4) required to reproduce the kinematics an...

The aim of this research was to quantify the magnitude and timing of surface measured accelerations during the fast-bowling action. Eleven males performed 6 maximum velocity deliveries with accelerometers positioned over: both ankles; knees; hips; L5; L1; and the C7 vertebrae. Accelerometer signals exhibited decreased peak and increased time to pea...

Cricket fast bowling is associated with a high prevalence of lumbar bone stress injuries (LBSI), especially in adolescent bowlers. This has not been sufficiently explained by risk factors identified in adult players. This study aimed to examine the incidence of LBSI in adolescent fast bowlers over a prospective study and potential risk factors. For...

This study investigates the relationships between boat velocity, stroke rate and displacement per stroke in Paracanoe 200m Sprint Kayak races. Data were analysed from 646, 200m efforts performed by 13 international Paracanoe athletes between 2017 and 2020 (Male: N= 6, female: N= 7) using boat-based GPS unit (Catapult S5). Significant differences be...

Introduction: Localised bone mineral density (BMD) adaptation of the lumbar spine, particularly on the contralateral side to the bowling arm, has been observed in elite male cricket fast bowlers. No study has investigated this in adolescents, or the role of fast bowling technique on lumbar BMD adaptation. This study aims to investigate lumbar BMD...

Organismic, task, and environmental constraints are known to differ between skilled male and female cricket batters during power hitting tasks. Despite these influences, the techniques used in such tasks have only been investigated in male cricket batters. This study compared power hitting kinematics between 15 male and 15 female batters ranging fr...

Introduction: Lumbar bone stress injuries (LBSI) are the most prevalent injury in cricket. While fast bowling technique has been implicated in the aetiology of LBSI, no previous study has attempted to prospectively analyse fast bowling technique and its relationship to LBSI. The aim of this study was to explore technique differences between elite...

The identification of optimum technique for maximal effort sporting tasks is one of the greatest challenges within sports biomechanics. A theoretical approach using forward-dynamics simulation allows individual parameters to be systematically perturbed independently of potentially confounding variables. Each study typically follows a four-stage pro...

Lumbar bone stress injuries (LBSI) have the highest prevalence of any injury in cricket. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in lumbar spine kinematics between fast bowlers who avoid LBSI and those who sustain LBSI. 45 elite male fast bowlers completed 6 maximum effort deliveries captured by a motion analysis system. Upper and lo...

A logarithmic curve fitting methodology for the calculation of badminton racket-shuttlecock impact locations from three-dimensional motion capture data was presented and validated. Median absolute differences between calculated and measured impact locations were 3.6 [IQR: 4.4] and 3.5 [IQR: 3.5] mm mediolaterally and longitudinally on the racket fa...

Cricket fast bowling is a dynamic activity in which a bowler runs up and repeatedly delivers the ball at high speeds. Experimental studies have previously linked ball release speed and several technique parameters with conflicting results. As a result, computer simulation models are increasingly being used to understand the effects of technique on...

https://cricketcongress2019.lboro.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Final-Book.pdf Background: Recent research has investigated the relationships between technique and bat speed during a cricket range hitting task in 20 male batsmen ranging from club to international standard 1. The separation between the pelvis and thorax segments in the transver...

Objectives: Investigate rotational passive range of motion of the hips and shoulders for elite finger spin bowlers and their relationship with spin rate. Design: Correlational. Methods: Spin rates and twelve rotational range of motion measurements for the hips and shoulders were collected for sixteen elite male finger spin bowlers. Side to sid...

Planar simulation models which assume coincident joint centers at the hip and shoulder are often used to investigate subject-specific maximal performances rather than 3-dimensional models due to the viability of determining subject-specific parameters. To investigate the effect of coincident joint centers on model accuracy, 3 variants of a 16-segme...

Excessive lumbar spine motion during fast bowling has been suggested to contribute towards lumbar stress fracture, among the most serious injuries suffered by fast bowlers (Ranson et al., 2008, Journal of Sports Sciences, 26, 267-276). Facet joints between adjacent vertebrae permit movement of the spine. Despite this, many motion analysis studies h...

This study investigated ball release speed and performance kinematics between elite male and female cricket fast bowlers. Fifty-five kinematic parameters were collected for 20 male and 20 female elite fast bowlers. Group means were analysed statistically using an independent samples approach to identify differences. Significant differences were fou...

The aim of this study was to identify the key kinematic parameters which contribute to higher spin rates in elite finger spin bowling. Kinematic data were collected for twenty-three elite male finger spin bowlers with thirty kinematic parameters calculated for each delivery. Stepwise linear regression and Pearson product moment correlations were us...

While an experimental approach is suitable to understand the differences between bowlers it is not suitable to understand the changes required to optimise an individual's performance. To optimise individual performance a 16-segment computer simulation model of the front foot contact phase of fast bowling was developed, customised to an elite fast b...

In whole body planar simulation models the bilateral hip and shoulder joint centres are assumed to be symmetrical. Non-planar rotations of the pelvis and trunk can cause these joint centres to be asymmetrical. In order to allow asymmetrical hip and shoulder joint centres in a planar simulation model a massless segment method was used in an angle dr...

This study investigates how elbow hyperextension affects ball release speed in fast bowling. A two-segment planar computer simulation model comprising an upper arm and forearm + hand was customised to an elite fast bowler. A constant torque was applied at the shoulder and elbow hyperextension was represented using a damped linear torsional spring a...

In cricket, fast bowlers utilise the speed at which they are able to deliver the ball in order to be successful. Previous research has investigated the effect of different technique parameters on ball release speed using an experimental approach. While an experimental approach is suitable to understand the differences between bowlers it is not suit...

This paper investigates how elbow hyperextension characteristics affect ball speed in fast bowling. A two segment planar simulation model, customised to an elite fast bowler, was used to produce simulations which closely matched three performances. The model was evaluated by simulating one further performance. It was shown that the fast bowler's ba...