Almost everyone is aware of the No-ball rule which states that the bowler must have some part of their front foot, either grounded or in the air, behind the popping crease when they deliver the ball.

Even though most people know that their front foot must be behind the line, they are not aware that they can land their front foot anywhere behind that line  even 3 metres behind it if you wish!

HOW DO YOU BOWL FROM DEEPER IN THE CREASE?

This is really just a simple matter of commencing your run-up from further back than usual. If you start your run-up three paces back from your normal mark, you will bowl from 3 paces behind the popping crease (assuming that your front foot usually breaks the popping crease when you bowl!).

There is no need to change your run-up in any other way, other than where you start it from. This has a devastating effect on the way the ball comes to the batter.

WHY DO YOU BOWL FROM DEEPER IN THE CREASE?

You bowl from deeper in the crease because it has the same effect as bowling a slower ball. Obviously, if you bowl from too far back in the crease, or behind the bowling crease even, you run the risk of the batter predicting what is going to happen.

However, if you make it a subtle difference, perhaps one to two feet at the most, you will change the length of time that the ball takes to reach the batter. For example, a ball that is delivered from two feet behind the popping crease has to travel that extra two feet before it reaches the batsman. If the batsman does not recognise this, then they will be through their shot before the ball gets to them.

This is the same as some of the slower balls such as those used by Ian Harvey, and Steve Waugh.

Cricketcoach.com's Mike Whitney has seen Australian Captain, Steve Waugh, use this exact same tactic on batsmen. He said that he has seen Steve bowl the ball from up to 3 metres behind the popping crease He'll try anything to get a wicket , said Mike.