Australian Bowling Machines

	AUSTRALIA EXPECTS
	THIS SUMMER at the BOLA factory we have been busy plotting our quest to take over the world! Well, we’ve set up a new agency in Australia anyway! As surely as the Ashes have been on their way to England - BOLA machines have been traveling downunder. Our new antipodean partners are ResultsVault and The Melbourne Cricket Centre. Andrew Walton (pictured right), Managing Director of both ResultsVault and the Melbourne Cricket Centre, is keen to see the BOLA machine replace the American baseball pitchers that have been imported into Australia for many years. “The BOLA is by far superior for improving technique and shot effectiveness. The random delivery mode and the swing and spin features all enable a coach to put the player through a variable session of high quality,” explains Andrew. “The flight, accuracy and pace variations are tremendous. We are still testing using balls of various age and on different surfaces to learn more about reading the turning ball off the wicket.” The Melbourne Cricket Centre (known locally as the MCC) is a private, state of the art, indoor training facility, which coaches approximately 400 cricket teams of all ages each year. ResultsVault is a connected business and provides a complete on-line administration and results management service for cricket clubs and Leagues.
	MELBOURNE CRICKET CENTRE
	THE MCC, which hosts summer courses taught by such Australian luminaries as Graham Yallop and Damien Fleming, are now incorporating BOLA machines in many of their programmes. “They are very important to teach correct shot technique, proper footwork and watching the ball closely,” explains Andrew. However, Andrew thinks it is important introduce variety into training conditions. “There is too much time spent in perfect conditions. Players need to bat on a range of wickets with variable bounce and pace. We do replicate this by using different ball types in batting sessions when indoors. Not all pitches are ‘rock hard’ at the beginning of the season yet so many batsmen spend all winter perfecting a cover drive that they will probably not require until the middle of the season.” One of Andrew Walton’s first BOLA customers in Australia was Cricket Victoria based at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. Shaun Graf, Cricket Operations Manager, Cricket Victoria, agrees with Andrew’s assessment of the BOLA machine. “From Cricket Victoria’s point of view we are very, very happy with the BOLA machine. It is a lot more portable than the opposition machine. It is a lot more user friendly - with the controls being fully automatic and not manual. Our players have no difficulty in immediately understanding and using the controls. We think the BOLA machine is an excellent innovation and we are using it and enjoying using it. It definitely has a part to play in all our programmes here.




		TOP: Andrew Walton at the Melbourne Cricket Centre BELOW: Building a new cricket school and stands at the MCG. BOTTOM: Shaun Graf at the MCG.




	"We think the BOLA machine is an excellent innovation and we are using it and enjoying using it. It definitely has a part to play in all our programmes here.” SHAUN GRAF MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND


			SCHOOL'S OUT - END OF TERM REPORT CARDUS CENTRE - CRICKET SCHOOL AT SHREWSBURY SCHOOL PHOENIX ACADEMY - BARBADIAN CRICKET SCHOOL 2007 WORLD CUP 2007 - BOB WOOLMER EPITAPH AUSTRALIA EXPECTS - BOLA SET UP A NEW AGENCY DOWNUNDER FIELD OF DREAMS - CRICKET AT MILLFIELD SCHOOL, SOMERSET SEVERN WONDERS - NEW MACHINES AND STANDS AT WORCESTERSHIRE CCC ENGLAND EXPECTS - BOLA MACHINES AT THE ECB NATIONAL CRICKET ACADEMY SHORT DELIVERIES - SOME SHORT ITEMS OF BOLA NEWS