Do South African international cricket pace bowlers have similar bowling volume and injury risk associates compared to other elite fast bowlers?

BACKGROUND
While many cricket-playing nations have conducted research on bowling volume (BV) and injury risk, this relationship among international South African pace bowlers is yet to be investigated. Environmental, socio-economic, and training strategy differences warrant similar research in a South African context. The purpose of this preliminary study was to establish if South African pace bowlers have similar bowling volume and injury associates compared to other elite fast bowlers.

METHODS
This study was a prospective, observational, cohort study that monitored match and training BV and injuries among pace bowlers playing for the South African national team between April 2017 and April 2019. A sample of convenience that included fourteen bowlers was selected. Bowling volume was quantified as the number of deliveries bowled during training and competition. Acute-, chronic- and acute: chronic bowling volume ratios were independently modeled as association variables.

RESULTS
There were 39 injuries with the most being to the lumbar spine (25.64%). Moderate-to-low and a moderate-to-high acute: chronic bowling load ratios were associated with a lower risk of injury. Chronic bowling load was associated with injury (z = 2.82, p = 0.01). A low acute workload, low chronic workload, moderate-high chronic workload, and moderate-low acute: chronic ratio was also associated with an increased risk of injury.

CONCLUSION
These findings confirm that there appears to be a dose-response effect between training bowling volume and the likelihood of an injury occurring with a moderate-to-low and a moderate-to-high bowling volume ratio being optimal. Considering the small sample size, the findings should be interpreted with caution.