I’m 20 and a left arm medium fast bowler and have trouble dragging the bowl down leg side to right handers, especially when I try to bowl in swingers.
A coach has suggested that it because my run up is too straight and I should run in on more of an angle. Is this correct or is there other things I should be trying?

Tough one Ben
Swing is subtle and a lot of talented young (and old) swing bowlers struggle with consistency. The main thing is you swing the ball, that’s the skill not to lose. It means that at the critical point of release your wrist is where it has to be. The control will come with time and overs. I would be reluctant to change angle of run up as it might mess with all the other good stuff that allows you to swing the ball and get that wrist release where it has to be. A small change in angle at best. Mitch Starc runs in pretty straight and has served him well. Good luck

Hi Ben,
I always used to try and imagine a (straight) line from the top of my mark, right through the area I wanted the ball to pass the batsmen to the wicket keeper. Kind of though there was a line or string all the way. Then if my run up, footmarks, and initial follow through were all relatively in line with that "line" my general momentum should have been heading the way I needed it to. I liked looking at the line of my footmarks after a days play as feedback to the angle of my momentum at each stage of delivery.
Just remember if you're swinging the ball in, you're always a chance !!
Cheers,
Shane

For what it is worth John Buchanan always considered the strong core relative to body weight was a big factor in the skills of Adam Dale and I suspect there is something in that. If swing is about small adjustments and repetition until you get the "feel" of the out-swinger / inswinger then it makes sense that everything else has to be on the platform of a rock solid base. If the core starts to tire you get small variations and counter rotation that impact the subtle wrist position. Strong core means the "base" is the same from 11am until 6pm during your spells. So whatever you are dong for core 'double it' I reckon. No science to back it up but gut feel is Buck was on to something in his assessment of Adam Dale and goes for the rest of us.

Hi Ben,
I played 20yrs of grade cricket in Sydney as a left arm bowler who got pretty good in bowling in swing deliveries. Not knowing or seeing your action or foot splay I would give you 2 simple pointers.

1. front foot on delivery should be towards the off stump of a right hand batsman. If the foot splays toward the leg stump this will make you stray down leg side and the action to impart the swing will force down leg side.

2. Even though you want to get the left arm across the body to impart the swing, it is important you do not drop the right shoulder when you bring the front arm down. I find it helps to pull the elbow into the hip as opposed to the front arm just falling away to the right or leg side.

I see you are in Newcastle but if you happen to be anywhere near Hornsby I would be happy to assist you further.