We all know batsmen love to practise, and that bowlers, well, don’t. Add to that the very real danger of shoulder injury to any dedicated coach and the bowling machine is a must-have for any club these days.

Check out these two options from the undisputed kings of bowling machines, BOLA, recommended by former England batsman James Taylor.

The BOLA Professional

When people say ‘bowling machine’, this is what they mean. The BOLA Professional covers all your needs in training players of all abilities. With the ability to control line, length, swing, spin and speed, the potential to add an automatic ball-feeder, and new brushless motor technology making the machine more lightweight and reliable – it’s the most complete bowling machine you can buy.

Favoured by pretty much every professional cricket team the world over, the BOLA Professional is also the ideal tool for clubs, offering players a truly reliable and consistent way to practise, letting you drill those problem shots over and over without knackering a coach’s shoulder.

As well as the epic volume possible, it also delivers unmatchable quality of practice, able to simulate swing and seam in either direction as well as cranking up the pace to Test match speeds – giving batsmen a true all-round test.

The famous build quality – which has been enhanced even further in recent times – means each purchase delivers many years of value for any number of cricketers of widely varying abilities.

Watch James Taylor explain the features and benefits of a BOLA Professional

The BOLA Junior

The perfect solution for youngsters, the BOLA junior is a fun and flexible development tool for aspiring cricketers. Lightweight, battery operated and portable, this machine can deliver a variety of lighter, softer balls at a speed and from a height appropriate to the age of the player.

The early years are a crucial, formative phase in grooving an effective technique and the BOLA Junior allows keen youngsters to put the hours in even before they’re ready for facing the Professional machine.

The softer balls mean you can get started from a young age and the lower delivery height limits bounce and replicates a younger player’s release point more effectively.

Perhaps most usefully, the more compact Junior machine can be easily moved around and set up, making it more readily usable by different groups of potential future stars – and at a really sensible price offering epic value.

Watch James Taylor showcase the BOLA Junior