---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one thing you can't do is get carried…"
description: "\"The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that pace and bounce. There's a temptation to charge in and just slam the ball into the pitch and y..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png"
---

#  The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that…

![“The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that pace and bounce. There's a temptation to charge in and just slam the ball into the pitch and you can end up bowling too short. You still have to bowl the right length so that you threaten to take wickets.” quote by Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png)

> “The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that pace and bounce. There's a temptation to charge in and just slam the ball into the pitch and you can end up bowling too short. You still have to bowl the right length so that you threaten to take wickets.”

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Effective bowling requires balancing aggression with precision, maintaining proper length to threaten wickets.

**In simple terms:** Bowling needs both speed and accurate placement.

Key Takeaway

Focus on consistent, strategic delivery.

Themes

sports strategy discipline

Mood

analytical motivational

Type

sports instructional

When to use this quote

- coaching sessions
- match preparation
- training drills

Key Concepts

cricket tactics performance optimization

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance risk and control?
- What drills improve length consistency?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on aggression can lead to costly errors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bowl Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowl-right-1776403/) [Bowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowling/) [Bowling Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowling-short-622632/) [Cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [End Bowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-bowling-3968615/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Threaten Wickets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threaten-wickets-3968616/)

## Related quotes

> [For me, bowling short and the hard lengths have been my strengths. It's about using them well and asking the right questions to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/for-me-bowling-short-and-the-hard-lengths-have-been-my-strengths-it-s/)

[Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/)

> [If there are three seamers, we don't need to be bowling long spells. Either way, it doesn't matter to me whether I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/if-there-are-three-seamers-we-don-t-need-to-be-bowling-long-spells/)

[Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/)

> [“I don’t know how to bowl.” “Right, that’s a problem, since this place really screams ‘professional bowling,’” Silas snips back, rolling his eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/i-don-t-know-how-to-bowl-right-that-s-a-problem-since-this-place/)

[Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/)

> [If you are good enough to play international cricket, you can take wickets - but you have to bowl the right length.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/if-you-are-good-enough-to-play-international-cricket-you-can-take/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [As a bowler, you want to go and bowl in helpful conditions in South Africa, England, and Australia. But it is also important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuvneshwar-kumar/as-a-bowler-you-want-to-go-and-bowl-in-helpful-conditions-in-south/)

[Bhuvneshwar Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuvneshwar-kumar/)

> [I bowled in tandem with Brett Lee, who produced some fast, fiery spells. When you've got someone bowling up above 90mph, it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-bowled-in-tandem-with-brett-lee-who-produced-some-fast-fiery-spells/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [Is there a secret to bowling at the Waca? In a way the secret is that there is no secret. Like any ground in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/is-there-a-secret-to-bowling-at-the-waca-in-a-way-the-secret-is-that/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [Dotting teams up and bowling maidens back to back cannot be underestimated in Australian conditions because it gives you control of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/dotting-teams-up-and-bowling-maidens-back-to-back-cannot-be/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [I loved playing at Lord's - I ended up with 26 wickets at 11.50 from three Tests there. Maybe the wicket, because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-loved-playing-at-lord-s-i-ended-up-with-26-wickets-at-11-50-from/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [I go bowling, but I'm not very good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reiss-nelson/i-go-bowling-but-i-m-not-very-good/)

[Reiss Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reiss-nelson/)

> [He has defined cricket in his fabulous, impeccable manner. He is to batting what Shane Warne is to bowling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-benaud/he-has-defined-cricket-in-his-fabulous-impeccable-manner-he-is-to/)

[Richie Benaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-benaud/)

> [The time I spend bowling with the white ball is a lot less than in Test cricket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/the-time-i-spend-bowling-with-the-white-ball-is-a-lot-less-than-in/)

[Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/)

> [I guess bowling is pretty mechanical. It's kind of a natural motion, but you have to stick within those mechanics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/i-guess-bowling-is-pretty-mechanical-it-s-kind-of-a-natural-motion/)

[Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/)

> [If you look hard enough, you can find race issues and racism in everything. I know people who say, 'See, I don't play pool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-mcbride/if-you-look-hard-enough-you-can-find-race-issues-and-racism-in/)

[Chi McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-mcbride/)

> [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## More by Glenn McGrath

> [I had always had the same pre-match routine that I went through every day - get up, go down for a swim and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-had-always-had-the-same-pre-match-routine-that-i-went-through-every/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [An Australian prime minister once said that his job was the second most important job in the country - behind being captain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/an-australian-prime-minister-once-said-that-his-job-was-the-second/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [I always wondered if I would know the right time to retire. After that first Ashes Test in Brisbane in 2006 I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-always-wondered-if-i-would-know-the-right-time-to-retire-after-that/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [If you've got one bowler - particularly a fast bowler - who is really aggressive, all over the opposition, he brings the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/if-you-ve-got-one-bowler-particularly-a-fast-bowler-who-is-really/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [I'd prefer to do the safari on foot, like they did in the old days and just take the camp with you, not driving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-d-prefer-to-do-the-safari-on-foot-like-they-did-in-the-old-days-and/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [My experience with Australia in the 1997 Ashes series taught me that fighting back is a combination of technique and mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/my-experience-with-australia-in-the-1997-ashes-series-taught-me-that/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [You can't go on living in past and having regrets. Its better people have a positive influence on other people's lives than worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/you-can-t-go-on-living-in-past-and-having-regrets-its-better-people/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [I loved playing at Lord's - I ended up with 26 wickets at 11.50 from three Tests there. Maybe the wicket, because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/i-loved-playing-at-lord-s-i-ended-up-with-26-wickets-at-11-50-from/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [What's the difference between a good player and a great player? A good player plays well in his own conditions - a great player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/what-s-the-difference-between-a-good-player-and-a-great-player-a-good/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [The best thing about Lord's isn't the slope, it's just being there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/the-best-thing-about-lord-s-isn-t-the-slope-it-s-just-being-there/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [You still have to enjoy the tour games. If you go out there and just go through the motions, you can easily get into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/you-still-have-to-enjoy-the-tour-games-if-you-go-out-there-and-just/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [You expect to cop a bit wherever you go. In the past there hasn't been any racism or any racist comments that I've seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/you-expect-to-cop-a-bit-wherever-you-go-in-the-past-there-hasn-t-been/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [If you continually watch yourself do something well, it has a positive effect. If you sat down and watched yourself bowling, batting or fielding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/if-you-continually-watch-yourself-do-something-well-it-has-a-positive/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [My strength was probably more the mental side of the game rather than the skill side. I always had that self-belief that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/my-strength-was-probably-more-the-mental-side-of-the-game-rather-than/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

> [When I played in the Australia team the captains were all nerds. Allan Border was a nerd, Mark Taylor was a nerd, Steve Waugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/when-i-played-in-the-australia-team-the-captains-were-all-nerds-allan/)

[Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

[Explore all 89 Glenn McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/)

## More Bowling quotes

> [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [If you look hard enough, you can find race issues and racism in everything. I know people who say, 'See, I don't play pool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-mcbride/if-you-look-hard-enough-you-can-find-race-issues-and-racism-in/)

[Chi McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-mcbride/)

> [I guess bowling is pretty mechanical. It's kind of a natural motion, but you have to stick within those mechanics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/i-guess-bowling-is-pretty-mechanical-it-s-kind-of-a-natural-motion/)

[Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/)

> [The time I spend bowling with the white ball is a lot less than in Test cricket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/the-time-i-spend-bowling-with-the-white-ball-is-a-lot-less-than-in/)

[Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/)

> [He has defined cricket in his fabulous, impeccable manner. He is to batting what Shane Warne is to bowling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-benaud/he-has-defined-cricket-in-his-fabulous-impeccable-manner-he-is-to/)

[Richie Benaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-benaud/)

> [I go bowling, but I'm not very good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reiss-nelson/i-go-bowling-but-i-m-not-very-good/)

[Reiss Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reiss-nelson/)

> [Bowling, I like bowling. I've been getting into this bowling thing. It's kinda fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/bowling-i-like-bowling-i-ve-been-getting-into-this-bowling-thing-it-s/)

[Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/)

> [Growing up in Rochdale, I think, all the kids in my street, pretty much every boy was playing cricket. I had four brothers as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-javid/growing-up-in-rochdale-i-think-all-the-kids-in-my-street-pretty-much/)

[Sajid Javid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-javid/)

> [In most cases, the best strategy for a job interview is to be fairly honest, because the worst thing that can happen is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-most-cases-the-best-strategy-for-a-job-interview-is-to-be-fairly/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Few Americans have ever met their Congresspeople. They don't see them at the grocery store; they don't meet them at the bowling alley. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/few-americans-have-ever-met-their-congresspeople-they-don-t-see-them/)

[Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/)

> [“I've tucked and tried to roll after that first spread-eagle spin but soon discovered the universal truth that bowling-ball-shaped objects bounce downhill much faster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-white/i-ve-tucked-and-tried-to-roll-after-that-first-spread-eagle-spin-but/)

[Stephen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-white/)

> [At that speed, batsmen are almost trying to premeditate where the ball will be - they feel like they don't have time to react…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/at-that-speed-batsmen-are-almost-trying-to-premeditate-where-the-ball/)

[James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/)

> [It would be hilarious if I worked in a bowling alley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/it-would-be-hilarious-if-i-worked-in-a-bowling-alley/)

[Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/)

> [How to Piss Off A Woman : Tie her to the bed, describe all the erotic things you plan to do. Then go bowling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/how-to-piss-off-a-woman-tie-her-to-the-bed-describe-all-the-erotic/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [“A bowling ball rolled through his head, diagonally from nape to temple; it paused and started back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/a-bowling-ball-rolled-through-his-head-diagonally-from-nape-to-temple/)

[Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/)

[Browse all 385 Bowling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowling/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that pace and bounce. There's a temptation to charge in and just slam the ball into the pitch and you can end up bowling too short. You still have to bowl the right length so that you threaten to take wickets.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Glenn McGrath"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carried-away-with-that-pace-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bowling"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carried-away-with-that-pace-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/glenn-mcgrath-7662_bowling_the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carrie_1254799.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The one thing you can't do is get carried away with that pace and bounce. There's a temptation to charge in…” — Glenn McGrath",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Glenn McGrath",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The one thing you can't do...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carried-away-with-that-pace-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/the-one-thing-you-can-t-do-is-get-carried-away-with-that-pace-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
