The Leg Spin Thread

[Zach Package]

searched for a similar thread to no avail.

Attention my fellow leggies.

If you get it right you feel like god. If you get it wrong you look like a colossal jackass.

Share your tips, experience, videos stories here.

 

[Torz]

If you get it right you feel like god. If you get it wrong you look like a colossal jackass.

You couldn't explain leg spin any better. Yep, I'm one too.

I've had shoulder problems which has reduced the amount of turn I'm getting, though I have started working on a wrong-un so I've got a bit more variation.

 

[Zach Package]

I'm an extreme odd ball case, completely self taught so my mechanics are slightly awkward (walking approach and then I uncoil and release really quickly) so I'm kind of expecting injuries in the future.

I'm a bit the opposite, I used to try and spin the thing a mile, but now I've lost alot of it at the expense of more control

The wrong-un is seriously awesome once you gain full command of it, I really struggle bowling to lefties (narrow synth pitches) so occasionally I just bowl that as my stock ball to the left handers and I fare much better.

Currently trying to add another string to the bow in the form of a slider/flipper sort of thing, basically making it up as I go along so progress is very slow. Also attempting to master the clint McKay rolling seam up top spinner, which is faring alot better actually. My eventual goal is to be able to bowl a spell without bowling the same thing twice

 

[Torz]

Don't get me started on narrow synth pitches. Horrible for leg spinners, feels like there's hardly anywhere to bowl, especially if you start getting some grip. I've had problems getting LBW's on them as well because of the amount of bounce I usually get. That quicker slider/flipper you're working on should get you a few wickets if your stock ball gets a bit of bounce.

I play indoor over the winter and have noticed my action has changed since. In indoor cricket you can bowl a bit flatter and get a ton more drift and turn. Then if you go and try that in outdoor the ball just skids straight and does nothing. So trying to get back to bowling slower with loop.

 

[Tex_21]

Used to bowl leggies when I played in juniors. Could always turn the ball a long way, but rarely land it in the same spot twice. Had issues with bouncing very high on concrete pitches too, I'd loop it pretty high.

Proudest moment - got reverse hooked for four once. Fair to say I was never going to fill Warnie's shoes.

 

[Wallaby]

The wrong-un is seriously awesome once you gain full command of it, I really struggle bowling to lefties (narrow synth pitches) so occasionally I just bowl that as my stock ball to the left handers and I fare much better.

Careful - a lot of bowlers have spent a lot of time on their wrong-un, and then find they can no longer bowl the leg-break - it seems like once you work out who to turn the wrist for the wrong-un you can't stop it.

I try to bowl hand-grenades - big spinners that are likely to go anyway (if they ever bounce, that is) - usually they don't work, but when they do, it's a great feeling. Team-mates say my specialty is the 'One that goes both ways' - it's a leggie when it leaves my hand, but goes straight on when it gets to the batsman's end.

 

[Tex_21]

Always good having a ball that is a mystery to both batsman and bowler.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

I'm a medium pacer by trade but love to dabble in the fine art of leg spin in the nets.

My leggies are very much in the Shahid Afridi bracket. Quick through the air, very high arm action and not a not of side spin but extra bounce. I prefer bowling them to left handers as I occasionally bowl an accidental wrong-un and look like a boss. Like to change my pace a bit too, but to say I lack control would be an understatement.

 

[Zach Package]

Careful - a lot of bowlers have spent a lot of time on their wrong-un, and then find they can no longer bowl the leg-break - it seems like once you work out who to turn the wrist for the wrong-un you can't stop it.

I try to bowl hand-grenades - big spinners that are likely to go anyway (if they ever bounce, that is) - usually they don't work, but when they do, it's a great feeling. Team-mates say my specialty is the 'One that goes both ways' - it's a leggie when it leaves my hand, but goes straight on when it gets to the batsman's end.

I'd say I'm very much in that category, my control is so much better with the wrong-un than the leggie.
on a good day I can pitch everything and even get a bit of drift. On a bad day everything is either short or a full toss and I go the journey.

My mate can bowl that very ball your describing, he's been trying to teach me but I've given up about 10 times already

 

[Marklar_33]

I bowled leggies as a junior, even got selected in an u/17's development squad and got coached by Terry Jenner. He basically said I was doing everything wrong, although still pitching and turning it quite a bit. He tried to get me bowling more side on, and I lost it from then on!
Did have a beast of a wrong-un and a flipper of sorts, which was more a skidding legbreak. Best moment was being bought on at 5/70 defending 86 and taking 4/5 in a tie
Now bowl medium swingers, and bowl a wrong-un grip as a slower ball, picked easily but rarely played well!

 

[DrVanNostrand]

So who do we have doing the rounds in world cricket at the moment....

Australia - Boyce
South Africa - Tahir
England - Rashid I guess
NZ - Astle, Patel
Windies - Bishoo, Martin, Badree
Pakistan - Afridi
India - Mishra
Lanka - Jeevan Mendis
Bangladesh - nothing
Zimbabwe - Cremer
Canada - Rao!!!!
Kenya - Obuya!!!!

Cremer is a beast in the making. Needs some helpful surfaces and more red ball cricket. CA really should be throwing everything into developing Boyce, Australia wants leggies dominating. Mishra is a solid bowler. Mendis was impressive during the WT20. The Windies seem to have plenty in domestic cricket that are white ball specialists darting it in at middle and leg with no turn. Afridi is class. Tahir is a lunatic.

I'd rate Afridi or Bishoo as the best at the moment. Afridi could still bring it in red ball cricket and Bishoo copped a raw deal from WICB. Tahir has all the toys but bowls so ******* full.

Looking forward to seeing Astle bowl for NZ in the series against Sri Lanka, show it Fox you pricks!!!

 

[djrossie16]

Used to copy Shane Warne have his poster up on my wall with all the different actions lol. Bowled a bit of legspin in junior cricket. Having said that it wasn't until after I stopped playing and was more or less mucking around with mates in the park did I realize that a more Macgill sort of action allowed me to turn the ball a lot more.

 

[Hellgood]

Looking forward to seeing Astle bowl for NZ in the series against Sri Lanka, show it Fox you pricks!!!

Not that there will be much to see. I bet the series will be ruined by rain.

 

[Torz]

Used to copy Shane Warne have his poster up on my wall with all the different actions lol. Bowled a bit of legspin in junior cricket. Having said that it wasn't until after I stopped playing and was more or less mucking around with mates in the park did I realize that a more Macgill sort of action allowed me to turn the ball a lot more.

That real big ripping side spin action can be a bit all over the shop at times though. But when you land it, it usually turns big.

 

[woofles]

Pommies have a good young one, Borthwick I think his name is

 

[lewigie]

Careful - a lot of bowlers have spent a lot of time on their wrong-un, and then find they can no longer bowl the leg-break - it seems like once you work out who to turn the wrist for the wrong-un you can't stop it.

Yep, exactly what has happened to me. I can only bowl wrong-uns now. So I call myself right hand off spin haha.

 

[Torz]

Yep, exactly what has happened to me. I can only bowl wrong-uns now. So I call myself right hand off spin haha.

I've seen quite a few of bowlers like this. The good ones are much harder to play compared to regular off-spinners as they get so much bounce.

 

[Marklar_33]

It was suggested to me by a coach to make my wrong-un my stock ball, but as a kid I just wanted to bowl people round their legs*, not concentrate on doing sensible things


*did not happen, ever

 

[Zach Package]

- Idiot captains waiting until late in the limited overs match to give me a bowl. Quickies always got about seven overs each and I got the dregs.

Massive problem for me. It's near impossible to develop if you get chucked the ball with 9 overs left and the other team are trying to destroy you. You can't bowl with any flight or try to hit a traditional length (often).
I've resorted to going around the wicket, going a bit more roundarm, and then just full in at the pads, which is working pretty well, but is not helping at all when it comes to practicing giving the ball air and hitting a length.

 

[Belnakor]

Used to copy Shane Warne have his poster up on my wall with all the different actions lol. Bowled a bit of legspin in junior cricket. Having said that it wasn't until after I stopped playing and was more or less mucking around with mates in the park did I realize that a more Macgill sort of action allowed me to turn the ball a lot more.

I think people copying Shane Warne's action has been the biggest problem with leggies going around. with the Macgill action you can bowl some absolute rip snorters and more traditional legspin. Warne was just a freak, trying to copy him is a waste of time.

 

[djrossie16]

I think people copying Shane Warne's action has been the biggest problem with leggies going around. with the Macgill action you can bowl some absolute rip snorters and more traditional legspin. Warne was just a freak, trying to copy him is a waste of time.

I blame those posters they were so cool. The ones which had all the diagrams even the Zooter!

 

[The Speaker]

I bowled someone around their legs once.

 

[Torz]

I put it down to:
- Idiot teammates trying to tonk me every ball in the nets. If they missed/miscued, it didn't really feel like I got a wicket. If they got onto it I'd have to walk to the other end of oval to get my ball back. Could never get into a routine.
- Idiot captains waiting until late in the limited overs match to give me a bowl. Quickies always got about seven overs each and I got the dregs.

Glad I'm not the only one with these problems as well. The first one has kind of taken the motivation out of training. There's no incentive to bowl a good ball in the nets, because there is no reward.

And the second is true also, I'm stuck behind 3 fast bowlers who usually clean up the opposition before I even get considered.

 

[Torz]

I bowled someone around their legs once.

With an off spinner no doubt.

 

[The Speaker]

With an off spinner no doubt.

Nuh-uh. Best leg break I ever bowled.