The Leg Spin Thread

[Marklar_33]

The best advice I can give is if it works, and you're enjoying it, change nothing and listen to no-one! I know from personal experience how getting the wrong advice (for me) and trying to change can mess everything up. In my case, I went from state junior development squads to bowling swing in country cricket...damn you Terry Jenner!

(Only joking, Rest In Peace, sir)

 

[DeeWong6996]

I hardly ever land mine in the right areas. Half trackers and full tosses are my specialty

Any tips on getting more turn?

 

[PTizzle]

I hardly ever land mine in the right areas. Half trackers and full tosses are my specialty

Any tips on getting more turn?

Yeah, this is/was the toughest part for me too. Just look at a spot on the pitch (put a coin there if you're practicing or something similar, if you'd like) and aim for it. It helps a lot in terms of focus.

How are you bowling it? I tend to use my wrist mostly but if I rip it out a bit with my fingers it gets a bit more turn. If you're just finger-spinning it try to get your run-up a little bigger, I find that helps with getting more strength behind the turn.

I was just down at the nets then and I was finger-spinning it a lot, just to give it a go. Seems to give me less turn but I can get more flight. I might use it as a change-up ball as it doesn't look too different coming out of the hand. It makes kind of a 'fan' sound as it comes out of my hand, which for some reason is very satisfying.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Leggie right here

I seem to get a heap of turn with my bowling, and my drift is pretty good, too.
I just need to figure out a variation (wrong-un, etc.) and also a way to bowl a wide-free over

Thoughts?

 

[Mateyman]

I remember a few years ago in under 12's, I was doing a bit of leg spin. I had one training session where everything was coming out perfectly - I had a wrong 'un going and everything (on astroturf too, which gives little spin). But the coaches told me whenever I bowled a bad ball to not worry about spin and just lob it up there so I stopped spinning it. I've tried since but never been able to turn it properly - they all come out of my hand as topspinners

 

[swiftdog]

TBH I wouldn't bother listening to a lot of junior coaches unless they bowl(ed) spin themselves. From my experience 90% of these coaches just spit out generic advice because they don't know much about spin. Spin bowling is a whole-body action, changing the smallest aspect of your run-up, delivery stride, the use of your fingers and wrist will change how the ball comes out. I don't think it's possible to practice bowling arm balls in the perfect spot an then magically be able to turn a ball from the same position. If you bowl leg spin, practice bowling leg spin and leg spin only (+ variations). If you bowl a bad ball try to figure out why and fix it (this will come with experience). It sounds like you're still in juniors so if you can seek out a senior leg spin bowler at your club and get some help off of him.

 

[Torz]

I was having the problem last night whereby I could literally walk up to crease and land a perfect leg break, but then as soon as I put my run-up in I began spraying them everywhere.

 

[PTizzle]

I was having the problem last night whereby I could literally walk up to crease and land a perfect leg break, but then as soon as I put my run-up in I began spraying them everywhere.

Then just walk up

It's a weird thing, I do this too. I'll be bowling fine in the nets, then all of a sudden I'll just start throwing wide poo that gets smashed. I think most of it is just stopping for a sec and adjusting your approach to get it right again.

 

[PTizzle]

On a non-bowling thing that spinners might have an idea of, are your wrong-uns easy to pick? What are the signs?

I find some bowlers obvious due to run up or eyes or whatever, but coming out of the hand I can never tell. I know mine is when I turn the wrist further so it comes back, but with many spinners I can't seem to see it at all.

I'm not a good batsman or anything, but it'd be useful to get some tips on this at least.

 

[Zach Package]

Mine is very easy to pick because I bowl it with a much higher arm and the back of my hand goes all the way around to about wide mid on (weird I know), but that's just me.

As far as trying to read it, generally the wrong un will be be flighted higher than the leggie because it has to go up out of the back of the hand, so a major thing I look for when batting is if you can see the back of the palm, you're going to get something a bit different.

 

[PTizzle]

I've been talking to a few other blokes who play cricket recently and they're really surprised that I bowl quite few leg-breaks using a 'finger spin' grip rather than a wrist spin grip. I do this when I'm bowling a little flatter and trying to get a very full length as it seems to be very deceiving.

I was thinking about it, has there ever been a finger-spinning leggie on the international stage? I'd be really intrigued to have a look and see if the delivery looks similar to mine.

I've been working on my seam-ups a bit as well as a change-up ball, I'm almost at the point where I can switch the seam sneakily and keep a very similar run-up so they aren't expecting it. I'm *fairly* sure you're allowed to change mid-over (in actual games) as long as you tell the umpire (for LBW purposes), can anyone confirm/deny?

 

[Zach Package]

I've been talking to a few other blokes who play cricket recently and they're really surprised that I bowl quite few leg-breaks using a 'finger spin' grip rather than a wrist spin grip. I do this when I'm bowling a little flatter and trying to get a very full length as it seems to be very deceiving.

I was thinking about it, has there ever been a finger-spinning leggie on the international stage? I'd be really intrigued to have a look and see if the delivery looks similar to mine.

I've been working on my seam-ups a bit as well as a change-up ball, I'm almost at the point where I can switch the seam sneakily and keep a very similar run-up so they aren't expecting it. I'm *fairly* sure you're allowed to change mid-over (in actual games) as long as you tell the umpire (for LBW purposes), can anyone confirm/deny?

As for the first part, I've dabbled in finger leg spin, basically trying to use it as a variation ball, because as you say it comes out a little flatter because it doesn't come 'over the wrist' like a traditional leg spinner, but i find it less effective.

As per changing seam up/spin. I don't think you do, other than telling the umpire which arm (good on you if you can bowl with both) and over or around the wicket.

Funky miller at work


I've done a similar thing to this, I really struggle to lefties so I was bowling little off cutters to them from around the wicket, and then switching to leg spin over the wicket to the right hander, all the umpire asked was 'over or around'

not sure if it'd be different at any other level of cricket either.

 

[PTizzle]

As for the first part, I've dabbled in finger leg spin, basically trying to use it as a variation ball, because as you say it comes out a little flatter because it doesn't come 'over the wrist' like a traditional leg spinner, but i find it less effective.

As per changing seam up/spin. I don't think you do, other than telling the umpire which arm (good on you if you can bowl with both) and over or around the wicket.

Funky miller at work


I've done a similar thing to this, I really struggle to lefties so I was bowling little off cutters to them from around the wicket, and then switching to leg spin over the wicket to the right hander, all the umpire asked was 'over or around'

not sure if it'd be different at any other level of cricket either.

Cheers mate, that's inspiring stuff from Miller . I spose you'd just be able to tell the keeper in those situations.

 

[Marklar_33]

The only thing the umpire and batsman are entitled to know is arm and side of wicket. Other than that, everything's fair game. It's why I can't understand the furore over the reverse sweep. I'm under no obligation to tell the batsman I'm bowling an in-swinger, out-swinger, leg break, off break, flipper, zooter, slower ball, knuckle ball...you get the idea

And never tell the ump which way you plan on moving the ball, it can just end up giving them more reason to give a not out

 

[Wallaby]

And never tell the ump which way you plan on moving the ball, it can just end up giving them more reason to give a not out

No - it's just important information to aid the umpire. Sarfraz used to appeal along the lines of 'Howzat!?!? That's my inswinger!' - and the (local) ump would then understand how the ball would have miraculously made a path to hit the wicket, despite looking for all the world like it wasn't in the same postcode.

Abdul Qadir wasn't above 'warning' the umpire of an upcoming googly either.....................................

 

[Marklar_33]

I get that, but if you go past the ump and say "here's my inswinger" and it comes out poorly and goes straight as a die to rap the pads smashing into middle and leg, any ump looking for an out will claim swinging too far down leg. Plus, doing it whilst appealing, after the fact would make me less inclined. I'd be thinking this pricks trying to pull the wool over my eyes here!

 

[Wallaby]

Yeah, but Sarfraz would never try and do that!

 

[Torz]

Pre-season isn't far away, almost time to make the annoying change between indoor and outdoor ball.

Have the leg-break coming out well, but still no confidence in variations.

 

[Furn2]

I can bowl a finger spinning leggie with a taped tennis ball as doosra when bowling offies but can't do it with a cricket ball very well.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

If any silly said that to me mid-appeal I'd say not out no matter how plumb it was. Then report him after the match.

 

[Zach Package]

Cheers mate, that's inspiring stuff from Miller . I spose you'd just be able to tell the keeper in those situations.

Severely underrated cricketer.

If you can bat, and bowl seam up and spin at international level you're all right in my book

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Severely underrated cricketer.

If you can bat, and bowl seam up and spin at international level you're all right in my book

But can he fish also?

 

[Marklar_33]

I never saw Funky floor a streaker

 

[Zach Package]

I never saw roy do this

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I roll a few leggies down.

I've got the skidder that goes straight on.

Then I've got the leg break, that also goes straight on.

And if it bounces twice that's the wrong un.