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For (1) I found I was worrying a bit about no-balls and looking down at the crease when I was bowling. So I decided to find something that was moderately comfortable and stick to it, so that at least it was one less drain on the old CPU when I was bowling. For (2) I learned this last year, then...

Hi Shrek, thanks for that! I'm glad at least some of my experiences ring true with someone. I've added some more babbling (Body Pivot - Why? and Body Pivot - How? that explains some of my reasoning on this matter). I'm not surprised to find you are bowling a bit flatter if you were struggling...

[More background to the LegSpin Horror Epic. Similar disclaimers as to lack of coaching yadayada.] If you've read Body Pivot - Why? and are convinced (or intrigued), have a look at my bit of badly remembered 1st year university physics in the post 'rotary motion'. Now imagine viewing a bowler...

A short bit explaining how forces cause something to rotate. The reason for doing so will become clear in another thread. In (a) a force acts through the centre of mass of the object, causing it to be accelerated in a linear direction. In (b) two equal and opposite forces act at a separation...

[Hi - this is some of the reasoning behind some of the stuff in my "LegSpin Horror" bout of verbal diarrhoea. Similar disclaimer - I've never been officially coached and not seen much of the stuff I'm writing about discussed *in so many words* by proper coaches, however I think my theoretical...

Symptom: It was going brilliantly only a day/week/month/season ago and I thought I'd cracked it. Suddenly now nothing feels right and it's all over the place and embarrassing, I feel like I'm back to square one and might as well give up and just become yet another passable-but-dull dibbly-dobbly...

Sorry that was part III

Symptom: The line and length are both ok, but it just seems to flop out without any venom. It feels like I'm spinning fresh air as the ball has already gone, and I don't seem to have enough control over the release. Suggestion: This is almost the opposite problem to getting stuck side on unable...

Symptom: I'm bowling some nice balls, but every so often I seem to fire this horrible loopy waist-high full toss outside leg stump. Suggestion: You are getting stuck side on, and trying to put oomph in and complete your action without, as it were, starting it. Your arm is trying to come over but...

[some background] I'm pretty much entirely self-taught, except for occasional bits of advice, not always good or helpful, from well-meaning proper players. I've got to the stage now where it's generally coming out rather nicely, even really well in the nets, although not always yet in matches...

If you want to borrow the book, Dave, then we can arrange it by email if you like, as it's currently sat on my shelf having been thoroughly perused. I'd be keen to see one or other of the Grimmett books in return. Been re-reading Philpott over the last few days (after lending it to the junior...

Yeah. I sometimes feel you get a grudging 1/2 point for a jaffa, and -10 for a bad ball. I have a nasty habit of bowling a loopy waist-high leg-side full toss early in a spell, which is usually this kiss of death. Sadly most captains are (a) batsmen, and (b) incredibly negative, and seem to live...

No CS Marriott (can never remember spelling) was a contemporary of Tich Freeman at Kent. He was a schoolmaster so only played for Kent during the summer holidays, and played just a single test (with great figures). Was the Benaud/O'Reilly quick-through-the-air-and-off-the-pitch straight man to...

I was advised by a leg-spinning veteran at my club to read CS Mariott's The Complete Leg-Break Bowler. Very good it is too, although quite old-fashioned now, and has nothing about the flipper or back-spinner. Still worth reading for his memories of SF Barnes.

Notwithstanding the "prime directive" that you must do whatever works best for you, if you're looking to experiment I'd recommend trying as loose a grip as you can manage whilst not allowing the ball to slip. Two reasons: Firstly, see Shane Warne's remarks about trying to be relaxed, and a...

I just wanted to throw out a theory that has been forming in my mind for some time. Hopefully this is of interest of itself, but also has profound implications for how you grip the ball and go about trying to improve your action to get maximum revs. I hope it won't be too wordy or physics-y for...

Anyone else out there find that the hardest damn thing is to persuade captains (a) to pick you, and (b) to bowl you ahead of any number of dibbly--dobbly merchants?!