Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

[Batesy]

Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

I've been bowling leg spin for about 7 years now and im really starting to notice that my fingers are getting ripped from the side of my fingernail. This mainly happens on my index finger. It will usually start bleeding after about 5 overs. Is there anything i can do to help it?

 

[Jim2109]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

I've been bowling leg spin for about 7 years now and im really starting to notice that my fingers are getting ripped from the side of my fingernail. This mainly happens on my index finger. It will usually start bleeding after about 5 overs. Is there anything i can do to help it?

do you mean that one of your finger nails is cutting into the side of one of your fingers?

or do you mean that you are getting cuts around the edges of your fingernails?

if you mean the first one, then maybe cutting the offending nails right back might help? i bite my nails quite badly, and the skin around them. so my nails are always non-existant, and the skin around them is extremely tough (its about 30 generations of scar tissue lol).

im struggling to picture where youre doing the damage though and how it is happening. everyone has a different action, so yours is probably different to mine. might be worth getting some photos of the damage, and also how you hold the ball maybe?

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Without seeing photos etc then it sounds like the seam is cutting or more likely ripping the skin as he bowls.

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Without seeing photos etc then it sounds like the seam is cutting or more likely ripping the skin as he bowls.

yes that is exactly right, well the stitching cuts the side of my finger.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

have a look in the old wrist spin thread or from about 3 weeks ago another bloke was asking about similar things and some suggestions were made.

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Wich thread was that there seems to be a few wrist spin threads.

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

have a look in the old wrist spin thread or from about 3 weeks ago another bloke was asking about similar things and some suggestions were made.

Wich thread was that there seems to be a few wrist spin threads.

I'd guess the massive one (2000+ replies) although it may take a bit of searching. Probably time to close that one and start a new one up.

yes that is exactly right, well the stitching cuts the side of my finger.

The hard answer is that you need to toughen up the skin, but this takes time. It may be that you'll always suffer from it in some form or other but you can minimise it.

Some people will say to 'wee' on your fingers (not sure it's advisable on broken skin though) as this is supposed to help. Other methods will involved some kind of second skin, although, obviously you can't wear plasters in a game.

Benaud talks about a similar problem in one of his books, he ended up using some kind of waxy substance to fill in the holes. I haven't got the book to hand but it may be worth looking up, if only to get some ideas.

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

I'd guess the massive one (2000+ replies) although it may take a bit of searching. Probably time to close that one and start a new one up.



The hard answer is that you need to toughen up the skin, but this takes time. It may be that you'll always suffer from it in some form or other but you can minimise it.

Some people will say to 'wee' on your fingers (not sure it's advisable on broken skin though) as this is supposed to help. Other methods will involved some kind of second skin, although, obviously you can't wear plasters in a game.

Benaud talks about a similar problem in one of his books, he ended up using some kind of waxy substance to fill in the holes. I haven't got the book to hand but it may be worth looking up, if only to get some ideas.

yeah its only happened since i started playing seniors. well this is my first actual season. Ive tryed putting superglue on the areas that rip and it helps alot but come off after a few overs.

 

[macca]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

yeah its only happened since i started playing seniors. well this is my first actual season. Ive tryed putting superglue on the areas that rip and it helps alot but come off after a few overs.

There is a fair bit of stuff about it on the wristspin thread including benauds formula ( boracic powder and calamine lotion) and method. medicinal honey was another old time remedy for spinners. You might be gripping the ball too tight but most spinners go through similar from time to time but it can ruin a career, as happened to colin mc cool, more or less from constant bleeding fingers. Using tape when practising can help.

 

[Jim2109]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

when you say index finger, you are referring to the first finger, the one next to the thumb right? im struggling to picture how you are making that one bleed, your action must be very different to mine. ring finger i could understand more easily.

for my action i use a grip very similar to Shane Warne (pretty much the "orthodox" wrist spin grip) aside from one small change in detail. all of fingers are in the same place, my thumb rests on the ball in the same way, even to the point of looking at Shane Warnes hand in slow motion and comparing to my own, the fingers unfurl and then fold back up in the same way as the ball departs lol. but my ring finger sits off of the seam where his sits half on and half off.

this means that my finger that does all the work never touches the seam, it rests against the absolute edge of it. so if it gets sharp it doesnt damage any skin. i can bowl for hours on end several times per week, and have been doing so for about 3 months straight with a variety of new and old balls. and my fingers dont even have any tough skin around them yet.

if it is indeed your index finger then im not sure how you are cutting it, you may not be able to avoid that by slightly altering finger location. but for the ring finger it may be worth some slight experimentation with just moving it very slightly so its off the seam and thus cant get damaged by it. i dont find it hinders my spin in any way, ive tried both ways and i get more revolutions this way than with my finger on the seam. but everyone is unique in their methods.

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

yeah the finger next to the thumb. the seam sort of goes across that finger and rips it. I guess ill just have to tape in for training.

Also do you have any tips on bowling to left handers. I find it a bit tricky sometimes.

 

[Jim2109]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Also do you have any tips on bowling to left handers. I find it a bit tricky sometimes.

join the club!! i find it tricky as well, and someblokecalleddave had a hard time earlier in the season iirc against a leftie. he may have found a solution, personally i havent perfected one yet, but i have ideas.

firstly, it depends on the type of batsman. some lefties are really good off their pads (the nature of being bowled at by mainly right handers from a young age). others are just like a right hander but reversed and play the same shots.

i always try to start out bowling over the wicket, the same as i would to a right hander. it squares a left hander up and opens their stance. then youre basically bowling across them, with leg breaks straightening up after they bounce. which also cramps up their shots. the key is where they play strongly. if they are strong off the pads then youll have to pitch wider than to a player who is strong outside off stump. i ALWAYS have a slip to a left hander (because the ball is coming across them, so even if its not turning, edges are likely), ideally id like a gully as well but the captain can never spare a fielder. to a righty id always like a slip, but if im going for runs i can do without one as outside edges are only going to be found if the ball is turning well.

if youve got good control of your line and length then you should be able to adjust your bowling accordingly. if like me you have barely got control to right handers, and left handers are a thorn in your side and make life difficult then it may be easier to bowl around the wicket. then its just like bowling to a right hander, you bowl the same line and length, but shifting across the crease means the ball pitches just outside off stump and turns back in, so minimal adjustment required. however its easier to play for most left handers, especially those who are strong outside off stump. if i was capable of consistency, id much rather bowl over the wicket to them every ball so that they are squared up.

the other great benefit of a squared up leftie from over the wicket is that after the ball pitches they have to then close their stance to the ball turning back in at them (whereas a right hander from round the wicket, the ball goes across them then turns away even further, so they just stay open). the pinnacle of this benefit is Shane Warnes "ball of the millenium to Andrew Strauss. whilst he was bowling from round the wicket, the ball turning back in closed Strauss up, and then he got so much turn that he bowled him behind his legs...
YouTube - Shane Warne Magic Ball!

from over the wicket to a leftie youve essentially got all the benefits of a RH off spinner bowling to a right hander from round the wicket, but with more spin, more drift and dip, and more turn. youve also potentially got a lot more control over the scoring opportunities. in theory, i think leg spin should be very restrictive to a left hand bat and keep them on the defensive. aggressive shots should be high risk to balls on a good line and length.

however in practice its harder to do because il bet most leg spinners spend 99% of their time practicing as if to a right handed batsman. and you need much improved control over line and length to a leftie or youll give them easy runs well outside off stump or easy runs off their pads. i went for 0-33 off 3 overs on Sunday to left handers (i had 4 balls at a righty that went for 3 runs (off a misfield), the other 30 runs were hit by left handers).

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Ok thanks heaps for that reply!

ive gone one more question.

alomost every time i start a spell my first ball is a full toss. i need to stop this and get the ball right on my first delivery

 

[Jim2109]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Ok thanks heaps for that reply!

ive gone one more question.

alomost every time i start a spell my first ball is a full toss. i need to stop this and get the ball right on my first delivery

do you practice in the nets before a match? i always turn up for matches 30 mins earlier than everyone else, slowly get myself warmed up and loose, and bowl in the nets for about 20 mins. as soon as i find my rhythm bowling by myself (usually within 10 mins) il see if any batsmen want a go, then bowl at them. once i find my line and length and start causing the batsman problems then il call it a day and go and get ready for the match. then i find my first ball is usually pretty good. rhythm is the absolute key!!

if i have a bad practice in the nets and im struggling for rhythm then il try to make sure that my first ball is just straight at the stumps. i dont care if it turns or not, and i dont care if its a perfect length, i generally drop it shorter to play safe. just so long as it doesnt go for runs then i regard that as a good start. then my confidence is there and i try to bowl like normal and find some rhythm as i go.

 

[Batesy]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

ok awesome. ill get a few overs in the nets a go before a game and see how that goes. cheers for that mate.

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

As Jim says, warm up. It's probably more crucial for a spinner than a seamer, as you need to get the shoulders arms and fingers working and find your length/line.

5/10 overs before the game should see you good.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Re: Leg spinners. Does this happen to you?

Yeah I'd always advocate bowling several overs before a match I find even if you bowl a couple of hours beforehand it makes a vast difference. Going in cold is a definite no no.