When Facing a Spinner.

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abhiscenter

abhiscenter

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When Facing a Spinner.

Hey fellow cricketers,
I had a question regarding spin bowlers. I have a hard time facing spin bowlers if try to play technically i.e using footwork, watching the release, looking at seam... etc.
But, if I have to slog them, or hit 'em, I can do that.
I just don't want to shorten my innings by hitting every ball and resulting in getting out. So now my question is that, should I start shuffeling when facing a spinner? because when I shuffle, I feel more active and can use my feet better then just standing at the crease.
Any constructive suggestions will be great,
Thanks
A.V
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

With myself I don't try and make things happen with spinners, otherwise they will get you out, be patient and wait for a bad ball. There is generally one and over & there are always gaps in the field to work 1s and 2s.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

Yeah move as much as you like, stay still, try and hit down the legside through the off-side. Watching the ball coming out of the hand - that's good as well try it all - fact is with spin it's like Russian roulette, you might be kidding yourself that you've got some kind of plan or strategy but the truth is you haven't against spin (If they're any good) - you're doomed.

As the bloke said - look for the rubbish ball and let have it with those.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

abhiscenter;370870 said:
Hey fellow cricketers,
I had a question regarding spin bowlers. I have a hard time facing spin bowlers if try to play technically i.e using footwork, watching the release, looking at seam... etc.
But, if I have to slog them, or hit 'em, I can do that.
I just don't want to shorten my innings by hitting every ball and resulting in getting out. So now my question is that, should I start shuffeling when facing a spinner? because when I shuffle, I feel more active and can use my feet better then just standing at the crease.
Any constructive suggestions will be great,
Thanks
A.V
Click to expand...

Maybe you could think or say "footwork" as the bowler delivers as a key to get your feet moving. The shuffling thing works for some, just wriggling the feet like ian chappell used to can help. Some batsmen have good footwork in the nets but freeze up during a game.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

Footwork, soft hands and watching the ball.

Also, try not to let the bowler get on top of you. You don't have to dominate but try to unsettle him, knock him out of his rhythm. You can do this but coming out your crease, working the ball into gaps for 1's and 2's and so on.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

I think another point is that, at least here in Australia, often you don't get to face to many quality spinners at club cricket, I didn't face many spinners at all through school cricket. The odd time you'd face an offspinner but rarely a wrist-spinner.

I used to find it best to try and play the spinners as late as possible, there is often no pace on the ball so I used to nudge it around and spank the odd long hop and loft the odd holf volley over the infield.

Most of the time I didn't try and bother reading the ball out of the hand, id just play if off the wicket.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

You have probably highlighted the biggest problem - lack of pace. Most people can get away with it when the ball is coming onto them. It's only when they have to work the ball around or generate the pace themselves that the problems start.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

Don't have a plan and don't think.

I as a spinner in my first over agaisnt a batsman work out his intentions. What his strong shots are by pitching them in different areas and see what he goes for, giving him a couple of pies to see if he wants to slog and I see what his plan is. Some want to just block me out, some want to score, others want to destroy. Their plans become mightily obvious.

If you plan then the spinner will catch hold of that plan and work against it. For example the last game I played a no.4 was content with ensuring he had a lot of footwork. Yes have good footwork and use it, but not overly. This guy was doing as he was told and getting to the pitch of the ball perfectly. I bowled down a big spinning ball on about his foot as he moved down the pitch which sharply turned down leg side to the waiting keeper who took his bails off. If you set out to move your feet then expect a half decent spinner to work that against you.

Watch the ball is all I can say. Any spinner is instantly defeated when they notice you don't have a plan. If there is no way to attack you through you weaknesses, because they don't know it, then you can be assured that a spinner will just bowl good line and length to you every ball so you know what is going to come down. Then just do what you have to do to remove it from the ground.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

I'm not sure if it will help much, but when thing my captain used to tell me was to take a half step forward as the spinner was about to bowl, then, if it was short, you can transfer yuor weight/step back to play off the back foot, and its its full you're able to take that full step to play off the front foot, it was his way of getting us to move our feet more against spinners rather than standing and slogging. I don't face many spinners in my grade so I haven't really been able to use it much.
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;371490 said:
I think another point is that, at least here in Australia, often you don't get to face to many quality spinners at club cricket, I didn't face many spinners at all through school cricket. The odd time you'd face an offspinner but rarely a wrist-spinner.

I used to find it best to try and play the spinners as late as possible, there is often no pace on the ball so I used to nudge it around and spank the odd long hop and loft the odd holf volley over the infield.

Most of the time I didn't try and bother reading the ball out of the hand, id just play if off the wicket.
Click to expand...

Agree with This. Be patient, if the spinner throws it up don't try and get to the pitch of it straight away. Stand up straight (don't crouch or bend over) Read the flight and make your descision as the ball is in the air
 
Re: When Facing a Spinner.

One thing I have learnt with facing a spinner is never set your mind frame to hitting out and slogging. Even if you are playing a one dayer and you need 15 off the last over off a spinner, it's a spinners dream to be bowling to someone content on smashing them. As an offie it only takes an over to remove a batsman who wants to have a go at me just through a simple little plan, give them something to slog and get their confidence up first ball, then wittle away at their confidence from there until you have your wicket in the 4th-6th ball.

If you need to score quickly in a situation like that, look for the gaps around the field and just block to them and you will pick up a single as the field will be back anyway. Then if you need the big one, just a nice gentle swing focusing on the timing. A fast powerful swing might work for a pace bowler to help them over the fence, but if you swing hard and fast at a spinner, then most likely they are going to vary their pace a little and give you a variation that you aren't going to pick.
 
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