Well im new to this forum but i am a fairly good off spinner and i guess a bowling guide wouldn't be a bad opening post.
1st
Grip: Index Finger on the seam, with second finger gripping as well and thumb for support (this is the standard off spin grip, it works for me but use a grip which is comfortable for you).
2nd
Deliveries:
Off Break: This should be the Off spinners stock delivery and should always be your bread and butter ball. For a Right hander this delivery will turn from Off to Leg. Using the grip explained above angle the wrist so that it is on a 45 degree angle (the seam should also be on a 45 degree angle). At the point of release you use ur index finger and wrist to impart spin on the ball, the seam should be facing leg slip. This ball should always be your most consistent delivery as you will be bowling this 90% of the time. You could also bowl with your wrist facing square to the wicket so the seam is on a 90 degree angle ( i only do this if the pitch is turning a lot for me).
Top Spinner: Same grip as the off break but wrist should be straight (the batsmen should be able to see your pinky clearly). Same fundamentals as the Off break but your wrist is angled so that the seam should be rotating towards the batsmen. This delivery should always be bowled at the highest release point of your action as that will give it maximum top spin. Top spin is very handy if the batsmen is looking to play for spin. The top spin imparted on the ball should make it dip, bounce and speed up more then you're normal off break. Fantastic delivery for LBW.
Doosra: Many different bowlers bowl this delivery in different ways E.G. Murali bowls with an angled wrist, Ajantha Mendis with the second finger rolling over the seam. I bowl with the same grip as the Off Break (which makes it harder to pick
) and the angle of my wrist will be the same as my off break. I use my second finger to flick the ball out with the support of my thumb (you should be flicking it over the seam so it rotates like an leg break).
This is a very hard delivery to master, but it should spin the opposite way of the off break and if bowled correctly should decieve most batsmen. Practice this delivery in the nets bowling outside off or on off stump or outside leg ( if u can spin it that much).
Carrom Ball: i recently was watching Ajantha Mendis a fantastic young sri lankan off spinner. He had this "mystery" delivery he bowled quite often. Commentators called it the Leggie or the Doosra but Mendis called it his "Carrom Ball" named after a popular sri lankan game called Carrom in which u use the second finger to flick the ball. In order to bowl this delivery you will need extremely tough and long fingers. Hold the ball with your second finger on the seam and your index on the face of the ball and thumb supporting. Practice flicking the ball out similar to the doosra but it should be Cross seam and should be on a 45 degree angle spinning towards mid off. This delivery is like a doosra that skids on with subtle spin, kindve like a flipper/legbreak. This delivery is fantastic when bowled in small doses as its sudden change of pace and slight turn will fool most batsmen. Practice bowling this delivery on the stumps as you will always be looking to get the batsmen LBW or bowled with this delivery.
Arm Ball: Index finger along the seam much like a pace bowler with second finger and thumb supporting. Seam should be angled to slips. When you bowl this delivery you will be looking to get it out angling towards slips. This delivery should outswing and continue to the keeper without much spin. Fantastic delivery if the quicks in your team are moving it a lot on a particular day.
Line/Length: For me i bowl way outside off stump because i tend to get a lot of spin, but just outside off stump is great for an aspiring offie or newcomer to the art of spin. All deliveries i mentioned above can be bowled outside off, The doosra, top spinner, Arm ball and Carrom ball can all be pitched on mid stump as they all are great for LBW. The Doosra can be pitched on leg stump if you can bowl it right. Spinners should never bowl short, pitching the ball up entices the batsmen to come forward or drive which is exactly what a spinner wants.
Tactics:
If a batsmen is coming down the pitch, change your pace (bowl faster mainly) or change your line (bowl it short), this can sometimes beat the batsmen and you may get a cheap stumping out of it. A flighted short ball is always handy as the batsmen will have to guess the length and they will change their mind about sending you over the ropes.
Varying your Pace, Spin, Flight and Line is the key to getting a bag of wickets. Bowl your stock delivery to figure out how the batsmen bats e.g. if he uses his feet or if he likes to drive, pull etc and expose his weaknesses. If they like to use their feet bowl the ball with plenty of flight and get it above their eyeline. This forces the batsmen to play at the pitch of the ball and u get a lot more chances to get them caught behind, stumped or LBW as they will have to pick the pitch of the delivery as well as the spin or pace.
Variation is a key to getting wickets, but use it in moderation if u bowl a doosra every over the batsmen will be expecting one to come sooner or later. Train the batsmen to get used to your stock deliveries then if you bowl a delivery that they haven'd anticipated you will put doubt into the batsmens head which will keep them in the crease and increase your chances of getting wickets.
Flight: Flight is key to spin bowling, it takes time to master but once learned it is your best friend. Flight involves bowling the ball so that while it is coming towards the batsmen it is above their eye level. This can put the batsmen in two minds. 1: its a full toss im gonna smash this over the ropes, 2: where is this going to land what do i do?. Either scenario is good for u, it forces the batsmen to come forward. This makes the batsmen worry about how they are going to play the delivery. If the batsmen doesn't know which way its spinning, the length, the pace how are they going to play you?
Ocassionally you'll come across a batsmen who will use his feet within the crease, but i explained how to bowl to them above. Flight works best on most tail enders as they will dance down or attempt to slog the delivery which will result in a possible catch or stumping. When bowling to top enders that use their feet bowl more flat, flight works well on batsmen who stay in their crease.
Glossary:
Off Break: Delivery that turns from Off to Leg.
Top Spinner: A Delivery that bounces higher, is quicker and dips.
Doosra: Delivery thats turns from Leg to off.
Carrom Ball: A skidding leg break much like a flipper.
Arm Ball: An outswinging straight delivery.
Flight: Getting the ball above the batsmens eye level forcing them to drive or come on the front foot.
Pace: The Speed in which a delivery is bowled.
This was a quick 20 min guide i made for first time off spinners. If this is popular i will create a full comprehensive guide.
Off Spinning Guide
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