Occasionally Flawed Release - Leg Spin

[solanki]

I generally bowl the same line and length because i am practicing my release and trying to get the ball to turn. The ball pitches generally near off and is a much fuller.

Sometimes, however, it pitches way outside - outside the pitch. The problem is simple - while pivoting I occasionally release the ball from the top of my head. That is, while releasing, my arm is over my head and the ball goes wide. While trying to avoid this, I also end up drifting down the leg side.

There's another problem - I consistently bowl fuller deliveries and an unhealthy proportion of full tosses. How can I train my release so that I can get some control over the length?

I'm not a complete disaster, but my performance right now is below par. Can anyone suggest helpful drills?

 

[someblokecalleddave]

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I generally bowl the same line and length because i am practicing my release and trying to get the ball to turn. The ball pitches generally near off and is a much fuller.

Sometimes, however, it pitches way outside - outside the pitch. The problem is simple - while pivoting I occasionally release the ball from the top of my head. That is, while releasing, my arm is over my head and the ball goes wide. While trying to avoid this, I also end up drifting down the leg side.

There's another problem - I consistently bowl fuller deliveries and an unhealthy proportion of full tosses. How can I train my release so that I can get some control over the length?

I'm not a complete disaster, but my performance right now is below par. Can anyone suggest helpful drills?

You and me both, one day it seems to be coming together the next it's a disaster. To be honest I'm becoming very disillusioned at the moment and I think I've either got to stop bowling for a week and see what happens then or simplyfy everything in some way. Have you tried the stand start drill?

 

[solanki]

Oh, feels great not to be the only one singled out.

Yes, maybe stopping for a week and concentrating on other aspects may allow you to relax and your bowling to get better naturally.

Anyways, I haven't tried the stand start drill. Is it the same as the three knee drill, where you deliver the ball while standing still, by lifting your backfoot, landing your front foot and then delivering by rotating your hips?

I have tried the three knee drill - it is a little awkward for me though.

 

[Jim2109]

if you're consistent then thats half the battle. consistently too full is better than simply spraying it everywhere at random!! you must have some element of control in your action.

its simply a case of pulling it a bit shorter. so slightly less flight, aim to land the ball a yard or 2 shorter (however much it needs to be). don't worry too much about the full tosses, it is better to land 5 good to full balls and 1 full toss in an over than to bowl 6 deliveries that are a yard too short. short balls rarely get wickets, and generally go for runs (even if its just backfoot placements for singles). full deliveries take the bulk of wickets, and full tosses always take their share from catches in the deep and sometimes even clean bowled and LBW.

as for the wider balls, thats an inconsistency in the technique. it sounds like you think you've already pinpointed it, so just remove it from your game. easier said than done, but there is nothing we can help you with there. if you've found the problem then only you can solve it. practice, practice, practice. and if you practice with good technique you'll bowl with good technique too.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

I went through a ropey patch a couple of weeks ago where I wasn't getting the ball to turn off the pitch some days and other days it did so. But, during the week with my kids I attend U11 and U13 matches and I'm kind of involved with looking out for a couple of Leg-Spinners in those teams during their weekly training. I noticed that one of the kids was turning the ball really well in matches and in practice sessions, yet most of his action needs some work - rotation/movement through the crease etc. So I could only deduce that the spin that he was acheiving was down to his release/flick. I asked him about it, being cautious with regards to not over-complicating things if it's not broke don't fix it logic being applied and noticed that the only thing that he was doing that was different to me was a very exaggerated cocked wrist. People have noted in my you-tube vids that I don't cock my wrist a great deal if at all, so taking on board this observation over the last week I've been bowling with an exaggerated cocked wrist and it seems to have done the trick. With the cocked wrist the ball naturally comes off the 3rd finger and requires only a little more dexterity with the fingers to then ensure that the balls flicked, when it all comes together it turns big. The success rate with the whole thing coming together is increasing with each day and all looks very interesting.

 

[solanki]

its simply a case of pulling it a bit shorter. so slightly less flight, aim to land the ball a yard or 2 shorter (however much it needs to be). don't worry too much about the full tosses, it is better to land 5 good to full balls and 1 full toss in an over than to bowl 6 deliveries that are a yard too short.

That was really encouraging, Jim! Seriously. I'll post another point about my release, hopefully, it'll help!

as for the wider balls, thats an inconsistency in the technique. it sounds like you think you've already pinpointed it, so just remove it from your game. easier said than done, but there is nothing we can help you with there. if you've found the problem then only you can solve it. practice, practice, practice. and if you practice with good technique you'll bowl with good technique too.

Well, this was encouraging as well - also helped in removing out a lot of my confusion! Well, I should say one thing - it's all because of my run up and my lack of rhythm. I'll post on a question about rhythm tomorrow, hopefully that'll help clarify a few more doubts I have.

Also, I have started using the stand stop technique and it was very helpful. There's a similar three knee drill. It can be said that while the start stop technique allows you to develop your release, the three knew drill helps developing rhythm.

 

[solanki]

People have noted in my you-tube vids that I don't cock my wrist a great deal if at all, so taking on board this observation over the last week I've been bowling with an exaggerated cocked wrist and it seems to have done the trick.

Hi Dave! This was a problem with me as well in the past! I didn't bowl with a cocked up wrist. Instead I just relied on my finger and their release as if I was bowling using a soft tennis bowl. However, I started cocking my wrist last year and the results have been great.

What I got from the stand stop technique video
Also, thanks for the video that you posted in the previous thread. It was really helpful. Especially the drill. It made me recall how important it is to get the small things right before practicing for an hour by bowling uninterrupted spells. Also, I have been able to work on pivoting. Infact, my deliveries turn better and dip better now, with the drill. Sometimes there are wide deliveries, but I have noticed that they are bowled only if my body was not fully ready for the release - something feels awkward.

More on cocking the wrist
I had started this season by cocking my wrist ninety degrees backwards from the arm. Didn't give me any reuslts. Now I cock my wrist gently, but while release I can observe that it allows my fingers to sweep with the ball a full arc of over 120 degrees - more than enough I suppose. With the pivot, the ball falls very well.

 

[bigturner]

I had this problem in the first couple of weeks. What helped me was realigning my body weight throughout the bowling action in a straight line starting from the right feet (assuming you are a right hander) to head to the right wrist. Always transfer the weight forward towards leg slip. That way the pivot will not collapse me to the point that my hand is perpendicular to the floor. Ideally the hand motion can be that of a tennis top spin shot which which works with your running motion to keep directing your weight forward.