Wrist Spin Bowling (part Five)

[SLA]

Just the revs he can get on his big legbreak and utilising any breeze helps but also as I am keeping wicket at his training i can really pick it up clearly. I know his bowling back to front after countless deliveries i can tell how much it is going to turn by the drift and no drift usually heralds his topspinner.

My bowlings massively improved over this year and I've noticed exactly as you've said - if you see the drift, then expect something a bit special off the pitch, so as SLA and you've said it must be that the ball has far more side spin. Another thing I noticed tonight was that if when you bowl and you get up on the toes in the pivot, you get more bounce and turn, so then if you want to bowl something does a lot less in the case that the bats playing for the spin I found all I had to do was bowl with exactly the same action except that you don't get right up on the toes, for me tonight this mean the ball more or less went straight on.

I have a couple of theories about drift, spin angle and turn I will share with you.
The first one being that I believe that a little topspin mixed in with the sidespin helps the ball grip and actually makes it turn more, particularly so on a hard surface (to get technical: this is because the contact time between ball and pitch is increased because relative velocity between the surface of the ball and the ground is decreased due to the spin).
Therefore the biggest turning delivery will not necessarily have 100% sidespin - it should have a little topspin mixed in too to help the ball grip. What is the ideal angle for maximum turn? That depends on the pitch. The harder and quicker the pitch, the more topspin you need to mix in.

Conversely, a little backspin mixed in with sidespin prevents good grip and reduces turn. Hence the reason the slider goes virtually straight on despite have a visible degree of sidespin on it (scrambling the seam can also help to reduce grip). The harder the pitch the straighter it skids. On some really soft pitches, sliders can turn just as much as regular leg breaks.

Now bring in drift into the equation, which is purely a function of sidespin. The more sidespin, the more drift. So we have these options:
Topspin: Just Dip.
Topspin + Sidespin = drift, dip and big spin.
Pure side spin: Drift and big spin.
Backspin + Sidespin = drift, skid, and minimal spin.
Backspin: Just skid.

This is why the slider is so much more effective than a straight backspinner- because it has an element of sidespin, it still drifts like a legspinner, it just doesn't turn much but rather skids on.

(As you can tell - I'm a big fan of the slider)

 

[chippyben]

Sounds good Ben, the fact that your blokes are good at catching and fielding is going to be a massive benefit and the fact that they're young and get across a lot of ground fast to catch the balls is always going to help. I've been focusing on my batting a bit and I've got a couple of shots now that I play on really safe balls. I've had almost all 'Not outs' this season batting at No.10 usually with the No.11 being a better batsman than me and he's the one that's finished the innings! I've seen a bloke through to his 100 coming it at No.3 and I had to see it out from about 87 - surviving 3 or 4 overs, so that's all given me some confidence, I'm beginning to get a bit Jimmy Anderson and it really p*****s off the bowlers when they can't get the game finished bowling at me.

Loose fast balls on the off-side I just have this little glance where I angle the bat with soft hands down in between cover and slips, if the bowlers fast the speed gets it almost to the boundary. I'm developing a shot off the legs when it's on the leg-stump, just a little flick that goes to the boundary off fast balls as well, but the best one off medium or slow bowlers is the 'Ian Bell' Paddle sweep http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZqeghVSGfA love this one, it takes people by surprise and I find it relatively easy. Can't wait till winter nets and try it out pre-season.

I actually have a reasonably good technique. Its more just a mental attitude. I see myself primarily as a bowler and haven't put much thought into batting. A few times where I have really got determined and put my mind to it Ive batted well, scoring 50's and found I can be really patient. I played one game for Hawes CC in England where we were chasing 80 odd on the worst pitch and slowest outfield Ive ever played on and got 59 not out in 45 overs and we won the match in the last over.
So I know I can do it, its all just getting mentally prepared. I think after seeing the boys at training they need someone who can play patiently and hold up an end and just slowly accumulate runs. My main focus is going to be to just have a few areas where I score in with the shots I play well and not play any very risky shots. Its all about playing the percentages and in the past I havent done that.
Also I think I am going to have a can of red bull or something before I bat to make myself fully alert as I have trouble focusing at times, especially if Ive bowled a lot of overs on a hot day.
So my shots are leg glance, driving although there is less margin for driving on bouncy synthetic wickets, square cut(my favourite shot and Im working on keeping the pull shot down. And definately nothing across the line on anything straight.
The bloke you helped to a century must have been greatful, well done.

 

[chippyben]

I have a couple of theories about drift, spin angle and turn I will share with you.
The first one being that I believe that a little topspin mixed in with the sidespin helps the ball grip and actually makes it turn more, particularly so on a hard surface (to get technical: this is because the contact time between ball and pitch is increased because relative velocity between the surface of the ball and the ground is decreased due to the spin).
Therefore the biggest turning delivery will not necessarily have 100% sidespin - it should have a little topspin mixed in too to help the ball grip. What is the ideal angle for maximum turn? That depends on the pitch. The harder and quicker the pitch, the more topspin you need to mix in.

Conversely, a little backspin mixed in with sidespin prevents good grip and reduces turn. Hence the reason the slider goes virtually straight on despite have a visible degree of sidespin on it (scrambling the seam can also help to reduce grip). The harder the pitch the straighter it skids. On some really soft pitches, sliders can turn just as much as regular leg breaks.

Now bring in drift into the equation, which is purely a function of sidespin. The more sidespin, the more drift. So we have these options:
Topspin: Just Dip.
Topspin + Sidespin = drift, dip and big spin.
Pure side spin: Drift and big spin.
Backspin + Sidespin = drift, skid, and minimal spin.
Backspin: Just skid.

This is why the slider is so much more effective than a straight backspinner- because it has an element of sidespin, it still drifts like a legspinner, it just doesn't turn much but rather skids on.

(As you can tell - I'm a big fan of the slider)

Yes I find those square and back spinning deliveries have to bowled a lot slower to turn. On our synthetic pitch at our ground the nap runs against you at one end and the back/square spinning deliveries bite and turn along way but at the other just skid through. So I would have to agree with all that you have said.

 

[macca]

I have a couple of theories about drift, spin angle and turn I will share with you.
The first one being that I believe that a little topspin mixed in with the sidespin helps the ball grip and actually makes it turn more, particularly so on a hard surface (to get technical: this is because the contact time between ball and pitch is increased because relative velocity between the surface of the ball and the ground is decreased due to the spin).
Therefore the biggest turning delivery will not necessarily have 100% sidespin - it should have a little topspin mixed in too to help the ball grip. What is the ideal angle for maximum turn? That depends on the pitch. The harder and quicker the pitch, the more topspin you need to mix in.

Conversely, a little backspin mixed in with sidespin prevents good grip and reduces turn. Hence the reason the slider goes virtually straight on despite have a visible degree of sidespin on it (scrambling the seam can also help to reduce grip). The harder the pitch the straighter it skids. On some really soft pitches, sliders can turn just as much as regular leg breaks.

Now bring in drift into the equation, which is purely a function of sidespin. The more sidespin, the more drift. So we have these options:
Topspin: Just Dip.
Topspin + Sidespin = drift, dip and big spin.
Pure side spin: Drift and big spin.
Backspin + Sidespin = drift, skid, and minimal spin.
Backspin: Just skid.

This is why the slider is so much more effective than a straight backspinner- because it has an element of sidespin, it still drifts like a legspinner, it just doesn't turn much but rather skids on.

(As you can tell - I'm a big fan of the slider)

I see it a bit different and depends a lot on the actual surface but we like to use the topspin to dip the ball then bounce it but most important to allow zip off the pitch and almost look like the ball 'gathers' pace off the surface and if anything cut off some friction and propensity for the ball to grip. So you need a fair bit of topspin for your average stock legbreak.

But backspin will help make the ball bite, even on a smooth surface. But the ball will lose pace and come off a bit slower and not much use normally except as a variation. But some of the biggest legbreaks will result from attempted pure backspinners ( off the clock ones not flippers) that come out with sidespin.

But as i say i see it differently and it depends a lot on the surface as to what to do. But it shows the beauty of legspin that the different angles at release can give arise to endless variations and even if you never master control of them as long as you can land in that sweet spot you can cause all sorts of mayhem for batsmen. That was what Chandrashakir did. His theory was if he didnt quite know what was coming out of his hand then the batsman had no chance of knowing.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

I actually have a reasonably good technique. Its more just a mental attitude. I see myself primarily as a bowler and haven't put much thought into batting. A few times where I have really got determined and put my mind to it Ive batted well, scoring 50's and found I can be really patient. I played one game for Hawes CC in England where we were chasing 80 odd on the worst pitch and slowest outfield Ive ever played on and got 59 not out in 45 overs and we won the match in the last over.
So I know I can do it, its all just getting mentally prepared. I think after seeing the boys at training they need someone who can play patiently and hold up an end and just slowly accumulate runs. My main focus is going to be to just have a few areas where I score in with the shots I play well and not play any very risky shots. Its all about playing the percentages and in the past I havent done that.
Also I think I am going to have a can of red bull or something before I bat to make myself fully alert as I have trouble focusing at times, especially if Ive bowled a lot of overs on a hot day.
So my shots are leg glance, driving although there is less margin for driving on bouncy synthetic wickets, square cut(my favourite shot and Im working on keeping the pull shot down. And definately nothing across the line on anything straight.
The bloke you helped to a century must have been greatful, well done.

Yeah he was as it was his first and going in I didn't think I had a dogs hope, it was the 2nd match of the season and the previous one I hadn't got to bat. In addition we were short of 200 and in the league matches here you get extra points for reaching the 200 mark, so that was my next target and we were only short of it by 8 or so. Thing is, once he'd got the 100 like so many he lost his focus and was out the next ball caught at backward point. I was quite proud of my self because all the other 9 blokes had only accumulated 92 between them suggesting that the oppo's bowling was pretty good and yet I survived and saw this bloke home. It was a massive confidence boost for my batting and I went on to repeat the 'Not Outs' pretty much all season thereafter!

 

[chippyben]

Yeah he was as it was his first and going in I didn't think I had a dogs hope, it was the 2nd match of the season and the previous one I hadn't got to bat. In addition we were short of 200 and in the league matches here you get extra points for reaching the 200 mark, so that was my next target and we were only short of it by 8 or so. Thing is, once he'd got the 100 like so many he lost his focus and was out the next ball caught at backward point. I was quite proud of my self because all the other 9 blokes had only accumulated 92 between them suggesting that the oppo's bowling was pretty good and yet I survived and saw this bloke home. It was a massive confidence boost for my batting and I went on to repeat the 'Not Outs' pretty much all season thereafter!

Ah he could have hung around for you then so you could get a 50
We have an Indian bloke in our team who is really keen and I had a net with him yesterday. I got some more confidence with my batting, not even giving a chance. I was working on my concentration, watching the ball from the hand and all the way onto the bat and leaving good balls that I could. This sort of confused him because he swings at everything when he bats. But you have to train the way you want to play I think. Ive decided to wear a helmet this year for the first time, it took some getting used to but a bit more practice with it and I shouldnt notice it so much.
Hopefully if I can be disciplined with my batting, playing to my strengths and recognising my weaknesses I might make a few runs this year.
I bowled quite well to him. With regards to field placements I noticed he had very hard hands and lobbed a lot up to short extra cover, maybe 5-10 metres from the bat. His theory is I should have a short extra cover and a deep mid wicket, because if I can tie a batsman down his block may lob one up to the close man. If I can bowl enough tight deliveries they will go for a slog to mid wicket. A very simplified plan of which his batting is a perfect example. Maybe I dont need the other 7 fielders???

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Ah he could have hung around for you then so you could get a 50
We have an Indian bloke in our team who is really keen and I had a net with him yesterday. I got some more confidence with my batting, not even giving a chance. I was working on my concentration, watching the ball from the hand and all the way onto the bat and leaving good balls that I could. This sort of confused him because he swings at everything when he bats. But you have to train the way you want to play I think. Ive decided to wear a helmet this year for the first time, it took some getting used to but a bit more practice with it and I shouldnt notice it so much.
Hopefully if I can be disciplined with my batting, playing to my strengths and recognising my weaknesses I might make a few runs this year.
I bowled quite well to him. With regards to field placements I noticed he had very hard hands and lobbed a lot up to short extra cover, maybe 5-10 metres from the bat. His theory is I should have a short extra cover and a deep mid wicket, because if I can tie a batsman down his block may lob one up to the close man. If I can bowl enough tight deliveries they will go for a slog to mid wicket. A very simplified plan of which his batting is a perfect example. Maybe I dont need the other 7 fielders???

I think the key thing there is being able to bowl on the length and line of your choice consistently with spin, as Macca's lad seems to be at the moment, if you can get that working in a match situation, even with just a Leg break that turns well and one that doesn't turn so well you'd be causing a hell of a problem for the batsman if he's got a limited array of stroke options- assuming you're also using flight?

Yeah I have to really focus when I'm batting, I do the Ponting thing and say to myself out loud 'watch the ball, watch the ball' as the bloke runs in and releases it and keep saying it till it's done and gone. Anything that's remotely fast, off-side and safe looking I leave. But there's a situation where I will play a shot and that's the soft hands angled bat shot that I sometimes get through slip and covers- but, for the life of me I couldn't say for sure when I play it, but I only do so when I see that it's dead cert
on. My weakness is getting the bat coming through really close to the pads, my son bowls increasingly faster and faster all the time now (He's nearly as tall as me and he's only just turned 13) and he bowls really full and fast for his age and he always squeezes one through the gap between bat and pad. So, that's something I need to work on.

 

[chippyben]

Have you tried windows movie maker to edit the files or failing that 'Virtualdub' which is pretty good but still leaves you with pretty chunky sized files. With regards the FPS settings have you had a look at the 400FPS as that seems to look like a better option?

Your leg breaks looking like Toppies - that's what I'm expecting mine to look like as I get a lot of over-spin with mine, it'll be interesting to see what you got though.

http://www.youtube.com/user/chippyben1?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/t2-aye546lA
Dave here is a close up of my release at 420fps. The first one is a leg break(although it looks like a topspinner) and the second one is a wrong un. I can slow it right down on my camera so its frame by frame but its still a little quick on youtube. I am getting turn with the leg break so its surprising it still looks like a topspinner. Im impressed with the look of the wrong un, the way it comes out the inside of the hand past the little finger. It doesnt feel like that though when I bowl it.

 

[chippyben]

I think the key thing there is being able to bowl on the length and line of your choice consistently with spin, as Macca's lad seems to be at the moment, if you can get that working in a match situation, even with just a Leg break that turns well and one that doesn't turn so well you'd be causing a hell of a problem for the batsman if he's got a limited array of stroke options- assuming you're also using flight?

Yeah I have to really focus when I'm batting, I do the Ponting thing and say to myself out loud 'watch the ball, watch the ball' as the bloke runs in and releases it and keep saying it till it's done and gone. Anything that's remotely fast, off-side and safe looking I leave. But there's a situation where I will play a shot and that's the soft hands angled bat shot that I sometimes get through slip and covers- but, for the life of me I couldn't say for sure when I play it, but I only do so when I see that it's dead cert
on. My weakness is getting the bat coming through really close to the pads, my son bowls increasingly faster and faster all the time now (He's nearly as tall as me and he's only just turned 13) and he bowls really full and fast for his age and he always squeezes one through the gap between bat and pad. So, that's something I need to work on.

When I think back to sucessful spinners Ive played with and against I can't really remember any that turned it a long way and the majority didn't turn it at all but they did throw it up and they bowled a good length and they were accurate and thats all they needed.

When batting Ive tried the forward press and the back and across method for the faster bowlers. http://www.youtube.com/user/pitchvisionmicoach?blend=14&ob=5#p/u/14/RVw41iYAmZA
So far I find they upset my balance and Id need a lot more work to get them right so I just do my backlift just before they release and watch the spot where their hand is going to release the ball so I get the most possible time.

 

[SLA]

I think the key thing there is being able to bowl on the length and line of your choice consistently with spin, as Macca's lad seems to be at the moment, if you can get that working in a match situation, even with just a Leg break that turns well and one that doesn't turn so well you'd be causing a hell of a problem for the batsman if he's got a limited array of stroke options- assuming you're also using flight?

Yeah I have to really focus when I'm batting, I do the Ponting thing and say to myself out loud 'watch the ball, watch the ball' as the bloke runs in and releases it and keep saying it till it's done and gone. Anything that's remotely fast, off-side and safe looking I leave. But there's a situation where I will play a shot and that's the soft hands angled bat shot that I sometimes get through slip and covers- but, for the life of me I couldn't say for sure when I play it, but I only do so when I see that it's dead cert
on. My weakness is getting the bat coming through really close to the pads, my son bowls increasingly faster and faster all the time now (He's nearly as tall as me and he's only just turned 13) and he bowls really full and fast for his age and he always squeezes one through the gap between bat and pad. So, that's something I need to work on.

Whether there is a gap between bat and pad is a bit of a red herring. A lot of top international batsmen leave a bit of a gap, because if you push your pad across too much, you end up having to play across the line. By far the most important thing is that you hit the ball with the middle of the bat - then it doesn't matter how big the gap is.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

http://www.youtube.com/user/chippyben1?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/t2-aye546lA
Dave here is a close up of my release at 420fps. The first one is a leg break(although it looks like a topspinner) and the second one is a wrong un. I can slow it right down on my camera so its frame by frame but its still a little quick on youtube. I am getting turn with the leg break so its surprising it still looks like a topspinner. Im impressed with the look of the wrong un, the way it comes out the inside of the hand past the little finger. It doesnt feel like that though when I bowl it.

I think SLA was saying yesterday about the exact same thing, if the ball is too far round and spinning at almost 90 degrees and I've said this myself it's not always going to give you the most dramatic turn off the wicket in a range of situations. With the 90 degree ball, if it's combined with any pace the side spin is going to be negated by the forward motion and the seam wont necessarily bite that well unless of course it lands in some real rough. An angled ball at 45 degrees and perhaps even less though, to me seems like the ball that is going to be assisted by the forward motion and have the combination of dip and therefore bounce? What do you reckon to my synopsis? I'll have a look at the vid..............

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Whether there is a gap between bat and pad is a bit of a red herring. A lot of top international batsmen leave a bit of a gap, because if you push your pad across too much, you end up having to play across the line. By far the most important thing is that you hit the ball with the middle of the bat - then it doesn't matter how big the gap is.

I think at No.10 or 11 I'm generally facing the seamers to start off with as they're trying the finish the game off, so hitting the ball and making runs isn't at the forefront of my plans. I usually assume the bloke I've joined is the one that's going to get the runs so I'm only ever going to hit loose balls and try and get off strike, so the whole notion of me middling it is something for the future. Primarily anything that is straight and fast I just want to block and block trying to force the bowler to try something else, which with the exception of my son usually works. It only seems to be my son that is able to easily get the ball through that gap!

 

[chippyben]

I had a net session this afternoon with a couple of the guys in our team and two juniors. I bowled a little poorly at first but eventually found my rhythm and was bowling some nice stuff. The problem that I had though was bowling against blokes trying to slog everything. I was beating the bat a lot and getting a lot of skied shots but it was really annoying me that not one of them would play properly. I got sick of walking off getting my ball to these skied slogs. I came away thinking whether there was much value in the session. I know I'll get the tail enders or sloggers at times but Im going to come up against batsman that play properly more often than not and it would be good to get more experience against them.
I really think I would be better off bowling solo and being able to concentrate on technique rather than this type of training. Im sure you have all experienced it but when they finally do get hold of a slog they carry on like your rubbish, conveniently forgetting they have just been beaten loads of times, theyve skied the last 3 shots and been out stumped and caught behind.
I guess it shouldnt bother me but it takes a bit of getting used to.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

I had a net session this afternoon with a couple of the guys in our team and two juniors. I bowled a little poorly at first but eventually found my rhythm and was bowling some nice stuff. The problem that I had though was bowling against blokes trying to slog everything. I was beating the bat a lot and getting a lot of skied shots but it was really annoying me that not one of them would play properly. I got sick of walking off getting my ball to these skied slogs. I came away thinking whether there was much value in the session. I know I'll get the tail enders or sloggers at times but Im going to come up against batsman that play properly more often than not and it would be good to get more experience against them.
I really think I would be better off bowling solo and being able to concentrate on technique rather than this type of training. Im sure you have all experienced it but when they finally do get hold of a slog they carry on like your rubbish, conveniently forgetting they have just been beaten loads of times, theyve skied the last 3 shots and been out stumped and caught behind.
I guess it shouldnt bother me but it takes a bit of getting used to.

Absolutely! You have to accept that's the case in the nets and just focus on the fact that you beat the bat and that for much of the time what they're doing is going to end up with wickets being taken.When they bat like this they rarely survive 6 balls and yet they seem happy because in the process of those six balls that've middled it once or twice and seem to assume it was a four or a six and you didn't have fielders. I think Macca's said it before, you have to go with a plan like I'm going to just bowl top spinners and look to see if they're able to cope with the dip that way you get to have a look at something you might try in the nets. I do things like bowl over and round the wicket looking for the indications of weakness in the batsmans approach. You have to ignore all the crap and just keep focussed on what it is you're looking for from your own bowling.

 

[SLA]

I think at No.10 or 11 I'm generally facing the seamers to start off with as they're trying the finish the game off, so hitting the ball and making runs isn't at the forefront of my plans. I usually assume the bloke I've joined is the one that's going to get the runs so I'm only ever going to hit loose balls and try and get off strike, so the whole notion of me middling it is something for the future. Primarily anything that is straight and fast I just want to block and block trying to force the bowler to try something else, which with the exception of my son usually works. It only seems to be my son that is able to easily get the ball through that gap!

Sorry, didn't make myself clear. My point wasn't that you should be smacking the ball around, it was just that you are more likely to hang around for longer if you stop worrying about technical details like the gap between your bat and pad and focus instead on making sure you get your head right in line and watch the ball right onto the middle of the bat every time.

 

[chippyben]

Absolutely! You have to accept that's the case in the nets and just focus on the fact that you beat the bat and that for much of the time what they're doing is going to end up with wickets being taken.When they bat like this they rarely survive 6 balls and yet they seem happy because in the process of those six balls that've middled it once or twice and seem to assume it was a four or a six and you didn't have fielders. I think Macca's said it before, you have to go with a plan like I'm going to just bowl top spinners and look to see if they're able to cope with the dip that way you get to have a look at something you might try in the nets. I do things like bowl over and round the wicket looking for the indications of weakness in the batsmans approach. You have to ignore all the crap and just keep focussed on what it is you're looking for from your own bowling.

I know your right Dave but it is really hard to get used to. Normally Id just angle a shortish ball up into their ribs and make them jump or give them a good whack bowling fast to keep them quiet. That seems to have a lot more effect than beating the bat or them skying one.
It just staggers me that despite getting out ball after ball they still play stupid shots until they finally hit one.
I had a bowl at a different net tonight. It had 3 lines running down the entire length of the pitch, one for each stump. What a brilliant idea. Its really good for getting an idea of the line you are bowling and where to land it from different angles on the crease.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Sorry, didn't make myself clear. My point wasn't that you should be smacking the ball around, it was just that you are more likely to hang around for longer if you stop worrying about technical details like the gap between your bat and pad and focus instead on making sure you get your head right in line and watch the ball right onto the middle of the bat every time.

Oh - right, maybe that's what I've been doing? With this 'Watch the ball, watch the ball' that I say to myself, it might be that I'm doing that - visualising what I do, I think I try and get the head and bat lined up with the ball when I'm playing and with my son I do something different because it's only ever in a practice scenario? This needs to be in the batting section - I'll copy it to that section as well...............

 

[Jim2109]

Not been on here in ages! Not had a chance to have a read through the backlog yet, will try and find a bit of time to give it all a read and see how everyone else is getting on.

I've hardly played any cricket since June/July. Took 4-for in a T20 game and got a mention in the local paper, the height of my career! Then I was playing for the 1st XI near enough every week as a specialist fielder but not bowling, but I had back trouble so I couldn't play 2 games a weekend so sacrificed my bowling opportunities on Sundays. Think I bowled about 5 overs after that and did nothing special. My back is ok now, think it just needed rest.

With work commitments I was busy every weekend for about 6 weeks and just couldn't get any cricket in at all before the season ended. Indoor season starts next week I think so I am planning on getting some matches in. I've been training a bit more and I'm working on my strength and conditioning a lot more and I'm in much better shape than I have been for a while from a strength perspective, need more cardio work though.

My spin finger is a problem. I never realised when I was bowling, so maybe it is just because I stopped using the muscles or something, but it is bent from the knuckle down and the knuckle is much bigger than on my left hand (with a big lump on it)! I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a few times a month and all the gripping leaves it in quite a bit of pain afterwards. I can still spin a ball just as hard as ever, but I suffer later. My forearms are a lot stronger than they were last time I bowled and when I spin a ball occasionally it is ripping harder than ever, so I really need to get out and practice.

But I'm not really sure where my leg spin stands at present. I don't really get time to practice enough now to develop the technique to where I want it. I don't enjoy just bowling, I believe I'm capable of bowling at a much higher level than I'm at, and its frustrating to not be making significant progress (lack of practice is entirely responsible for that). I've been working on my batting a bit lately and its come on massively. Its hard to know where you're at from net practice, I'll know once I start playing indoor, but based on the last couple of net sessions I'm considering myself a genuine all-rounder now. At least if my batting is decent then in combination with my fielding I'll get a league game every week, hopefully for the 1's. Then I just need to prove my bowling at that level, its hard to get a look in ahead of the medium pacers though, but we have lost 2 of our best players to a rival team for next season so there should be more opportunities as both of them were fast bowlers, and one of them also bowled leg spin on spinning tracks, and there are still no other decent spinners at the club. I deserved a shot in the 1's really this summer but just never got it, I took probably the most wickets in the T20 league for the club, if not in the whole league. There were a couple of tracks where I would have had fun, but the medium pacers got the nod.

Just need to get some practice in really! Got weekends free lately so if the weather is decent I might get down the nets Saturday or Sunday and get a session in, although I expect the nets have been taken down for winter now. I'm sure I can improvise though.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Not been on here in ages! Not had a chance to have a read through the backlog yet, will try and find a bit of time to give it all a read and see how everyone else is getting on.

I've hardly played any cricket since June/July. Took 4-for in a T20 game and got a mention in the local paper, the height of my career! Then I was playing for the 1st XI near enough every week as a specialist fielder but not bowling, but I had back trouble so I couldn't play 2 games a weekend so sacrificed my bowling opportunities on Sundays. Think I bowled about 5 overs after that and did nothing special. My back is ok now, think it just needed rest.

With work commitments I was busy every weekend for about 6 weeks and just couldn't get any cricket in at all before the season ended. Indoor season starts next week I think so I am planning on getting some matches in. I've been training a bit more and I'm working on my strength and conditioning a lot more and I'm in much better shape than I have been for a while from a strength perspective, need more cardio work though.

My spin finger is a problem. I never realised when I was bowling, so maybe it is just because I stopped using the muscles or something, but it is bent from the knuckle down and the knuckle is much bigger than on my left hand (with a big lump on it)! I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a few times a month and all the gripping leaves it in quite a bit of pain afterwards. I can still spin a ball just as hard as ever, but I suffer later. My forearms are a lot stronger than they were last time I bowled and when I spin a ball occasionally it is ripping harder than ever, so I really need to get out and practice.

But I'm not really sure where my leg spin stands at present. I don't really get time to practice enough now to develop the technique to where I want it. I don't enjoy just bowling, I believe I'm capable of bowling at a much higher level than I'm at, and its frustrating to not be making significant progress (lack of practice is entirely responsible for that). I've been working on my batting a bit lately and its come on massively. Its hard to know where you're at from net practice, I'll know once I start playing indoor, but based on the last couple of net sessions I'm considering myself a genuine all-rounder now. At least if my batting is decent then in combination with my fielding I'll get a league game every week, hopefully for the 1's. Then I just need to prove my bowling at that level, its hard to get a look in ahead of the medium pacers though, but we have lost 2 of our best players to a rival team for next season so there should be more opportunities as both of them were fast bowlers, and one of them also bowled leg spin on spinning tracks, and there are still no other decent spinners at the club. I deserved a shot in the 1's really this summer but just never got it, I took probably the most wickets in the T20 league for the club, if not in the whole league. There were a couple of tracks where I would have had fun, but the medium pacers got the nod.

Just need to get some practice in really! Got weekends free lately so if the weather is decent I might get down the nets Saturday or Sunday and get a session in, although I expect the nets have been taken down for winter now. I'm sure I can improvise though.

Good to see you back Jim, I thought you'd thrown in the towel.

 

[Spinaddict19]

The other day I had my first match of the season. I did Ok. No wickets but I did have a catch of my bowling fumbled. Good to see my pre-season practise helped.