Playing spin bowling

[Josh]

I do ok against fast men if they keep the ball pitched up, being a front foot player; but I'll be buggered as soon as a spinner comes on I am in all sorts. The ones that especially get to me are off spinners who get good bounce.

Are there any tips to playing better against spin? Is it more a mental thing that I just have never been really that good at playing spin and I've just lost confidence??

 

[vic_orthdox]

The players that I find who don't play spin well are those who push forwards every ball, before I've even bowled. It means that they can't actually go back, they sit on the front foot or play from the crease. Wait to actually see where the ball is pitching before moving your feet, too many players premeditate against spinners. It allows you to get right back if the ball is slightly short, and punish it.

 

[bond21]

well against off spinners I usually play off the back foot unless they pitch it up further, you can always get to the pitch of the ball to negate the spin or get well forward.

leg spinners are a bit more tricky, if you go down the pitch you have to cover the off side because if the ball spins past you you will be stumped.

Basically against off spin the main thing you have to be careful about is being bowled between bat and pad, so dont leave a gap. Also watch out for a bat pad on the leg side.

 

[bond21]

leg spinners are more likely to get you caught a slip, offies usually try and bowl you.

Also another way to reduce your chance of getting out is just dont hit anything in the air, so many spinners get wickets from a hack down to deep mid wicket.

 

[Josh]

The problem with me is I am terribly non-proficient on the back foot. My only back foot shot that I can play with 100% confidence is the late cut/thirdman glide, and perhaps back foot cover drive. The leg side is almost nullified once I get on the back foot unless I am able to pre-meditate, as I did last year and punished a bloke for 6!

 

[Goughy]

leg spinners are more likely to get you caught a slip, offies usually try and bowl you.

Correction. Leg spinners are more likely to get you caught a long off, offies more likely caught at long on

Quality spinners are a nightmare to face. Luckily they are few and far between.

If the ball is bouncing, its often an indicator that the ball is being bowled very slowly. When the sinner bowls slow, go back to anything that isnt really full and murder them. You have time to pick your spots.

If the ball is bouncing and you dont like going back, then slog sweep. Just remember to wait for the ball. On bouncy tracks you can pretty much sweep every ball. Big step forward and wait for it and watch it all the way onto the bat.

 

[Goughy]

Breaking down how I play the offie

Full outside off stump- Looking to put it through the cover, making sure my head is over the ball.

Good length outside off- Sweep or reverse sweep.

Full length on off stump- Look to work the ball in the V

Good length on off stump- Defend (or if they can land it there all day look to break up the length by using the feet)

Anything on middle and leg or leg- Look to deposit it in the stands

Short balls I look to work on the legside as I feel it is risky and awkward to cut an offspinner as it is too easy to end up cramped.

 

[_TiGeR-ToWn_]

Two factors for me are:

1. THe type of pitch. If it is low turning pitch I get on the front foot, if it is a slow and wet wicket usually on the back foot and will read the ball after it has pitched. And if it is a typical hard and fast pitch just play every ball on its merit.

2. Watching the ball out of the hand.

 

[iamdavid]

Have a plan, know the areas you are capable of scoring through and the shots you are capable of playing.

I've heard mention of shots like the slog-sweep and reverse-sweep, all well and good if you're a first grade batsman and/or you practice the shot regularly, but in the lower grades and juniors Ive seen alot of batsman throw away their innings trying to be too cute with those sorts of shots, if it isnt a shot you practice regularly and are comfortable with then put it away, stick to a plan.

And in the nets when you practice getting to the pitch of the ball and hitting down the ground, work on keeping your head down throughout the shot and watching the ball all the way onto the bat, amazing the amount of young players who dont do that...

 

[vic_orthdox]

Boof Lehmann always talked about having a "go-to" shot, one that you know that you can nail for four if you're under pressure. Sometimes it might not be on because they've got a fielder in that position, but if they don't you know that you can hit it 9 times out of 10 (his was obviously the slog sweep). Some guys it might be inside out, others it might be hitting straight.

The other piece of advice I'd give is that you don't always have to go down the wicket to hit over the top; just use it to create different angles to pierce the ball through the field.

 

[roseboy64]

My batting stance and motion allows me to play spinners pretty well. I always go back and across in one motion to cover off stump. Gives a bit of extra time to see the ball and you can make quick adjustments.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I have a faultless plan for playing spin bowling which I developed completely by accident.


Get out, and let someone else do it.

 

[Matteh]

I play spin bowling by waiting for the flighted one, lighting my eyes up, swinging massively and then edging it.

 

[Josh]

I have a faultless plan for playing spin bowling which I developed completely by accident.


Get out, and let someone else do it.

 

[Josh]

Boof Lehmann always talked about having a "go-to" shot, one that you know that you can nail for four if you're under pressure. Sometimes it might not be on because they've got a fielder in that position, but if they don't you know that you can hit it 9 times out of 10 (his was obviously the slog sweep). Some guys it might be inside out, others it might be hitting straight.

The other piece of advice I'd give is that you don't always have to go down the wicket to hit over the top; just use it to create different angles to pierce the ball through the field.

Mine would definitely be the straight drive, it is the ONLY shot I can middle consistently. I very rarely come down the wicket in a match situation; I do practice it in the nets but generally the game scenario doesn't warrant taking that risk. However, this week we have already won on first innings and are looking for quick runs, it could certainly be an option if they bring a spinner on.

 

[Hoggy31]

Play it on length, don't worry about much else imo. Leg spinners are fairly easy to cut away for four if you wait for the right ball.

 

[Josh]

Last night at training I was just getting well forward to most deliveries. Short ones I was attempting to pull or hit straight on the back foot. My pull shot is really dire and I should put it away. My back foot shots are still largely ineffective.

I had a chinaman bowler and 2 off-spinners, so was unable to practice any cut shots. I only advanced 2 deliveries; one of which I had to go back and adjust with a thirdman glide which was done quite well if I may say so myself. The other one was a great shot over mid off.

I was reasonably happy. I do need to work on back foot shots very hard and also decreasing the bat/pad gap.

 

[_TiGeR-ToWn_]

Personally I would give away a third man glide of the spinners. Only bring it out if they send in a few quicker balls. It might look awesome in the nets but with a slip in place on match days the amount of times I have seen junior (and senior) players glide it straight to first slip is ridiculous. Just my opinion though.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Personally I would give away a third man glide of the spinners. Only bring it out if they send in a few quicker balls. It might look awesome in the nets but with a slip in place on match days the amount of times I have seen junior (and senior) players glide it straight to first slip is ridiculous. Just my opinion though.

Big risk vs reward, that shot. If there's a slip there, then it can be a fair bit of risk for what could end up being a dot or at best 1 run, especially off a flighted delivery. If he's bowling darts, then there could be a few more in it.

 

[Nate]

I play spin bowling by waiting for the flighted one, lighting my eyes up, swinging massively and then edging it.

Agree wholeheartedly with people saying to play as much as you can off the back-foot. Only time I've ever hit Casson/Packman convincingly.