Spin Bowling | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

Where Do High Class Spinners Pitch the Ball?

In another guest article, club left arm spinner AB talks us through exactly where to land the ball to cause maximum damage to batsmen’s averages.

We all know the key to top quality spin bowling is to bowl a consistent line and length. But what does that actually mean?

First we need to figure out where is the best length to bowl.

We want a length that is full enough that the batsman is forced to come forward, but not so full that he is able to reach the ball on the half volley without mis-hitting it.

Become a Classy Leg Spin Bowler (Even if You Don’t Have a Coach)

Something tells me you don’t have a good leg spin coach where you play, but that still doesn’t stop you bursting to get better as a leg spinner.

You have got a grip on the basics. You have played enough games to know what’s going on. But you don’t know what to do next.

In other words, you are stuck in a rut and don’t have anyone to turn to.

Cricket Show 97: Baseball mitts and Chris Peploe

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PitchVision Academy - PitchVision Academy Cricket Show 097.mp3
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PitchVision Academy Cricket Show

Listen to the best cricket show on the web this week with two more quality interviews.

Now it's even easier to solve your cricket problems

The revolutionary PitchVision Academy Problem Solver has had a major upgrade.

Judging by the number of questions we get here at PitchVision Academy, a lot of players and coaches have a cricketing problem they need solving. Everyone has something; a technical flaw in the cover drive, not quick enough bowling, getting gassed with low fitness levels and a hundred other things.

We also know that there is a frustrating gap for most of us.

Avoid spin bowling variations that make you look like an ass

This is a guest article from AB, a club left arm spinner and aggressive batsman with more than 15 years experience. His claim to fame is a 50 run partnership with JP Duminy.

Batsmen are not as stupid as they look.

If you bowl obvious variations thinking you are going to outwit the idiot at the other end, all a decent batsman is going to do is make you look foolish by putting your well thought out “other one” into the trees over cow corner.

How to start bowling leg spin

Being able to bowl leg spin well is rare quality; if you do that then you are valuable to any captain at any level.

But where do you start?

Good leg spinners seem to need so much; a canny tactical awareness, steely personality, and a phalanx of variations on top of a fizzing, dipping leg break that turns a foot on any wicket.

It’s not as bad as it seems.

Leg spin bowling may be an art, but it’s one that can be learned.

Field Setting: Off spin, old ball, turning wicket, limited overs

This article is part of "The complete guide to cricket field settings" series.

In limited over matches there are times when the batsman is on top and an off-spinner is bowling.

How to stop wasting net sessions (and what to do instead)

Every year for more than 20 seasons I have gone through the same ritual after Christmas with a variety of club cricket teams.

The kitbag is dragged from the shed, and I find myself in a dusty sports hall trying to reacquaint myself with the faces of my team-mates that I haven’t seen for months.

The bowler’s have a little stretch while the batsmen fight about who is going to go first (or second actually, because no one wants to go first).

How to stretch after bowling

Admit it, you don’t stretch enough.

Stretching is like drinking more water. You know you should do it, but you never seem to get round to it.

But if you do aim to stretch more in future then why not get a head start with a stretching series from the cutting edge by strength coach Eric Cressey?

Tactics you should be using: Leave the field up

Knowing when to leave a fielder up or push him back is quite the art.

Do it too early and you give away easy runs or miss a chance to take a wicket. Do it too late and it costs you big.

Tactically aware bowlers seem to have this 6th sense, Jedi mind trick to know when to do it. But it’s more a conundrum to others.

So when is the perfect time?

Working in the grey area