Spinners: Technology will Save your Life
I was talking to the senior player in my team the other night about the decline of spin quality in the last 30 years.
There was no doubt in his mind that there are far fewer spinners of far lower quality than when he started playing. It's a sad story because spinners are match winners, especially in draw cricket.
I told him that we are on the edge of a resurgence in spin because of the rise of technology.
In the old days every team had two or three spinners who could turn it on drying wickets. As covering got better and captains took more cues from limited over tactics these advantages fell away. Spinners became defensive. Fewer and fewer youngsters wanted to be a part of it.
Then Hawkeye arrived at the top level.
Umpires started giving LBW decisions on the front foot. The old mantra of "he was a long way forward" started to sound hollow as technology proved that a lot more balls hit the stumps.
Umpires at lower levels started agreeing with technology and grew in confidence to give batters out.
Big ripping, dipping and biting spin has become an attacking option that captain's can trust. Even at levels without TV replays.
More wickets, more spinners
And this is just the start.
With technology like PitchVision available at the grass-roots level, bowlers can see for themselves how often they hit the stumps. They can appeal with more confidence becaause they have seen the ball go on to hit in practice so much more. The know how much it turns and where to pitvh the ball to get bowled and LBW.
Meanwhile keen umpires can use technology as a deliberate practice training tool. They can stand in nets, give decisions and see - in real time - how accurate they are. Any umpire's decision making will go through the roof with that kind of effort.
And as a spinner, why would you stop an umpire coming to a training session you are attending?
Heck, you should be calling, texting and email to get your local officials down for a go on PitchVision.
The future has arrived with technology and spin. Now it's up to you to make the most of it.
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Comments
I think in our league, there are about 5 spinners between about 50 clubs. its 40 or 45 over cricket, win or draw, played on slightly dodgy green tracks, so the order of the day is medium pace bowling and stifling 9 man ring fields.
All the technology in the world won't help if the league is set up in such a way that teams have no incentive to take a risk to take wickets.
* and when the umpire is the batsman's brother/father/best mate, you need to find other ways to get wickets than expecting an lbw to be given.
The junior set up I was involved with had a number of spinners within its ranks and one under 14 has stepped up to adult cricket this year with growing success - this Saturday he returned his first 5fer, but it has been coming for a while.
That said to encourage young spinners I think you need to have certain things in place:
* an acceptance in junior 20 over cricket that at times they may go around the park (equally there will probably be at least one game they will win for you on their own). This understanding needs to come from the player themselves, their teammates and parents
* Promote attacking spinning both in terms of how the bowler bowls and if at all possible with the fields set
* We have also applied the above points to the spinner coming into the adult side, with the added bonus that when it 'goes right' he can bowl straight through a long spell, but again teammates have to accept the times when it doesn't go quite right
Great point AB, yes there is more at play than umpire confidence in giving from foot LBW, but it certainly helps.
By my reckoning, close to 75% of amateur league cricket matches are played with the batting team standing in as umpires. Without wishing to accuse people of cheating, you certainly get less lbw's this way.
Its interesting how this changes bowlers tactics.