For a finger off-spinner, what is the best way to spin on matted pitch?

Cricket CoachCoach

When you grip the ball make sure the seam is at right angles to your fingers and your forefinger is stretched as far as possible towards your thumb. It is essential to deliver the ball with the seam in the vertical plane so that it lands on the seam which gives a grip for the spin to get maximum turn. However do not ignore the periodic valauble straight ball !!

Peter P

Cricket CoachCoach

Thanks Pete. lol being an off spinner on a matt wicket my stock ball is straighter one. Most of the videos and articles I read tell to have the seam pointing to the leg slip, probably the cause of getting no turn.. I will try it. Am working on the top spinner and the arm ball. Interestingly there is just one video on youtube that tells the exact grip for an arm ball.

Pete, with the grip you mentioned, will you still release the ball with the back of your palm facing midwicket (for RH) or will it face the umpire?

Cricket CoachCoach

The back of the hand will face mid wicket but do not rely only on the spin from your first finger. As you release the ball turn your wrist like turning a door knob to get maximum spin on the ball, and not forget that the faster the delivery the less turn you can expect so perhaps you can consider slowing down too. Line and length are the important factors not speed.

Cricket CoachCoach

Peter,

While I was waiting on your reply I tried with back of my hand facing the umpire. I found that to be very awkward for my body form. With your reply you affirmed that is not the correct way.

One of the reasons I feel I am not getting enough turn is because I am not turning the wrist and only using the first finger. I feel I'm chucking when I use the wrist. Will work on it.

My speed is naturally slow and when I loop because of my height (I am 5'7" tall) the ball remains in the air for too long, which gives batsmen a lot of time. To counter this sometimes I bowl a bit faster..

Using the wrist will be the key.

Are you an off spinner?

Andrew StrunkCoach, Australia

Hello Peter and Dharmesh. I found it interesting to read all of your valuable comments. Just to add another aspect to consider if bowling off spin on a hard wicket is if the ball lands on the seam is will usually bounce more and come onto the bat slower than if the ball doesn't land seam. As we all know the ball will not turn as much on a hard wicket so hitting the seam even if the ball doen't turn a great deal can still assist in taking wickets.

Cricket CoachCoach

@Andrew - That was a valuable tip. I have noticed that happening but I wish I could land the ball on seam at will. What would be your recommended grip & action to make the ball land on seam?

Cricket CoachCoach

Dharmesh ,either get a ball which is half red and half white ( reaily available from cricket suppliers) or paint the seam on an old ball white, this will enable you to see how the ball is spinning and the plane of the spin. Experimint with your grip and wrist angle on delivery until you get the ball spinning around the seam and the seam in the vertical plane. this will greatly increase the chance of the ball landing on a spinning seam. As Andrew says the ball does bounce higher, but this also allows you to deliver a contrasting straight ball, by changing your grip, a little quicker and OFF the seam, which keeps lower and tends to skid through, lbw ?

Cricket CoachCoach

Thanks Peter. I have an old ball. Will maint the seam white or tape it and see how it goes.

Cricket CoachCoach

Dharmesh,

To give more flight to a ball, the point of delivery has to be slightly higher than normal. Suspend a rope or some poles about a quarter down the pitch and try looping the ball over that height.

If you have any time off from training and matches, spend that time generating more revolutions on the ball. The only way to get more spin on the ball, is to get more revolutions on the ball.

Good luck!

Cricket CoachCoach

Thanks Cricket. Apart from what's already written.. do you have more tips on how to get revolutions on the ball?