Coach: Thats WRONG!

[slice]

It was about 1pm and I was in the nets practicing my bowling.A few landed in the right area,few were crap and a few bounced over the roof of the net (pity,some of them looked real beauties !).I was going on with my business as usual when I noticed someone walking towards me purposefully.He was an early middle-aged-ish man I had sometimes seen prowling over the university cricket ground.He was smartly turned out in a track-suit and trainers and this set off a tingling feeling in me that this was not just some simple groundsman.I eyed him evenly,half expecting him to just pass by me but he just kept walking towards me.

No hand-shake,no introduction,no beating about the bush...just as I usually like it but you have got to admit that a complete stranger wordlessly walking towards you,does creep you out a bit.

'Hi,I have often seen you bowling here but all your balls go over the roof of the net". 'Yes' I replied,'that`s because the roof is a bit too low for my liking.In a real situation this flight can be very helpful'. "No,that`s wrong !" he said,"that`s simply not the way to bowl.Here,let me show you-you are bowling pace or spin ? ".Talk about wits,I thought.This guy watches me bowl everyday and still can`t figure out whether I bowl pace or spin.'Spin' I said,trying to appear as good natured and willing as I could.Now don`t get me wrong,I know that I am not an ATG bowler but I come with a plan to improve my bowling and try to stick to it-others offering bits and pieces advice only hinders me and up until that point my bowling was going pretty smoothly.

I don`t exactly remember his exact wording but the gist of his advice was that I should bowl my spinning deliveries straight and fast and flat which essentially makes them cutters. 'There is no harm in giving a little flight and this is my natural style' I protested. "No,this is no way to bowl,I am the coach" he said."I have coached a number of guys and they all turned out excellent".
Well,that settles it,I thought.I will just have to hear him out.He told me to grip the ball like a seamer and practice landing it in the right spot.Gradually with control,I could spread my fingers and then start cutting my fingers over the ball to make it spin."Spin it forward" he said,like an off-break.I told him that I can`t bowl off-spin.This (I showed him ) is my natural style of bowling and is not suitable for cutters.(I have written about it in My Cricket Section under the titles Strange Kind of Spin Bowling and My Mystery Delivery). "No that is wrong,forget it and bowl off-spin" was the only response I could get.

Now what do you make of that , these club/university level coaches in Pakistan ?

First he set me to bowl seam.I obliged.Little hustle to the crease and a bit of sling to the wicket.Not too demanding and that is how I usually bowl seam when I am in a seaming mood.But mind you,it is trundling personified.Anyway,here goes;
0.1 Fullish-Good length delivery on the stumps,hitting top of middle and off."Shabash" goes the coach.
0.2 Similar line and length,just bouncing over the stumps.Coach grunts in satisfaction.
0.3 Filthy full toss outside leg stump.
0.4 Even filthier beamer over the stumps. Third consecutive grunt in the background.
0.5 Good length,just outside off like Dale Steyn.
0.6 Full,angling away just outside off and seaming away a bit.

"Keep doing this and you will be a pro in no time" he told me."With your way,you would never have learnt it,even with hours of practice.Bye !"

 

[Fahdi]

Coaches and teachers have this mentality in Pakistan especially the senior ones. There way is the best way and they will not accept any argument against it labelling it as disrespectful. The worst line they use is," Aap logon ne tou baap ko bhi beta bana liya ha, humari tou baron ke saamne zaban kholne ki bhi himmat nahi hoti thi".

 

[slice]

So,should I accept his advice ? is it really the right way to go about learning spin ?

 

[Major]

He said nothing wrong there, infact you should be happy that someone is helping you out.

First of all, don't blame that person if he can't figure out if you are bowling spin or pace, because spin bowlers don't really face much of a problem throwing the ball on the pitch rather then over the roof, something which you would see a fast bowler do more often.

anyways, he is right about keeping the ball flat. Bowling in the air means you will be tonked for a six easily, especially if you are an off spiner. Trust me, i'm a batsmen and i'm always looking for those flight ones.

anyways, its always good to take others advice instead of taking it offensive.


btw, were you bowling leg spin or off spin before and after?

 

[j_kazmi]

He's probably right about bowing fast but try spinning it with your off spinners grip. Even though spinners are spinners they still have to bowl fast.

 

[slice]

He said nothing wrong there, infact you should be happy that someone is helping you out.

First of all, don't blame that person if he can't figure out if you are bowling spin or pace, because spin bowlers don't really face much of a problem throwing the ball on the pitch rather then over the roof, something which you would see a fast bowler do more often.

anyways, he is right about keeping the ball flat. Bowling in the air means you will be tonked for a six easily, especially if you are an off spiner. Trust me, i'm a batsmen and i'm always looking for those flight ones.

anyways, its always good to take others advice instead of taking it offensive.


btw, were you bowling leg spin or off spin before and after?

Look man,I was trying to bowl spin and he was advising me to bowl off-cutters instead.Approach the crease like a fast bowler and hurl the ball forward,ripping it with your fingers-good in theory but in reality I might as well turn into a medium pacer.
And there is a gulf of a difference between the action of a pacer and a spinner-he could easily see that and surprisingly yes, I tend to send the ball over the roof when bowling spin-seam bowling is more on target.
As any purist will tell you,flighting the ball is an attacking approach for a spinner.That way you get turn,bounce and deception through the air-risky yes but worth it.Most of the ATG spinners of old believed that most batsmen are actually beaten in flight.
Flat and fast is the T20 way.
And it is not always easy to tonk sixes at will-it can result in mishits.

I was basically bowling legspin with an off spin action which comes naturally to me.I have mentioned this delivery in the OP.

 

[slice]

He's probably right about bowing fast but try spinning it with your off spinners grip. Even though spinners are spinners they still have to bowl fast.

Sorry missed the point,elaborate please.

 

[slice]

He's probably right about bowing fast but try spinning it with your off spinners grip. Even though spinners are spinners they still have to bowl fast.

We are talking about spin bowling-not military medium cutters.

 

[j_kazmi]

We are talking about spin bowling-not military medium cutters.

I am trying to say that you should listen to him and bowl fast but hold the ball with the off spinners grip(the way you held the ball before).

And i am a mediocre club cricketer just like you so im probably not the best person for advise

 

[ElRaja]

maybe he thinks your stock spin is too slow, depends really on what you want to achieve. if you want to be a decent lower level cricketer your coach is pbly right, bowling cutters and seamers would be much better than bowling flighted loopy off spin.

if on the other hand you believe you have the skills to make it right to the top of the game, be a pro, then you have to back yourself and if you want to bowl flighted spin, you bowl them 5 or 6 hours a day until you can land them on point, 29 balls out of 30.

its a gamble, what your coach said would help you play now, but being a medium pace off cutter bowler will get you no where if you want to play pro, on the other hand if you gamble and stick with your guns theres you need to be sure you have the persistance, brains and heart to develop yourself to the level you would have to coach yourself too.

ive read many teachers and coaches say to be very good at any skill takes 10,000 hours of practise, thats roughly 3 years practising 10 hours ever day.

 

[slice]

maybe he thinks your stock spin is too slow, depends really on what you want to achieve. if you want to be a decent lower level cricketer your coach is pbly right, bowling cutters and seamers would be much better than bowling flighted loopy off spin.

if on the other hand you believe you have the skills to make it right to the top of the game, be a pro, then you have to back yourself and if you want to bowl flighted spin, you bowl them 5 or 6 hours a day until you can land them on point, 29 balls out of 30.

its a gamble, what your coach said would help you play now, but being a medium pace off cutter bowler will get you no where if you want to play pro, on the other hand if you gamble and stick with your guns theres you need to be sure you have the persistance, brains and heart to develop yourself to the level you would have to coach yourself too.

ive read many teachers and coaches say to be very good at any skill takes 10,000 hours of practise, thats roughly 3 years practising 10 hours ever day.

As a matter of fact,he demonstrated his bowling and there was a sizable kink in his arm

 

[slice]

I am trying to say that you should listen to him and bowl fast but hold the ball with the off spinners grip(the way you held the ball before).

And i am a mediocre club cricketer just like you so im probably not the best person for advise

Have you ever seen a spinner bowling ? The little jog,a little leap at the crease etc...whereas even wannabe faaaast bowlers stick out like a sore thumb among a bunch of elegant spinners.He was telling me to bowl spin with a fast bowler`s action,which means that run-up,back bending etc...There are other ways to bowl fast spin.

And yes,what do you make of my seam bowling potential at amateur level ? (that grunty over )

 

[Thivagar]

Have you ever seen a spinner bowling ? The little jog,a little leap at the crease etc...whereas even wannabe faaaast bowlers stick out like a sore thumb among a bunch of elegant spinners.He was telling me to bowl spin with a fast bowler`s action,which means that run-up,back bending etc...There are other ways to bowl fast spin.

And yes,what do you make of my seam bowling potential at amateur level ? (that grunty over )

He became a coach when he saw you bowl. . It is hard to understand what you are exactly bowling, we need a video clip of your bowling. Make sure you have a side-on action or else no point in being a spinner, you will be just like Ajantha Mendis with no stock ball, and no flight(except for googly). Try recording your action at home with your cell phone and see if your "variations" all appear to come of differently. You don't need to have a ball, just pretend to have a ball. Run-up is the key, you need to have a rhythmic approach and action. Spin bowling is not just running and bowling, it is not "slow bowling" you are putting all your effort from your fingers, wrist(little bit among Offspinners), legs, and body. Keep practicing, like Richie Benaud saud, get your stock ball right and make sure you practice your line and length with your intended bowling action. Don't listen to "get your line and length right first". It is stupid, why would you get your line and length with a different bowling action and delivery then start all over then practice with your intended action and delivery ? You will start from zero. You are lucky to be living in where you have access to cricket nets outdoor for free. I have to rent for $40/hour in an indoor net. Take advantage of your luxury. It takes 4 years to master your spin bowling according to Richie. Keep working hard and you can get it done in less time. Good spin bowlers climb through ranking very quickly. If you have time, try leg spin, it is the most useful kind of spin, much more variations, you will never chuck, you can pile on many wickets and you climb through ranks ever faster Kumble(6 months after learning leg spin) and Warne are example. Warn just had a leggie, offie and a googly. 2 years later became a fearsome bowler. You need a lot of drift to be a good offie, so practice spinning hard with your fingers because you are going to get stuck somewhere without many revs. Reason why Mendis sucks at being a normal bowler and bowls all kinds of crap.