New Section on PP - Ask The Expert: The Art of Leg Spin

[MIG]

PakPassion is delighted to launch the Ask the Expert section.

In this section we'll be talking about technical aspects of the great game of cricket with current coaches and former players.

We'll be discussing the finer points of the game and hopefully helping young, up and coming cricketers on PakPassion with queries and concerns.

The first topic we are talking about is leg spin with Mohammad Haroon.

Haroon is a former first class cricketer who has been coaching for many years. He is currently undertaking the ECB Level 4 qualification and has worked with many international cricketers over the years, including Mohammad Asif.

Haroon's work can also be found at PitchVision.

PakPassion.net: The first topic we'll be discussing is the difficult art of leg spin bowling. We've got several questions for you regarding this topic. The first aspect of leg spin bowling that we'll be discussing is the run up. Do you think that leggies should bowl with a straight run up or an angled one?

Mohammad Haroon: A lot of bowlers have had success with a straight run up and the same can be said for those who preferred an angled run up. I don't think that the angle of the bowler's run up has much to do with it. The most important thing is the momentum. There should be enough acceleration in the run up so that when the bowler releases the ball he does so with all his momentum and his action has been complete.


PakPassion.net: A seam bowler can bowl with either a front on action or a side on action. But for a spin bowler, what is the preferred bowling action?

Mohammad Haroon: A side on action is better for the bowler because you can have more variations in your delivery with that action. Another benefit of bowling side on is that it makes it difficult for the batsman to pick up the ball. That's why I would suggest to leg spinners to bowl with a side on action.


PakPassion.net: Speaking of variation, how is the googly bowled?

Mohammad Haroon: When bowling orthodox leg spin, you release the ball without completely turning your wrist. You can call it the half rotation of the wrist. When bowling the googly, it requires a full 360 rotation of the wrist. That's one difference between the two.


PakPassion.net: Continuing on with variations, how does one bowl the flipper?

Mohammad Haroon: The flipper is different from the other two because it doesn't require any rotation of the wrist. To bowl the flipper, you simply push the ball out of the front of your hand without rotating your wrist. Just simply push the ball without any rotation of the wrist.


PakPassion.net: Moving on to the top spinner. How can young bowlers learn to bowl the top spinner?

Mohammad Haroon: The top spinner can be considered the delivery between the googly and leg spinner. A leg spinning delivery will spin towards the off stump after pitching on middle stump. The googly is the opposite and will come on towards the right handed batsmen. The top spinner is different from the other two. The top spinner continues on towards middle stump after pitching. The flipper is also similar to the top spinner because it also keeps straight after pitching.

The difference between the flipper and the top spinner is the height that the delivery generates. The flipper keeps very low and skids after pitching but the top spinner gains height. The flipper has the tendency to skid on the wicket whereas the top spinner tends to take off. This adds an element of surprise for the batsman.


PakPassion.net: The amount of turn a ball takes after pitching depends upon multiple factors. The pitch and the revolutions on the ball being two major ones. What plays the greatest role on getting the greatest amount of revolutions on the ball? Is it the shoulder action, the wrist, or the fingers?

Mohammad Haroon: The amount of turn depends greatly upon the surface and the rotation of the ball. On a rough surface you will get more spin. On a smoother surface, the spin isn't as great but there is a lot more bounce.

The bowling action of a bowler also plays a major role in this. Biomechanics make it easier to analyze bowling actions. For a spinner, it's very important to rotate your hip while releasing the ball. The hip, shoulder, and wrist all work together to allow the ball to spin. The back foot also is important because it drives the bowling action and gives an extra bite to the delivery.


PakPassion.net: We've had a question from a young leg spinner who is having trouble translating his ability to spin the ball during practice to spinning it during actual matches. He can spin it a great deal during practice and relies heavily upon his ring finger. But during matches, he can't get it to spin as much because he isn't able to flick it. What can be a reason for this? Does it have to do with nerves during a match situation?

Mohammad Haroon: It seems to be a mental issue. I think he has trouble repeating his action and the match situation gets to him. The pressure of bowling in competitive matches is overtaking his talent. To overcome this, he has to bowl more during matches. For a leg spinner it's very important to bowl at the right situation. If you are brought on at the wrong time then it's difficult. Young bowlers at the start of their career have a tendency to start pushing the ball instead of giving it flight if things don't go well. It's very common for young bowlers to start pushing the ball without even knowing it.

The best advice for him is to continue practicing and start concentrating on the entire process of leg spin bowling. It's important to get the basics of your bowing action right every time. He needs to forget thinking about the outcome and concentrate on the basics of his action. Forget about the competition and concentrate on your bowling.

The captain also plays an important part in this. The captain needs to support the bowler and use him at the right situations. Having support from the captain and a good field setting is important. There is no reason for him for not to overcome this issue.

Another reason for his struggles could be the fact that he's practicing on surfaces that are vastly different to those being used during matches. He should try to practice on similar surfaces. Other than that, the only reasons for this problem could be mental and the lack of repetition in his delivery.


PakPassion.net: Another thing I wanted to know was the difference in the bowling actions of different leg spinners. Shane Warne had a very slingy action whereas someone like Mushtaq Ahmed, who wasn't very tall, had a high arm action. Which bowling action would you recommend?

Mohammad Haroon: Mushtaq Ahmed had a very high arm action and his arm would be very close to his ear during the release of the ball. Mushtaq Ahmed did not rely on orthodox leg spinning deliveries. He was mostly a bowler who used the googly.

If you bowl with a very high arm action then you have a tendency to completely rotate your wrist instead of doing a half rotation which is necessary for leg spin bowling. That high arm action is good for bowling the googly. Shane Warne's action was more of an 11 o'clock action. That allows more variation and better control for the bowler.


PakPassion.net: It has been said that Abdul Qadir had three different variations of the leg spinner and three different variations of the googly. Is that possible or is it just a myth?

Mohammad Haroon: You can say that leg spin bowling has a lot of variations but the are only 3 ways the ball can turn. It can either turn towards the slips after pitching, it can either spin towards the batsman, or it can just go straight. The orthodox leg spinner, the googly, the flipper, and the top spinner are the four variations a leg spin bowler can bowl.

The rest of the variations are just the byproducts of these four deliveries, by utilising the crease and varying the amounts of turn. When a bowler learns to master the art of leg spin bowling then he can add more variations by bowling with 2 fingers, 3 fingers, or 4 fingers, or from the front of the hand or the side of the hand. However the basics are the same.


PakPassion.net: Danish Kaneria is a leg spin bowler that had trouble with control of his deliveries. He would always bowl one or two loose deliveries in an over. What advice would you give to young leg spin bowlers when it comes to control and accuracy?

Mohammad Haroon: The most important thing for young bowlers is the ability to rotate the ball. Getting revolutions on the ball is the first priority for a spinner to be effective. Controlling the ball and accuracy are a gradual process that comes with experience and mental toughness.

To become an effective spinner, you have to get the ball to rotate. Young bowlers should continue to focus on the basics and his will make them stronger mentally when bowling in matches. Good bowlers don't worry about the outcome during matches. They continue with the same process during matches and practice.

Dansh Kaneria bowls with a very high arm action. This causes inconsistency in his wrist rotation. His bowling action was not as fluent as someone like Shane Warne. Danish didn't get much rotation from his hips or much drive from his back foot. That's why he was so inconsistent. He bowled some excellent deliveries and some bad ones. That's what separated Danish Kaneria from Shane Warne ; the bowling action and the mindset.

 

[MIG]

Fascinating stuff this - hope some of the young and not so old spinners are reading this!

 

[Saj]

If anyone would like to hire Haroon for any private coaching then get in touch with me.

 

[Evolu]

i dint get my answer.....i asked about the googly syndrome...since i learnt the googly....most of my deliveries come out as googly instead of leg spin?

 

[JibranAnsari]

evolu , I think your answer is there. You need to rotate your wrist not more than 180 degrees if you want it to leg break. Otherwise you will rathar be delivering top spinners or googlies.

 

[PakPrince]

I can spin the ball both ways and at times considerably but cant get wickets off it. Why?
At best I can be economical with spin but can't get wickets.

Secondly, as a leg spinner whats should be the line to a right handed batsmen. Is it me ut is it impossible to bowl out a right handed batsman with right arm leg spin.. At best you can get an edge off himl.

What is the solution?

Though I love bowling fast and usually I get wickets doing that but am expensive at times!

 

[pakistanichamp]

I can spin the ball both ways and at times considerably but cant get wickets off it. Why?
At best I can be economical with spin but can't get wickets.

Secondly, as a leg spinner whats should be the line to a right handed batsmen. Is it me ut is it impossible to bowl out a right handed batsman with right arm leg spin.. At best you can get an edge off himl.

What is the solution?

Though I love bowling fast and usually I get wickets doing that but am expensive at times!

I am a leg spinner and I get plenty of wickets through it! Leg spin bowling is an attacking option. Having said that, you still need to set up the batsmen, you wont get wickets "just" by spinning the ball. You need to pitch the bowl in the right areas, analyze the batsmen's strengths and weaknesses and force them into playing however you want them to play.
Generally, we leg spinners are told to always "make the batsman drive". That means to bring the batsman forward by pitching it up, bowling on a offstump/middle and off line.
So just keep practicing, and overtime inshAllah you will eventually bowl someone over!

 

[pakistanichamp]

Btw, ask the expert is a great addition to PP!! Good work you guys!

 

[Saj]

i dint get my answer.....i asked about the googly syndrome...since i learnt the googly....most of my deliveries come out as googly instead of leg spin?

Your answer is in there bhai.

 

[Saj]

Very impressive stuff from Haroon bhai.

It was a real pleasure and education listening to his thoughts and ideas.

 

[PakPrince]

I am a leg spinner and I get plenty of wickets through it! Leg spin bowling is an attacking option. Having said that, you still need to set up the batsmen, you wont get wickets "just" by spinning the ball. You need to pitch the bowl in the right areas, analyze the batsmen's strengths and weaknesses and force them into playing however you want them to play.
Generally, we leg spinners are told to always "make the batsman drive". That means to bring the batsman forward by pitching it up, bowling on a offstump/middle and off line. So just keep practicing, and overtime inshAllah you will eventually bowl someone over!

Thats the thing.

You are looking for edges off a right hand batsman for which you have to have fielders at the right places aaand expect them to be good!

How do you just bowl out a right hander!


Though this is sth I was just asking mor e out of curiosity as Im a decent to good medium pace who can get wickets.

But ive always been able to spin the ball and wondered why i dont get any wickets when i can spin as much if not more than some of the good spinners ive played with

 

[razzleboom]

Great advice, thank you guys for this. The response to my question about the flick was on point, hopefully there will be more of this on PP. I wish I could get some training in with Mr. Haroon, not sure if he is ever in US.

 

[OZGOD]

Obviously a big part of Warney's success earlier in his career was due to the fact that he could really give the ball a good rip; that said I felt his biggest strength was not that he could spin the ball, but that he could choose WHEN to spin it. He could go through seven or eight overs of innocuous deliveries before he let loose the wicket-taker that would break a partnership and perhaps swing a match.

Technique is only one part of it - strategy and guile are the others.

 

[ChennaiFan]

Very informative! Thank you Mr.Haroon and PakPassion. I am always a fan of leg spin and it was a pleasure reading this piece.

 

[Saj]

Very informative! Thank you Mr.Haroon and PakPassion. I am always a fan of leg spin and it was a pleasure reading this piece.

Thanks CF.

We'll have more from Haroon in the coming weeks and months

In fact can we have some suggestions for topic for his next interview.

 

[shaz619]

i dint get my answer.....i asked about the googly syndrome...since i learnt the googly....most of my deliveries come out as googly instead of leg spin?

have you fixed your problem? i have the same issue, there is more to bowling a leg break than just rolling the wrist at 180 degrees especially when you naturally bowl googlies all the time it is a really difficult transition and i think there are more alterations which need to be made than just rolling the wrist at 180 degrees

 

[adnanulhaq97]

I bowl a "Hafeez" type offspin, and also bowl the delayed delivery, but cant get it to spin much or get the doosra in, i rely more on my quicker bowl....so what should i do to spin it more and get the doosra

 

[Canistani Hero]

I bowl a "Hafeez" type offspin, and also bowl the delayed delivery, but cant get it to spin much or get the doosra in, i rely more on my quicker bowl....so what should i do to spin it more and get the doosra

The doosra comes out of the back of the hand, so you're wrist position at the point of release needs to be altered. It's tough to bowl a doosra with a Hafeez type action without making it rather obvious to the batsman.

As a finger spinner, always realize that bowling fast is not the answer, sometime you just need to give the ball - more loop, more flight. If you give the ball some air, it has a better chance of spinning.