Wrist Spin Bowling (part Five)

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boogiespinner said:
Glad to see people having good games. I just had my first bowl over 22 yards this year. I have been doing a little practice against a brick wall so far. Difficult.

I managed to get some seam up into the groove. I am now bowling a seam up that is just about passable. I am sure there are 13 year olds who can bowl faster but it's nice to have the action working, especially feeling everything come over the front foot

legspin - abysmal. I produced one which turned enough to beat the bat.
googly - all over the place, and only turned properly.
topspinner - these were actually half-decent. This is what I had been working on against the brick wall. I was able to really get the ball spinning over the top of the hand and knowing it was spinning hard. It is quite satisfying beating a batsman in the flight with a straight ball, which to be honest I thought was something of a commentary myth before. The batsmen only got to the pitch of a couple of them. One also beat the bat by kicking and bouncing high.

I need to do some sessions with a bucket of balls and an empty net to get the legbreak working.
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I know an Aussie bloke who's a green-keeper over here, he's older than me, but played cricket as a kid. If we ever get together we always have a bit of a knock about and he bowls seam up - slow medium pace, but he gets the ball to swerved like mad, so whereas your 13 year olds can bowl faster a lot of them can't get the ball to swing. You need to get it swinging!
 
ok, I might have a new team! The unusually titled 'Bloody Lads CC'. And a match on Saturday. I might bowl seam up, I am confident that with some solitary net practice my legspin is going to be turning but I've been tinkering with the spinning action and anything could happen with it. Perhaps best not to risk anything going really wrong!
 
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boogiespinner said:
ok, I might have a new team! The unusually titled 'Bloody Lads CC'. And a match on Saturday. I might bowl seam up, I am confident that with some solitary net practice my legspin is going to be turning but I've been tinkering with the spinning action and anything could happen with it. Perhaps best not to risk anything going really wrong!
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Difficult to call, you don't know how much support you'll have if you bowl some ropey balls, but then again you might get wickets? Get some practice in - see how you feel by Saturday?
 
someblokecalleddave said:
Difficult to call, you don't know how much support you'll have if you bowl some ropey balls, but then again you might get wickets? Get some practice in - see how you feel by Saturday?
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Haven't had a chance to get a net in, but I'll see how I feel. An encouraging thing is my new captain emailed to ask about my game, I said my passion was legspin, his reply "love a leggie". Brilliant!

I have also just found a room which is really really close to the outdoor nets... :)
 
I now can hardly walk. I hope this is temporary. I bought some new cricket shoes yesterday, I guess they have a big arch, I got through the match ok but now my right foot aches like crazy on the inside of the arch and putting weight on it is really painful! I haven't made it all the way home yet, it would now be a fifteen minute walk usually from where I am now. Not sure how I am going to make it
 
ok, my first game with new team. 40 over match - we're a man short against a full side. Opposition bats and starts hitting us all around the short-boundaried park. It's a calculated devastation. Near drinks, by grace of the cricketing gods, I take a catch that is drilled to me at mid-on. Phew! I was brought on after 24 overs with the opposition 3 down or so, one of their openers was still in and just short of a century. First over was seam up, first ball goes for four but after that I escape too much punishment with balls getting fielded. Second over opener is on strike. I bowl wide of legstump. Then wide of offstump. Then a ball that bounces three times. Never looks good really. I change to legspin. First ball isn't a bad one, the opener goes to straight drive it out of the park, but it turns enough so he doesn't get hold of it and the ball squirts out to cover. Alas the fielder at cover had just retreated to the boundary. The single brings up the guy's century and as he holds his hand up to the crowd he also acknowledges the good legbreak. The next legbreak is overpitched and goes for a legbye I think. Last ball of the over I confidently attempt a googly at the opener, it's not a great one - slow and well wide of off - it goes for a single. I am taken off after that - a little disappointed! Just getting into the groove! The opener goes on to score 150 out of a total of 304 I think.

We fall short, 230 or so. I am scoring, but a flurry of wickets near the end mean I have to face the last ball of the match to secure the moral 'draw'. I don't have time to pad up! So I go to the crease in style with no pads or gloves - the bowler isn't too quick - and with fielders all around the bat I successfully block the last ball. Great fun :)
 
boogiespinner said:
We fall short, 230 or so. I am scoring, but a flurry of wickets near the end mean I have to face the last ball of the match to secure the moral 'draw'. I don't have time to pad up! So I go to the crease in style with no pads or gloves - the bowler isn't too quick - and with fielders all around the bat I successfully block the last ball. Great fun :)
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Batting with no pads or gloves? Can't imagine ever doing that. I can't believe they batted on to 300+. You would think they would dangle the carrot a bit more and try to maximise their chances of winning.

My game was a bit annoying. We had no game the week before, so I was looking forward to this one. They only had 8 players, so our captain gave them one of our players, leaving it as 9 versus 10. We batted first and were bowled out for 123 (123 for 9, but that was all out considering our captain had given one of our batters away). Their chase began with a flurry of 4's and 6's as their opener batter/slogger got hold of one of our opening bowlers (I think he took 38 off his 4 overs), hitting almost everything to cow corner. Most of our seamers struggled to keep the ball full enough to threaten the stumps and bowled little more than long hops that were carted to the boundary. Only one seamer was able to get the ball full enough on any sort of a regular basis.

I came one. First ball was poor. The second ball was quite poor too but the batter somehow managed to chop it into the ground and back onto his stumps. Some time into my spell, I had a disagreement with some of their players after a batter hits the ball to 3rd man. They all shout "good shot". To me, it was an edge and so I said so, which upset them a bit. There then followed quite a few angry words and a bit of a confrontation ensued. After that all calmed down, I got back to bowling. Bowled a couple of two or three full tosses on legstump (possibly because I'd lost my composure) and they were pulled for 4's. Also dropped a googly short and that was hit to a very short (maybe only 25yards) off-side boundary. I then got an edge to a decent delivery that the keeper missed, soon followed by another edge off another decent delivery that the 1st slip took. Our keeper was a young lad who is really struggling to keep. He's 14yo, but is very small (maybe only about 4ft 6inch) and struggles quite a lot. I get one past the batter, who had a big swing and comes out of his crease. The young keeper, who is probably not close enough to the stumps, sees the ball bounce up by his head and misses the stumping. Next ball, the batter smashed the ball down the groun, dropping just short of the boundary. I finish with 2 wickets for 31 off 6 overs. Not really an enjoyable day at all.

That said, I did hit a few decent shots when I was batting. I only got the 14 runs, but played a nice late cut for 4 and a couple of very nice drives (one was an on-drive for 4 - very happy with that).
 
Cleanprophet said:
Batting with no pads or gloves? Can't imagine ever doing that. I can't believe they batted on to 300+. You would think they would dangle the carrot a bit more and try to maximise their chances of winning.
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I should have made clear, they did win with the higher score off 40 overs, there wasn't a draw officially.

Frustrating when a keeper misses a stumping. One of my deliveries was down leg and it turns out the batman gloved it, and the keeper apologised to me for missing the catch. I just felt I'd got away with a bad ball.

We had some friction in our game with an opposition batsman not walking, twice our keeper appealed as if he had taken a definite catch, I couldn't tell from mid on either case, but after the second appeal was turned down our keeper was apoplectic. Things got more relaxed after he made a sharp stumping and the batsman walked.
 
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Weird game at the weekend at a beautiful cricket pitch - I took another 3 bowling with a damaged Achilles tendon, 3 really enjoyable wickets though - big hitting very correct batsman, well set... out LBW. Cocky little kid with flash bat and county credentials - out stumped for 2, and a beautifully planned a la' Shane Warne top-spinner off my last ball! My son Joe bowled really well too with the best figures in the team average-wise. Full report and pictures here http://mpafirsteleven.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/basildon-pitsea-cc-4th-xi-v-southend-on.html

I'm now on 35-3-106-11
 
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Just done some brick wall practice. Is it just me that likes throwing against the wall?

I found a nice practice delivery. Throwing underarm, attempting to produce topspin by turning the wrist over so the palm faces to the right on release. The idea is to whip the ball through and stop the hand at release so the ball flies off with maximum spin.

This feels like the way I think the big turning googlies come out. I seem to have lost the googly lately so hope this exercise brings it back.
 
boogiespinner said:
Just done some brick wall practice. Is it just me that likes throwing against the wall?

I found a nice practice delivery. Throwing underarm, attempting to produce topspin by turning the wrist over so the palm faces to the right on release. The idea is to whip the ball through and stop the hand at release so the ball flies off with maximum spin.

This feels like the way I think the big turning googlies come out. I seem to have lost the googly lately so hope this exercise brings it back.
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I don't like it that much. Macca was always a big advocate of doing it. Might be I haven't got any smooth walls.
 
Been keeping up half-hour or so of practice against the brick wall daily - really feel technique becoming more solid. On Friday I get keys for new place, which will be near the nets! I am determined to crack this thing. Found seam up is a lot smoother if I really bend and spring from the lower back.
 
Cleanprophet said:
...Some time into my spell, I had a disagreement with some of their players after a batter hits the ball to 3rd man. They all shout "good shot". To me, it was an edge and so I said so, which upset them a bit. There then followed quite a few angry words and a bit of a confrontation ensued...
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What team did you play for Dave?
Funny you say that because I've noticed heated moments like these always happen in the 3rd or 4th teams,in my 4th team we had heated arguments in 2 consecutive matches... In one of them the opposition skipper called our 13 years old keeper a d***head after getting dismissed, and when I was bowling I got smashed for a couple of 4s so someone from the opposition was shouting " Oh hit the rubbish away, he's sh*t, take him off, no actually leave hin on, after the end of the match and a disappointing draw I went to the guy and said "Was it you that said this?" He replied angrily even though I was calm "Yeah so what're you gonna do? Are you threatening me?" I replied "Just keep walking" He was quite short so not at all intimidating maybe that's why a big guy from his club came up to me and started threatening me lol
 
shahidpak said:
What team did you play for Dave?
Funny you say that because I've noticed heated moments like these always happen in the 3rd or 4th teams,in my 4th team we had heated arguments in 2 consecutive matches... In one of them the opposition skipper called our 13 years old keeper a d***head after getting dismissed, and when I was bowling I got smashed for a couple of 4s so someone from the opposition was shouting " Oh hit the rubbish away, he's sh*t, take him off, no actually leave hin on, after the end of the match and a disappointing draw I went to the guy and said "Was it you that said this?" He replied angrily even though I was calm "Yeah so what're you gonna do? Are you threatening me?" I replied "Just keep walking" He was quite short so not at all intimidating maybe that's why a big guy from his club came up to me and started threatening me lol
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That's some nasty stuff there from those opposition players. I've had a few moments in games (usually when batters don't walk after an edge), but none that have led to a confrontation and there's not really been any really nasty comments made. In my game on Sunday there were a couple of brothers (one was 15yo and the other was probably 14yo) and they were very mouthy. Really, their team/dad had never pulled them into line so they've always got away with mouthing off, until I gave them some back. I don't care if the young lad was 15yo or not, I won't accept anyone mouthing off and not give some back. For me, I enjoy a bit of needle in a game. I bowl better when I'm a bit angry. My feeling is, if you give it out, you can't complain when you get it back.

It was quite funny actually. One of the lads who was mouthing off was saying "wait until I face your bowling" etc etc. He got out before he got that chance, swinging across (slogging across) a full ball. Awful batting. I was bowling to one of the brothers (who was new to the crease) and his other brother says "there's no spin at all. He's getting no spin". It was intended to be a dig at me, but it just made me laugh because it was spinning plenty. Next ball, the lad pushes forward, the ball spins and misses the edge. You don't need to say anything if their own players are doing the work for you. Not longer after, I got another ball to turn and take the edge - only for the ball to go between keeper and slip (was keeper's, but a tough catch). The lad runs past me laughing and saying "there's an edge for you!". I just got on with it. Next over, the lad gets out to a seamer. I then come back on and this time I am facing the two brother's dad. I later found out that he turned to our slip and keeper and said "a spinner who doesn't spin the ball" and laughed. Very next ball was on the money, dragged him forward, turned, took the edge and was caught by 1st slip. I turned to brother who was still out there and said "how's about that for an edge then?". Of course, they all start whinging and getting upset. As I say, if you can't take it, don't give it.
 
Cleanprophet said:
That's some nasty stuff there from those opposition players. I've had a few moments in games (usually when batters don't walk after an edge), but none that have led to a confrontation and there's not really been any really nasty comments made. In my game on Sunday there were a couple of brothers (one was 15yo and the other was probably 14yo) and they were very mouthy. Really, their team/dad had never pulled them into line so they've always got away with mouthing off, until I gave them some back. I don't care if the young lad was 15yo or not, I won't accept anyone mouthing off and not give some back. For me, I enjoy a bit of needle in a game. I bowl better when I'm a bit angry. My feeling is, if you give it out, you can't complain when you get it back.

It was quite funny actually. One of the lads who was mouthing off was saying "wait until I face your bowling" etc etc. He got out before he got that chance, swinging across (slogging across) a full ball. Awful batting. I was bowling to one of the brothers (who was new to the crease) and his other brother says "there's no spin at all. He's getting no spin". It was intended to be a dig at me, but it just made me laugh because it was spinning plenty. Next ball, the lad pushes forward, the ball spins and misses the edge. You don't need to say anything if their own players are doing the work for you. Not longer after, I got another ball to turn and take the edge - only for the ball to go between keeper and slip (was keeper's, but a tough catch). The lad runs past me laughing and saying "there's an edge for you!". I just got on with it. Next over, the lad gets out to a seamer. I then come back on and this time I am facing the two brother's dad. I later found out that he turned to our slip and keeper and said "a spinner who doesn't spin the ball" and laughed. Very next ball was on the money, dragged him forward, turned, took the edge and was caught by 1st slip. I turned to brother who was still out there and said "how's about that for an edge then?". Of course, they all start whinging and getting upset. As I say, if you can't take it, don't give it.
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I've never heard of any batsman starting before lol
 
You'd have to be either very confident or very silly to initiate sledging as a batsman. Retort - sure, but why sledge? One - you are outnumbered and going to get it back several times over - and two, at some point the fielding side is very likely to have the last word in the matter.
 
boogiespinner said:
You'd have to be either very confident or very silly to initiate sledging as a batsman. Retort - sure, but why sledge? One - you are outnumbered and going to get it back several times over - and two, at some point the fielding side is very likely to have the last word in the matter.
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I know that when I'm batting I am focusing that much on my batting that I wouldn't even be aware of any sledging directed at me - nevermind starting some myself!
 
depressed :( played a friendly today, had a two-over spell which was terrible, couldn't land the ball, second over had a collections of wides. Back to the nets.
 
Cleanprophet said:
As I say, if you can't take it, don't give it.
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A while ago a team we were scheduled to play against withdrew as 1 of their players had died in a car crash after their Thursday practice. We got in contact with their club and said that we'd forget the game and split the points, they said don't worry about and that they would find another team. When we arrived at the ground on Saturday we saw that they had put out their u-15 team. We asked their coach what was going on as we had some decent players and could seriously hurt these kids, he said they would be fine.

They batted first and our quick left armer got a few to seam through the opening kid's armpits, cue boos from the parents and cries of "Bully!". Our opening bowlers after consulting our captain then come off two step run ups. After getting them 5/5 one of their batters starts pounding a few and starts mouthing off at our opening bowlers! We talk to their coach, who is the kid's Dad, he says the kid can play and he also has no concerns if the quicks go at 100% because they're "not that quick". Next ball crashed into the kids chest and he collapsed onto his stumps.

Sledging when you're a 15 year old playing men? Not wise.
 
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