How To Bowl Leg Break?

[SLA]

You can tell from watching a single delivery from a leggie whether they're going to be a googly bowler or not. High arms windmilling away like Mushie, they will find it easy. Low arm, big grunt like Warnie, lots of sidespin, no chance.

With offies there is the same distinction, some are more front on like Ajmal and get more topspin and may be able to bowl a doosra, some are more side on like Rehman and get more drift and might be able to bowl a leg cutter or carrom ball or similar.

I can do both actions (although I can't bowl a doosra) although I use side-on in matches.

 

[shahidpak]

I had a low arm action but when i really tried to rip it my arm got high so it changed my action but my googly didnt get better. I now bowl with my first natural big spin action low arm and i think i could bowl the googly with some practice.

 

[leftie600]

I had a low arm action but when i really tried to rip it my arm got high so it changed my action but my googly didnt get better. I now bowl with my first natural big spin action low arm and i think i could bowl the googly with some practice.

It all depends on what you do to get the ball in the right place:

- Some bowlers just twist their arm around without changing much else (which means you'll have a lower arm action)
- Others also engage their fingers more (tends toward a higher arm action as they don't have to twist their arm as much)

 

[boogiespinner]

You can tell from watching a single delivery from a leggie whether they're going to be a googly bowler or not. High arms windmilling away like Mushie, they will find it easy. Low arm, big grunt like Warnie, lots of sidespin, no chance.

I don't see that's necessarily the case, Stuart MacGill had both a low arm and a very decent googly far as I can see.

 

[shahidpak]

But at the end of the day you cant say high arm bowlers bowl better googlies because when my arm got high my head was bent sideways so its basically the head/arm angle that could tell you if a leg spinner could bowl a googly

 

[leftie600]

I don't see that's necessarily the case, Stuart MacGill had both a low arm and a very decent googly far as I can see.

I think he means generally, which is true.

It is easier for a high arm leg spinner to bowl lots of googlies (due to not having to twist the arm as much). A low arm action is still capable of releasing a good googly but it's just harder because of what your arm has to go through.

 

[boogiespinner]

I think he means generally, which is true.

It is easier for a high arm leg spinner to bowl lots of googlies (due to not having to twist the arm as much). A low arm action is still capable of releasing a good googly but it's just harder because of what your arm has to go through.

Well 'no chance' means impossible!

I can't say I see how arm height is such a determinant. Suppose you have a bowler who bowls at 11 o'clock (which is the 'low' arm of Warne), who is struggling to bowl a googly. Would you say, that's easy, just bowl it at 12 o'clock?

 

[Kram81]

Would it be fair to say that the 'wrong one' is more important for chinamen bowlers as a variation? Seems very useful for them against right handers either catching an edge or a stumping.

 

[leftie600]

I can't say I see how arm height is such a determinant. Suppose you have a bowler who bowls at 11 o'clock (which is the 'low' arm of Warne), who is struggling to bowl a googly. Would you say, that's easy, just bowl it at 12 o'clock?

It's a combination of things, the grip plays a big part. Warne's grip that allows him to generate huge revs on his legbreak does not translate into an amazing googly. Watch him bowl a googly in slow mo and it looks like he's having his arm twisted by a pub bouncer.

 

[leftie600]

But at the end of the day you cant say high arm bowlers bowl better googlies because when my arm got high my head was bent sideways so its basically the head/arm angle that could tell you if a leg spinner could bowl a googly

What you're doing is a variation of what they use to coach people to learn the googly.

To make it easier to bowl a googly they often get people to drop the shoulder of their leading arm (or in your case tilt your head).

When you have the 'feel' of releasing the googly you then work to remove the obvious tells of your googly delivery.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

Would it be fair to say that the 'wrong one' is more important for chinamen bowlers as a variation? Seems very useful for them against right handers either catching an edge or a stumping.

Yeah I'd say that the wrong un is a necessity for a Chinaman bowler, especially if you're bowling against right-handers predominantly? I'd imagine if you're a Chinaman bowler, you might be given overs if there's a left-hander playing and they want to send him back to the sheds?

 

[SLA]

I think its generally acknowledged that its harder to play the ball turning away from the bat. I bowl more wrong'uns against lefthanders than usual.

 

[SLA]

https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCUQFjAB&url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/cricket-world-cup/8421924/Shane-Warne-I-have-nothing-but-admiration-for-the-formidable-Muttiah-Muralitharan.html&ei=9rgEVML8LYip7Aa-54CgBw&usg=AFQjCNHw6Eco5xDE4haZhVx1gLcLdJMK_Q&sig2=XFnaEux6kJMhn6TA83olog
There's proof otherwise. Murali and Warne both preferred turning the ball in. Turning the ball harmlessly past the outside edge is fun and all, but hitting the stumps or getting a bat pad off the inside edge is better.

This is why I prefer RHB's but of course it depends on what kind of spinner you are in terms of line, length, turn, variations etc. And obviously it is a lot different at the highest level of cricket so I understand your statement, it's not 100% correct, though.

Well no it basically confirms my point. Warne says that the general rule is that offspinners prefer lefthanders and legspinners prefer righthanders.

Murali and Warne were exceptions to the general rule, due to the very specific situation of 5 day old test pitches and being able to use the rough.

Personally I don't play 5 day test matches so that is irrelevant to me. The general rule that it is harder to play the ball turning away applies.

 

[SLA]

But what exactly is so difficult about facing a ball that you can leave whenever it doesn't pitch on the stumps? For batsmen with a strength on the off side it's batting heaven. If your main scoring area is the leg side, obviously you won't be able to hit it there with as much confidence, but that is down to the individual player's strengths and weaknesses.

Biomechanically, it is harder to adjust to a ball that leaves you than a ball that comes into you.