New Video!

[TomBowler97]

Give it a go if you want, remember that if you don't like it or it just feels wrong go back to what feels right.

Just one thing about bowling. The biggest mistake that people make is that if they feel like they are straining their muscles when bowling then all that effort must be helping their bowling, this is not true. Although bowling does involve some weird body movements the bowling action should be as natural and comfortable as possible. If by dropping your arm it becomes easier to bowl spin and you aren't straining anything then great, if you do feel some extra stress with no extra spin then something is wrong.

Good idea!
Also is my foot landing on my toes and being high and not flat footed on the landing of the bound important or not? Like does it need to be flat?
How do I get the ball to come out at 45-90 degree, is it in the wrist position?

 

[TomBowler97]

Good idea!
Also is my foot landing on my toes and being high and not flat footed on the landing of the bound important or not? Like does it need to be flat?
How do I get the ball to come out at 45-90 degree, is it in the wrist position?

 

[someblokecalleddave]

1.What could I do to get the seam not mixed and to a nice degree?
2.Also is there any explanation to why it is doing this?
3.Also how lose is the ball in your hand?
4.Do you put it into the palm or right lose in the fingers?
5. Do you have the thumb on or off the ball? I have it on as I struggle to grip others because of my small-ish hands.
6. Is my wrist in the right position and is the ball coming out from the back of the hand?
7. Does my high arm mean there will not be as much spin as if it was at Warnies angle? And could the high arm be limiting the correct wrist position to get a big leg break?

What also confuses me is that last year I took a hat trick with all wickets being bowled and one of them pitching outside leg to hit top of off. So I know I can turn the ball, I am really looking for other opinions because I wanna be the best leggie in the world.

I normally perfect the seam so I do not know if the tape around the ball might be slipping I am not sure really. Let me know what you think to the questions!

You can also see at 1:17 in super slow motion what my release point is and also a question about my grip, are the fingers meant to go over the seam, until this video I didn't realise my fingers slip over the seam, is this an issue as the third finger may not be able to be used properly?

1.What could I do to get the seam not mixed and to a nice degree? I think this is just a case of the correct placing in your hand/fingers.
2.Also is there any explanation to why it is doing this?As above.
3.Also how lose is the ball in your hand? Very loose, but you have to be relaxed generally. Just experiment with the loose grip - see how it goes?
4.Do you put it into the palm or right lose in the fingers? This depends and this in itself creates variation in your basic leg-break. Deep in the hand for me is my stock ball, higher up in the fingers gives me more topspin and the potential to bowl Googlies.
5. Do you have the thumb on or off the ball? I have it on as I struggle to grip others because of my small-ish hands. Thumb off the ball for basic leg-break. Thumb on the ball for top-spin and Googly.
6. Is my wrist in the right position and is the ball coming out from the back of the hand? Wrist looks OK.
7. Does my high arm mean there will not be as much spin as if it was at Warnies angle? And could the high arm be limiting the correct wrist position to get a big leg break? High arm means easier to bowl variations (Top-spin and Googly), but possibly works against you getting drift.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

1. Practice, find a grip and ball position in your hand that means the ball will come out as you want.
2. You are not releasing the ball the same way (hence why I'm seeing you bowl topspinners and straight ones)
3. Loose enough so you are relaxed but in control. If you grip the ball too tightly you can't give the ball maximum spin. If you hold it too loosely you won't have any control.
4. Preferably in the fingers.
5. Doesn't matter.
6. 'Orthodox' leg spin comes out the side of the hand. 'Back of the hand' deliveries tend to be googlies.
7. It means you won't maximise your leg spin but it makes it easier to bowl topspinners and googlies. It doesn't prevent/limit the correct wrist position but it limits the right to left sweeping arm that gives extra revs for leg spin.

IMPORTANT!! It's great to idolise and learn from the bowling action of someone like Warne but you will develop your own unique style and learn its strengths and weaknesses. Don't make yourself bowl like Warne if it isn't you.

I think what Leftie says at the end here is probably one of the most important things. My bowling has got so much better since thinking sod it, I'll just bowl in a way that feels comfortable. My sons say that my approach to the crease and action through the crease looks messy and they take the mick out of me. But, since trying not to bowl like bowler a, b or c I've got so much better really quickly. I think as a learner there is some value in exploring different ways and unless you're a complete natural or if you've got a really good coach, it might be the only way that you can learn. I think that you have to accept the fact that it may take years and years to figure out a way that suits you, but if you want it, it will come. I think too it's also important to play at a level that fits your bowling and ability, you have to allow yourself the opportunity for success, otherwise it can be utterly depressing unless of course you're that thick skinned you don't mind seeing the ball sailing across the boundary ball after ball and then get taken out of the attack after 3 overs. It's hard - really hard, for 4-5 years now I've bowled erratically and it's only in the last 2 seasons things have come together and primarily that's down to bowling in my own way having experimented in so many ways.

 

[leftie600]

Good idea!
Also is my foot landing on my toes and being high and not flat footed on the landing of the bound important or not? Like does it need to be flat?
How do I get the ball to come out at 45-90 degree, is it in the wrist position?

The foot thing is not a concern, just concentrate on pivoting and following through.

Work on flicking the ball from hand to hand ans actually see what effect the wrist position and ball position in your fingers has. After that start bowling and get a 'feel' for what gets you that 45 degree maximum spin.

The wrist determines where your hand is so it does affect what angle the ball comes out. But...the wrist is essentially another lever that accentuates the spin your fingers on the ball. Therefore the wrist should be loose. Some people make the mistake of keeping the wrist stiff and 'cocked' all the way through when it should be loose and helping the flick.

 

[boogiespinner]

How do I get the ball to come out at 45-90 degree, is it in the wrist position?

This is the crucial question. There is so much about technique concerning the body, pivot, leading arm, etc etc. But most of the magic is from arm up and particularly wrist up. And there is pretty much a great big fat zero of coaching on that. I have some thoughts but far from feeling I have a definitive understanding let alone mastery.

 

[boogiespinner]

One starting point, which I think Philpott mentions in his book (you should get that TomBowler97 if you haven't already) is that it is not difficult to bowl a pure legbreak underarm. In fact the action is quite intuitive. In theory, just then bringing this action through roundarm should result in a pure overarm legbreak.

Easier said than done.

 

[TomBowler97]

The foot thing is not a concern, just concentrate on pivoting and following through.

Work on flicking the ball from hand to hand ans actually see what effect the wrist position and ball position in your fingers has. After that start bowling and get a 'feel' for what gets you that 45 degree maximum spin.

The wrist determines where your hand is so it does affect what angle the ball comes out. But...the wrist is essentially another lever that accentuates the spin your fingers on the ball. Therefore the wrist should be loose. Some people make the mistake of keeping the wrist stiff and 'cocked' all the way through when it should be loose and helping the flick.

I believe my wrist is cocked all the way through, I have always done this since watching the Terry Jenner video where he teachers leg spin and making sure it is cocked at the hip so it ready to fire I believe he said, How do you have your wrist cocked at the hip but loose at the top?

 

[leftie600]

I believe my wrist is cocked all the way through, I have always done this since watching the Terry Jenner video where he teachers leg spin and making sure it is cocked at the hip so it ready to fire I believe he said, How do you have your wrist cocked at the hip but loose at the top?

My bad, I wasn't clear.

Cock the wrist at the hip but make sure it helps with the flick at the end. I use the term loose as although cocking the wrist gets everything in the starting position I need to make sure the wrist helps with the flick and isn't stiff and rigid at delivery.

Some people cock the wrist at the hip and keep it cocked or stiff all the way through. If you do this you end up only using your fingers for spinning the ball.

 

[TomBowler97]

My bad, I wasn't clear.

Cock the wrist at the hip but make sure it helps with the flick at the end. I use the term loose as although cocking the wrist gets everything in the starting position I need to make sure the wrist helps with the flick and isn't stiff and rigid at delivery.

Some people cock the wrist at the hip and keep it cocked or stiff all the way through. If you do this you end up only using your fingers for spinning the ball.

I believe I am guilty with the second, I keep it cocked all the way through, so this is why I probably am spinning it only with the fingers and rarely with the wrist.

 

[someblokecalleddave]

I believe I am guilty with the second, I keep it cocked all the way through, so this is why I probably am spinning it only with the fingers and rarely with the wrist.

Again for me this was one of those things I never quite understood when people said 'Flick the wrist'. I always thought that the idea of 'Flicking the wrist' sounded a bit impossible. One day sitting at my desk thinking about it - I thought - maybe this flicking is actually more of an unfurling action? As soon as I thought about it in those terms, things made more sense, I use the wrist, but the actual action combined with everything else I would more realistically describe as 'Unfurling' e.g. a bit slower than a flick. For all I know, when combine with your whole body and what with it being at the end of the whole process (Think in terms of my whip analogy) perhaps it does transition into less of an unfurl and more of a flick? But I couldn't be sure.