Wrist Spin Bowling (part Five)

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SomeblokecalledDave. said:
Leggy88 Leggy88 How you doing? What's your season been like? Anyone in the UK gearing up for winter nets yet, what are you going to be working on over that period? I've still not nailed the Top-Spinner, so that's a something I hope to improve on along with general accuracy. I've come up with a basic field for next year I hope to be working with, it worked well last year, but it requires good accuracy as its 7-2 split with only 2 on the legside. I was asked to be the captain of our 6th XI for this season, but have turned it down, I just don't like doing it and the 6th XI is friendly side. I know all the new blokes that played in the 6th last year are looking to move up into the 5th XI with the captain who is their mate and introduced them to the club. The 5th XI is a league side and they're all gagging to play league cricket and that's the team I want to be playing with as I played with them every game last season. The problem is there is already an established 5th XI team who will probably expect to simply get a new captain. I reckon its all going to get a bit cliquey. The selection process has changed too, there's 4 allegedly 'Independents' to supposedly to somehow counter and balance out the selections, but looking at their names they just look like allies to the captains they normally play under. The club though has conceded that it might not work, but are going to see how it pans out. Can't wait, just need to work in my fitness and agility over the coming weeks.
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I recently slightly injured a ligament in the back of my knee. It’s not serious and it’s already 90% healed. But I haven’t been bowling pace because it’s my back leg and I still have some weakness.

I’ve been bowling leg spin and getting plenty of turn and bounce on our club nets that traditionally keep quite low and challenging some higher grade batsman. My stock ball has visible dip and drift and I can bowl a top spinner that dips and bounces a bunch and a front of the hand back spinner that floats onto the batsman.

I don’t think I’m actually capable of bowling a wrong’un.

I’m thinking of taking the Sobers route and bowling meds and leggies when required. I feel like I can be enough of a threat just with how many revs I get on my stock ball with some changes of pace and the odd toppy/backspinner.
 
I also like using my crease and bowling the odd ball a bit wider.

I reckon in a 2 day match or even a slow paced one dayer I could chuck someone under the lid and get some catches off my top spinner.
 
Our winter nets don't start until April unfortunately, so not really winter nets. And while Surrey run nets at the Oval they have been closed for a massive refurbishment for almost a year... so no winter training for me, sadly.

I hope Dave that your selection politics plays out okay. Dodgy selection and captaincy have the potential to be the wrist-spinner's worst enemies...

Hope the yips issue falls away Leggy88. Something that has worked for me in the past when things have taken a backwards step is just to stop bowling at batters in the nets and do my own thing, which takes a lot of the pressure off. Then you can do things like bowl from a standing start / limited run up etc.
 
Leggy88 said:
Yeah I'm doing alright thanks, but in terms of bowling not so good to be honest. I have played 8 games and taken 6 wickets, but have gone at a run rate of 8 an over and average of 28 per wicket. For some reason I've just lost my accuracy and have been struggling with the yips...
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How are you resolving that? I've had that before. I reckon this is where you need a good captain who's listened to Warne in the past. I reckon he also has to have some appreciation of wrist-spin and know longer term you're likely to come good and be an asset to the side. Are you finding that when you practice you bowl really well and then as soon as you get into a game scenario you're all over the place? My captain sorted mine by seemingly showing confidence in me. All he did was use me as the opener and I seem to remember thinking this'll throw them (batters) as this is not what they're expecting and it worked. Also seem to remember that I just started to think about the games in a different way. I always used to take them really seriously and when I went for runs I'd internalise it and see it as being my fault that we'd lost. I switched that around by looking at the batters and noting more often than not some of these 'Super human big ego' batters who were put on a pedestal for making 50's and 100's most weeks were out for less than 10 with sprinklings of 0's and no-one said anything. I started to see that is was them that lost us the games and deflected the blame that I was putting on myself. I also started to ask myself why am I beating myself up when its just a club game? It's not like I'm a brain surgeon getting it wrong. I gradually lightened the load and just started bowling a lot better.
 
AC222 said:
Our winter nets don't start until April unfortunately, so not really winter nets. And while Surrey run nets at the Oval they have been closed for a massive refurbishment for almost a year... so no winter training for me, sadly.

I hope Dave that your selection politics plays out okay. Dodgy selection and captaincy have the potential to be the wrist-spinner's worst enemies...

Hope the yips issue falls away Leggy88. Something that has worked for me in the past when things have taken a backwards step is just to stop bowling at batters in the nets and do my own thing, which takes a lot of the pressure off. Then you can do things like bowl from a standing start / limited run up etc.
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I reckon the selection thing will be fine, I'm prepared to be in the 6th XI if I have to, as long as they play fair and give me some league games. There's a few people at the club in the higher echelons that know how committed and obsessed I am. They know I set good examples to others on all sorts of fronts, plus I go well against better more respectful players who put a high price on their wickets, so they generally make sure I get some league games. But, I will have to bowl well in winter nets, to show I'm still able to do it. I'm currently playing indoor cricket and have been selected for every game I say I'm available for, so either I'm doing something right or someone at the club is looking after me or a bit of both.
 
Anyone watching the women's series down under? Georgia Wareham and Alanna King? They're spinning a deadly web down there. England are lost. What do you reckon to their bowling and their two approaches? They utterly different.
 
SomeblokecalledDave. said:
How are you resolving that? I've had that before. I reckon this is where you need a good captain who's listened to Warne in the past. I reckon he also has to have some appreciation of wrist-spin and know longer term you're likely to come good and be an asset to the side. Are you finding that when you practice you bowl really well and then as soon as you get into a game scenario you're all over the place? My captain sorted mine by seemingly showing confidence in me. All he did was use me as the opener and I seem to remember thinking this'll throw them (batters) as this is not what they're expecting and it worked. Also seem to remember that I just started to think about the games in a different way. I always used to take them really seriously and when I went for runs I'd internalise it and see it as being my fault that we'd lost. I switched that around by looking at the batters and noting more often than not some of these 'Super human big ego' batters who were put on a pedestal for making 50's and 100's most weeks were out for less than 10 with sprinklings of 0's and no-one said anything. I started to see that is was them that lost us the games and deflected the blame that I was putting on myself. I also started to ask myself why am I beating myself up when its just a club game? It's not like I'm a brain surgeon getting it wrong. I gradually lightened the load and just started bowling a lot better.
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Yeah I find I bowl well in the nets but in game its a different story... This makes a lot of sense Dave, I agree it is all mental. I tend to blame myself like you did as well, so I just need to somehow find a way to take the mental pressure I put on myself off... Good points there, will try them this weekend!
 
Leggy88 said:
Yeah I find I bowl well in the nets but in game its a different story... This makes a lot of sense Dave, I agree it is all mental. I tend to blame myself like you did as well, so I just need to somehow find a way to take the mental pressure I put on myself off... Good points there, will try them this weekend!
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Let us know how you go.
 
How serious do you lot all take your skill, fitness, agility, strength and speed in the field and does it tie into your desire to play for years to come and do you see it also as a part of the process of being considered for different teams? The question is inspired by the current discussions around the England women's team and the comparison with the Aussies made by Alex Hartley on commentary.

I've got a 4 month lead in to the first game and I don't want to be seen as a 'Shoe in' player for out 6th XI. Even though I'll be 65 this year I want to play at least in the 5th XI as a valued player and also play in the 4th or 3rd XI if they're a spinner down.

I know that having just gone through Christmas I'm at my lowest ebb with regards fitness. I now start working on it building towards the first game in May. I've also noticed one of the weakest part of my game is getting the ball in from the boundary and its one thing that everyone notices in games, so wanting to be considered for the better teams I feel its something I need to work on, so over the coming months this'll be one of many things I'll be working on.

Additionally, I'll watch my diet. I could easily succumbed to eating crap food and alcohol and pile on the weight.

What do you reckon - standard practice for club players or obsessive? My wife would says obsessive!
 
SomeblokecalledDave. said:
Let us know how you go.
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Actually the best I've bowled this season, just without luck. Bowled 7 overs (most my captain has bowled me this year) 1/23. Wicket an lbw, a square spinner that just drifted in and didn't turn while he lunged forwards with a forward defence. I was bowling when they hit the winning runs, and so whenever I felt under pressure due to the scoreboard I just thought that it was the batters fault and that meant I would keep bowling well. Worked a treat. Had 3 missed stumpings off the same guy and 2 dropped catches off different guys as well.
 
SomeblokecalledDave. said:
How serious do you lot all take your skill, fitness, agility, strength and speed in the field and does it tie into your desire to play for years to come and do you see it also as a part of the process of being considered for different teams? The question is inspired by the current discussions around the England women's team and the comparison with the Aussies made by Alex Hartley on commentary.

I've got a 4 month lead in to the first game and I don't want to be seen as a 'Shoe in' player for out 6th XI. Even though I'll be 65 this year I want to play at least in the 5th XI as a valued player and also play in the 4th or 3rd XI if they're a spinner down.

I know that having just gone through Christmas I'm at my lowest ebb with regards fitness. I now start working on it building towards the first game in May. I've also noticed one of the weakest part of my game is getting the ball in from the boundary and its one thing that everyone notices in games, so wanting to be considered for the better teams I feel its something I need to work on, so over the coming months this'll be one of many things I'll be working on.

Additionally, I'll watch my diet. I could easily succumbed to eating crap food and alcohol and pile on the weight.

What do you reckon - standard practice for club players or obsessive? My wife would says obsessive!
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Hmm thats interesting but I'm young so I'm not qualified to talk about this yet haha
 
SomeblokecalledDave. said:
How serious do you lot all take your skill, fitness, agility, strength and speed in the field and does it tie into your desire to play for years to come and do you see it also as a part of the process of being considered for different teams? The question is inspired by the current discussions around the England women's team and the comparison with the Aussies made by Alex Hartley on commentary.

I've got a 4 month lead in to the first game and I don't want to be seen as a 'Shoe in' player for out 6th XI. Even though I'll be 65 this year I want to play at least in the 5th XI as a valued player and also play in the 4th or 3rd XI if they're a spinner down.

I know that having just gone through Christmas I'm at my lowest ebb with regards fitness. I now start working on it building towards the first game in May. I've also noticed one of the weakest part of my game is getting the ball in from the boundary and its one thing that everyone notices in games, so wanting to be considered for the better teams I feel its something I need to work on, so over the coming months this'll be one of many things I'll be working on.

Additionally, I'll watch my diet. I could easily succumbed to eating crap food and alcohol and pile on the weight.

What do you reckon - standard practice for club players or obsessive? My wife would says obsessive!
Click to expand...

By far the biggest reason for me practicing fielding is because I don’t want to be “that guy” that drops catches.

I hate it off my own bowling, I don’t want to do it off someone else’s.

Also having stickybeaked enough selection meetings, fielding and fitness absolutely comes into play. My club has someone that a very, very destructive opening batsman, but he’s very unfit, doesn’t run much and is a liability in the field. So he’s held back from going up grades.
 
doc8176 said:
By far the biggest reason for me practicing fielding is because I don’t want to be “that guy” that drops catches.

I hate it off my own bowling, I don’t want to do it off someone else’s.

Also having stickybeaked enough selection meetings, fielding and fitness absolutely comes into play. My club has someone that a very, very destructive opening batsman, but he’s very unfit, doesn’t run much and is a liability in the field. So he’s held back from going up grades.
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That's as it should be as far as I'm concerned.
 
Anyone watching Alannah Kind in the women's Ashes. Superb bowling - best I've seen for years and its great to be able to watch all of it. The drift she's been getting is amazing and she's pretty damn accurate too.
 
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