Are You Bowling the Right Line for Spin Success?
Menno Gazendam is author of Spin Bowling Project. Get your free 8 week spin bowling course here.
You will hear commentators talk about bowling in channels and lines and that good bowlers should look to bowl good lines.
This is true, but not the whole story.
When we talk about bowling a certain line, we define it in channels:
- off-stump
- outside off-stump
- middle stump
- leg stump or outside
But, remember the delivery point on the popping crease will influence the line you bowl.
For example: An off-spinner bowls an attacking line a foot outside off, but he he delivers it from wide on the popping crease, then all he does is angle the ball in.
He might be bowling the correct line, but the angle of the delivery will result in him being worked on the leg side.
He needs to bowl that line and deliver it from closer to the stumps.
Or if he bowls around the stumps and aims for 6 inches outside the batsman might be able to work him to backward point.
Whereas if he bowls it a bit closer to the stumps at the batsman’s side the angle created will stop the batsman working him to backward point.
The position you take in your delivery stride influences the angle/line you bowl greatly.
You cannot think about your channels by just thinking about where the ball should arrive at the batsman. You need to think of what is happening at both ends.
So, think of all the different lines you bowl, and remember that they are influenced by the angle from your delivery position.
You need to establish where you want the batsman to play you. Then plan your delivery position, angle and channel to make that happen.
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Comments
Interesting stuff; how would you change the field for each of the four options? Is there any advantage to be had in mixing up your position on the crease?
Think of the classic off spin dismissal: Drifting away from the right handed batsman, seam at 45 degrees so it dips and lands just short of a half volley, then turning viciously and kicking up, going between the gap (through the gate) and clipping the top of off. Magic stuff.
But nearly all bowlers want to know, how do replicate this dismissal ball after ball? It seems to happen only once in a while, for some only once in a lifetime. Where is that perfect spot that forces the right handed batsman to make a huge gap in his defense? I have looked closely at footage of through the gate dismissals and there seems to be a perfect line and length, maybe even a set one (eg. 45 centimeters outside the off stump, 2.5 meters from the popping crease) that forces an error.
How do you, in a game situation, find out where that spot is and how does it differ depending on how the batsman takes his guard, his footwork and position on the crease? How do you find that blind spot and use it against him?