In our previous blog post, we talked about How to Bowl Off Spin, discussing the proper grip and release of the off-spin ball. We’ll recap briefly what we learnt soon.
But in this post, we’ll talk about some of the variations an off-spinner could have, such as the Arm Ball, the Top Spinner, the Doosra, and the Carrom Ball.
There are other variations, and there’s nothing stopping you finding tweaks to your action during training and practice.
Just be sure that before you debut your new world-first premier off-spin variation in a real game you have practiced it extensively in the nets and training before hand.
Re-Cap of the Off Spin Grip and Delivery
You can have all the variations you can ever want, but unless the differences between the variation and a normal off-spin delivery are subtle, you may as well hold a big sign above your head saying ‘This ball is going to be a topspinner!’
Because of this, we’ll begin by recapping how to bowl an off-spin delivery, so that the rest of the post can describe how you subtly adjust the off-spin delivery to become the variation you need it to be.
The grip for an off-spinner may depend on the size of your hands. Whichever is easiest for you, grip the ball with two or three fingers spread widely across the seam. Approach the wicket in a measured run up. This should not change when you are bowling an off-spin variation.
In the delivery stride, bring your arm over, the back of your hand facing the leg-side. Your wrist should be positioned so that when you release the ball, your fingers roll over the seam, which causes the ball to spin. The ball’s seam should be pointed at 45 degrees to the batsman – aimed at leg-slip – and as it goes down the pitch, the ball should spin along its seam, so that the seam remains at 45 degrees until it bounces.
Developing the Arm Ball
Now that we’ve recapped the off-spinner, let’s look at one of the crucial off spin variations. It is called the arm-ball, and its called this because the ball does not spin; instead, it skids on with the arm, typically going straighter or with a slight inward angle towards a right-handed batsman.
Now, you might wonder why would an off-spinner try and work on a ball that doesn’t spin as a variation. It’s all to do with the subtle change between an off-spinner and an arm-ball.
If a batter is expecting the ball to spin, which will be happening most of the time, because an off-spinner’s stock ball is the ball that spins from off to leg, a ball that doesn’t spin can easily catch the outside edge of a bat expecting the ball to spin.
Grip
The key difference between an off-spinner and an arm ball boils down to the grip. Instead of having the seam perpendicular to your fingers, turn it 90 degrees so that your index finger run downs the seam. Your thumb should support the ball on one side, while your middle fingers support the ball on the other side. The other fingers just slot into place wherever comfortable.
The grip for the arm ball is very similar to the grip a medium pace bowler has when he’s wanting to swing the ball.
Delivery
But unlike a medium pace bowler, you are an off-spinner trying to deceive the batter. So your run up and delivery stride should not look any different to your normal run up and delivery stride. Similarly, your arm action should not change either. At the point of delivery, snap your index-finger down the ball, looking as much like your normal off-spinning delivery as possible.
The ball will hopefully swing or drift in the same way an off-spinner can, but it will not spin back as the batter expects.
To keep up with the charade, ensure that your follow through doesn’t change either, when compared with your normal off-spin delivery.
When to Use the Arm Ball
The arm ball is particularly effective when the batter is playing for spin. Strategic moments to use it include when a batter is looking to score quickly or stepping out of the crease to attack.
It is also highly effective just after a series of sharply turning deliveries, as the contrast in movement can trap the batter before the wicket, either bowled or lbw, or even catch them off-guard for a caught behind.
This ball is also best served when there is a little swing in the air. If the fast bowlers aren’t getting any swing, you might want to think twice about using it.
But even if the conditions are perfect, do not bowl this ball too often, as it will lose its element of surprise. This is the case with any variation. Your stock ball, the off-spinner, should be bowled 80% of the time, with differences in the amount of flight and the speed of the bowl. Only occasionally bowl the variation.
Mastering the Top Spinner
The Top Spinner is another variation that doesn’t spin. Instead, it behaves similarly to a top-spin tennis shot, which dips and then bounces higher than a normal shot.
Grip
This one’s easy. The grip for a top-spinner is the same as for an off-spinner.
Release
At the point of release, the back of your hand should point out to midwicket. And the biggest difference between the off-spin and the top-spinner is the direction of the seam. Whereas for an off-spinner, the seam points at 45 degrees to leg-slip, for a top-spinner, the seam points straight down the pitch. That angle of the seam allows for the dip before the ball bounces, and ball hitting the pitch off the seam allows for the increased bounce.
When to Use the Top Spinner
The top spinner is most effective when the batter is playing for the turn of a regular off-spin delivery. Ideal situations include when a batter is trying to defend or playing on the back foot, anticipating the ball to turn.
The extra bounce and straighter trajectory can lead to edges to the slip cordon or catches off the bat’s shoulder.
Additionally, in conditions where the pitch offers inconsistent bounce or during the latter stages of a game when the pitch starts to break up, the top spinner can be particularly lethal.
Nathan Lyon bowls a lot of top-spinners, having found that kind of ball particularly suitable on Australian pitches, which have caused many touring off-spinners plenty of nightmares over the years.
Incorporating the Doosra
The doosra, a delivery that spins in the opposite direction to the conventional off-break, has become a notable and controversial aspect of modern off-spin bowling. Its name, meaning “the second one” or “the other one” in Urdu, hints at its deceptive nature, turning away from the right-handed batter, contrary to expectations.
The doosra was popularized by Pakistani off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its effectiveness quickly made it a subject of fascination and scrutiny.
The controversy mainly revolves around the bowling action required to deliver the doosra, often pushing the limits of the 15-degree elbow extension rule set by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Critics argue that it encourages illegal bowling actions, while proponents see it as an evolution in the art of spin bowling, expanding the bowler’s arsenal dramatically.
Grip
Again, this one’s easy. The grip doesn’t change from your typically off-spin grip.
Release
It’s at the release where things change. Just before the release, you will need to twist your wrist counter-clockwise (if you are a right hander), so that the back of your hand is facing towards square leg, rather than more towards mid-wicket, if you are bowling an off-spinner. To allow for this wrist rotation, you will need to drop your shoulder and bend your elbow a little bit.
This is where the doosra can be controversial; bending your elbow during the delivery is not illegal; bending then straightening the elbow during the delivery is illegal. So keep that elbow bent.
When it comes time to release, use your fingers to spin the ball as you would an off-break. Because of the adjustment to your wrist rotation, the ball will spin the other way.
The Challenge
Perfecting a Doosra is difficult and takes a long time. To bowl the ball, you are straddling the line between a legal delivery and throwing. If you use it often, expect it to come under scrutiny. If bowled well, and bowled legally, this type of ball can be a game-changer, a ball that not only doesn’t spin like an off-spinner, but actually spins in the opposite direction with just a subtle change in the actions is very difficult for a batter to pick.
The Carrom Ball
This delivery is for the advanced level only. The carrom ball uses a unique finger technique and a snap of the thumb and a finger—often the middle finger—to impart spin on the ball. The direction of the spin depends on the location of the middle finger.
The Basic Grip
First, hold out your hand, extending your thumb and index finger, but bend your middle finger so that it touches your palm. Place the ball, with the seam perpendicular, in between the thumb and middle finger, with the index finger in the middle. The tips of your thumb and index finger should sit on the seam.
Release
This is where the magic happens. Technically, the Carrom ball is its own variety of spinning ball, as it doesn’t really belong in the off-spin category, nor does it belong in the leg-spinning category.
This is because the ball is flicked out by the middle finger. It is called a Carrom ball because the flicking motion is similar to the motion performed when playing the Indian tabletop game called Carrom. Don’t know what this game is; here’s a link.
Before even putting the ball in your hand, hold out your hand, thumb and index finger straight, and your middle finger bent down to your thumb. Then, extend your middle finger, flicking it out. Think of a how you snap your fingers (if you can snap your fingers). The action of your middle finger when you perform a snap, is the opposite of a carrom flick.
Now, that you’ve figure out the movement of your middle finger without the ball, try to put a ball in there and do the same thing. At the point of release, flick the ball out with your middle finger.
You can adjust the location of your middle finger, and the direction of the seam. If you place your middle finger more on the leg side, the ball will more likely spin like a leg-spinner. If you place your middle finger more on the off-side, the ball will more likely spin like an off-spinner.
You can even grip it further to the leg side, and it will travel straight.
Tactical Deployment of the Carrom Ball
The carrom ball is extremely versatile and can be effectively used against aggressive batters looking to dominate spin, as well as more cautious players.
Its unpredictability in spin and bounce makes it a valuable tool in a spinner’s arsenal to disrupt a batter’s rhythm.
It can be particularly effective in limited-overs cricket, where batters often premeditate their shots, making them susceptible to misreading the spin. Deploying the carrom ball can lead to crucial breakthroughs, making it a preferred choice in critical game phases.
But make no mistake about the carrom ball. It is a very difficult ball to master. It requires a lot of practice before you can think of bringing it out in a real game.
Also, if you are an off-spin bowler, a Carrom Ball will look noticeably different than any of your other deliveries. Which is why you should learn a few different variations of the Carrom Ball, so that with a very subtle change of seam position you can make a bowl spin in different directions.
Final Word on Variations
As on off-spinner, you don’t need to master every variation in this list … but you do need variation. 80% of your deliveries should be the stock standard off-spin, but even with this delivery you can vary the pace, drift and landing points of your deliveries.
Begin by mastering the off-spin delivery, then venture out into master variations. But while you are branching out, remember to keep practicing your stock-standard off-spinner. Your efforts to master your variations should not effect your ability to bowl the delivery you will bowl 80% of the time.
As the game of cricket evolves, so too must the methods and skills of a bowler. Dedication to practice, coupled with strategic thinking, will ensure that an off-spinner remains a formidable force in the cricketing world.
We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. Leave a comment with who your favourite off-spinner is and what variation you like seeing the most.
And come back to read our next blog post where we will talk about leg spin.