Different Types of Spin Bowling

What are the types of spin in cricket?

Spin bowlers are generally regarded as the slow bowlers in cricket, with speeds generally ranging between 70km/h and 100km/h.

Speeds in the higher 80s going up are generally regarded as the fast deliveries whilst those in the lower 80s going down are regarded as slower deliveries. Depending on the context of the game and the available pitch, the entire range of speeds has a pivotal part to play.

 

Spinners who have honed in the skill to change and adjust their speeds are better adapted to all formats of the game.

Importance of ball speed in spin bowling

First and foremost, one has to understand that the most potent weapon for slow bowlers is the spin they impart onto the ball. Some bowlers can generate more rotations per minute (rpm) on the ball, hence spinning the ball more than others.

Spin causes lateral deviation when the ball makes contact with the ground and hence challenges a batsman's ability to manage the sharp turn. And the more the rpm, the more the ball turns on contact with the ground.

 

Now, because the main weapon is spin imparted onto the ball, the bowlers have to apply the right speed that can help them extract as much spin as they can.

On dusty and worn out wickets there is more spin on offer for bowlers. On such wickets bowlers tend to slow their speeds down and give the bowl some extra flight to allow the ball to grip and turn more.

 

On hard and green wickets there isn't much spin on offer and so a slower ball can be a liability. 

In such instances where there is little to no spin on offer, slower bowlers tend to bowl at faster speeds, darting the ball straight into the wickets without the extra flight.

Instead of grip, they count more on skidding the ball in to beat a batsman's defense.

 

However, regardless of how much spin is on offer in a pitch, bowlers will still tend to vary their speeds to keep a batsman guessing.

On spin-friendly pitches a bowler may still bolt in an odd delivery to beat the batsman who is playing for a slower ball or deceive a batsman who is playing for extra spin.

 

In summary, varying speed:

• Causes variation in grip and turn
• Changes the ball's flight path
• Can induce skidding, instead of turning
• Keeps the batsman guessing

Types of Spin Bowlers

Wrist Spinners

These are generally regarded as unorthodox spinners and tend to use their wrists to generate spin onto the ball. 

What makes wrist spinners dangerous is their ability to change direction of spin with subtle changes in their wrist position during delivery. They therefore can make the ball turn both into a batsman or away from the batsman.

Due to their ability to mask spin direction with their wrists, wrist spinners have several deliveries in the armory. Their most common deliveries are:

Leg break- Also called leg spin, these are deliveries that spin away from the batsman . See illustration below (for right-handed batsman) .

Googly- Also called a wrong'un, these deliveries spin in towards the batsman, mimicking an off spin delivery (see figure below).

Wrist spinners generally tend to spin the ball more than finger spinners.

Finger Spinners 

Finger spinners use their fingers to impart spin onto a ball.

The main deliveries from finger spinners are:

Off spin- These deliveries will spin from left to right (towards a right handed batsman).

 

Left arm orthodox- These are deliveries that spin away from a right-handed batsman, because of the left arm action.

These deliveries resemble a leg break delivery