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[Stratts]

Hi guys, just looking for some advice on using feet to spinners.

In the nets I am happy to come down the pitch to spinners, I know the bowlers well and generally know when I can or can't attack the ball.  However, it is completely different in the middle, against a bowler I may not have seen before.

How do you guys pick up the right ball to attack?  Is it slightly flighted (at or above eye height)? or do you perhaps detect a slower pace and use that to come down?

I tend to get bogged down against spin because I like to work the ball around but without the attacking intent I have found myself at times being penned in by the field.  I know I can play the shot well, I hit the ball hard and straight in the nets, how can I bring this to a match situation?

[richthekeeper]

i find there are two types of ball that i come down the track to (facing spin)

the first one would be the premeditated attack which would be used when a spinner is bowling quite consistently. this just looks to disrupt his rhythm and get him thinking. ideally followed later by a "feint" to come down the track in the hope that he drops short and i can play off the back foot.

the second which is less frequent would be that odd occasion when you're just playing on instinct and the ball seems to hang in the air a fraction longer than normal. it's hard to know exactly what the trigger is, but you'll feel like it's the right ball when it happens!

saying that i'm an opener so if i've survived to face the spinners i'm usually set by that point. i'd be much more careful against medium pace with the keeper stood up, and very rarely come down the wicket in that situation.

my advice to you would be to watch patiently to get a feel for the bowling, and when you do decide to attack make sure you're totally in line with the ball so if it does deviate you can let it hit you somewhere and avoid the stumping!

[Spanky]

I asked a similar question before which may help.

http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=11210.msg180701#msg180701

[Colesy]

I'm watched many videos on YouTube etc about this and I think it was one with Michael Vaughan which said when the ball goes above your eye-line then it usually gives you that little extra time to get to the pitch.

I like using my feet to the spinners and even if you don't quite get to the ball there is nothing wrong with just defending it rather than trying to hit a ball not in your area. If it is something you're keen on doing then face a lot of spinners in the nets and get your judgement perfected so there is less work for the keeper to do

[tushar sehgal]

I was struggling against one particular leg spinner 2 seasons ago, tried attacking, defending, sweeping etc..nothing worked..guy is tall and may be i was doing to much so before the start of last season in nets i practised coming down the pitch..

One thing that i personally do now is I watch the hand but not for spin instead for release/flight, I couldn't tell you if its above eye line or not but there is a certain trajectory that works for me...100% of the time I am in my crease and only leave the crease as the ball has just been released...still not perfect but its started to work for me...practise make perfect...more you do it in nets more chances are of you doing it well in a match...

One person to watch is Michael Clarke, just because u have stepped out does not mean you have to hit it out of the park either, easy to defend a full toss once you have reached it that is...

[stevat]

I find sometimes it's easy to get bogged down by spinners in matches too.  I play them brilliantly in the nets, good feet and pick up the flight early.  In the middle it's a little different though, there's no consequence to missing one in the nets when you come down the track, in a game you're almost certainly gone.

I think the mentality of players has a lot to do with this.  My aim this year is to be more assertive against spin, and really get myself to the pitch of the ball whenever possible.  A really good spin bowler will try and push one wide down leg though if he/she sees you coming.

[Bulldog Cricket]

My advice would be not to do it. Only a handfull of pros use thier feet well let alone club players. Play to your strengths. Knock the ball around, rotate the strike, get off strike and let your partner face the spin bowler. More time you spend at the crease the more comfortable you will be. Most spinners will eventually give you a 4 ball to put away and once you are set these will come more often.

[Colesy]

My advice would be not to do it. Only a handfull of pros use thier feet well let alone club players. Play to your strengths. Knock the ball around, rotate the strike, get off strike and let your partner face the spin bowler. More time you spend at the crease the more comfortable you will be. Most spinners will eventually give you a 4 ball to put away and once you are set these will come more often.

Unless you face me, normally 5 x 4 balls and 1 dot ball an over.

I guess you just gotta find a way that suits you and you're comfortable with.

[Bulldog Cricket]

Exactly right joe. No point in doing it if not comfortable. It's fairly high risk, or it is for me. I prefer the slog sweep as a release shot if I'm getting too bogged down against a spinner.

[charlie15]

I've always had problems with spinners in that I've always tried to dominate them from ball one, on occasion it has paid off, but more often than not it's fails spectaculary.  After being stumped last season in my first game back after 15 years I've found that advancing down the track really doesn't work for me.   

I now try and judge how fast the bowler is, if he's slow then I'll wait for it to come onto me and play him of my back foot (we've got a guy at the club who bowls very slowly so I've had lots of practice!), while the quicker spinners I'll look to get forward to the pitch of the ball.

[Colesy]

i wish I could play the slog sweep! I keep getting out doing it so put it away, I'll take 1 down the ground haha

[thecord]

My advice is to not practise it but keep dancing down the track in matches...wicket keepers union 

[Bulldog Cricket]

i wish I could play the slog sweep! I keep getting out doing it so put it away, I'll take 1 down the ground haha

Yep good plan joe. Play to your strengths.

[will5210]

I only advance against offies as its lower risk than against the leggies with the ball turning away from you. Besides, a club level leggie will generally give you a boundary ball an over, more so than the offie.

[tommo256]

I can't play spinners, I just normally charge down the track and either catch hold of it, or just fluff and get out. I hit everything through cow if I come down the track as well