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[NT50]

Hello guys,

I started playing cricket last year, and started off as an opening bowler. Before i injured my ankle, i was bowling at a fairly decent pace but pretty much lost it after twisting it a few games in as my whole action just fell to pieces.

For the rest of the year i was pretty hit and miss. Some weeks i'd be accurate, the next i'd bowl 4 head-high full tosses in one over and get taken out of the attack.

It was pretty much the same story when i started Uni nets the other week, but then i decided i'd give off-spin a go seeing as i was hopeless with seam.

First ball i floated it just outside off, the batsmen went to play it, it turned sharply and hit the top of leg perfectly. Throughout the rest of the session i bowled a few more rippers that turned a lot out of nowhere and bowled or got the batsmen LBW. I'm prone to bowl one of those 'rippers' every 5/6 balls, but will bowl 1/2 half-tracker/full tosses an over. Bare in mind this is on an indoor mat that isn't particularly good for spin, i haven't tried it out on a proper pitch for obvious reasons.

My problem is that i need to cut out the full tosses/ half-trackers before i start properly bowling spin, as in a real game they're a guaranteed boundary. I only get one net a week, with 4/5 other bowlers against alternating batsmen.

Baring in mind my limited opportunity to bowl, whats the best way to go about trying to improve my accuracy?

Cheers

[Buzz]

Bowl lots and learn the trade.

Good luck.

[dcullen8]

Get a net, mark out an area youd look to bowl and just bowl. Its all about repetition and consistency, you dont need to be bowling at batsmen all the time. Once you start hitting your area consitantly make it smaller and repeat.

Granted this approach will work better when the weathers nice and outdoor nets are available, rather than renting an indoor.

[WalkingWicket37]

Guaranteed boundary? At least half my wickets are from half trackers or full tosses...

[RoCo Da Pixie]

I am a not a big turner of my off spin. I try and use the crease and vary the trajectory of the ball.

My advice would be to practice lots. It is nice you can turn the ball but consistently pitching the ball where you want is the harder part. If you can pitch it where you want and turn then you're onto a winner.

Oh and one thing I always notice when a seamer tries to become a spinner is ditch the seam action. Actually pivot and bring that from arm up and over and through the action.

[hopwoodbear]

i've made a career out of non turning off spin, even at a decent level of club cricket bowling a good length at the stumps will serve you well....never fails to amaze me the difficulties some batsmen can make for themselves agaisnt what is essentially slow bowling with a bit of natural variation. you dont need magic wicket taking balls to take lots of wickets

vary your pace, angle at the crease and your release point if you're not a big turner of the ball

[alexhilly1492]

Bowl lots, relax your action and don't try and do too much, as people have said landing the ball where you want consistently and keeping it tight will buy you wickets!

Biggest thing I've learnt this year it to not panic if your getting tap and make life diffiult for the batsmen if you are, change pace, line and angle will work

[northernboy1987]

Shane Warne always says when learning to be a spinner, being able to spin the ball as much as possible should be your first aim, then move onto developing accuracy and control. If, as you suggest, you can already turn the ball a prodigious amount then it is unfortunately just a case of bowling as much as possible to develop the control. Also as @alexhilly1492 alluded to, don't panic if you get a bit of tap, sometimes a perfectly decent ball can go to the boundary, doesn't necessarily make it a bad ball, I play a lot of T20 and basically just bowl at the stumps 90% of the time, sometimes you have a bad game and go at 8/9 an over but next week you might take a 4fer at under a run a ball, don't let a bad game/over/ball knock your confidence.

[sfa82]

I was forced to make this change two seasons ago and I agree with what the guys previously said. I found that finding a action that you comfortable with very important and also completing my action. This was what I struggled with at the beginning, driving the hips through and getting over the front leg. Once I got comfortable and bowled a lot, finding the right pace for a particular surface or batmen was another learning step. Really felt I was making progress towards the end of the second season.

I don't have all the technical terms but I hope my experience helps a bit. By the way, I don't turn the ball plenty but still managed to do a job for the team.

[JTtaylor145]

Being able to spin the ball a distance is the best starting point for any spinner. Actually scrap that any bowler than can move the ball off center can be very effective. You will just need to bowl as much as you can and learn when to give the ball the biggest amount of rip you can and when to hold back and look for more control. You will need to learn which speed to bowl on which pitch. As a batsmen I would find it easier to play someone who ripped it the same amount every ball, I would find it much harder to face someone whose speed and spin was more variable. Don't be put off if you get smashed about in one game and stick with learning the craft. The team I play for would love a spinner that could actually move the ball 

[Number 11]

If you can spin it, great. Accuracy is the main thing at club level for off spin.
Concentrate and look where you're aiming, forget variations until you get 5 out of 6 where you want or better.
During a game, bowl to pitch conditions, slow it right down if necessary or bowl flatter if it troubles the batsman.
Action wise, get right up on your front toes and really pivot round.
Most of all, just have fun no matter how good or bad it comes out.

[Vulcan Cricket]

I started life out as fast medium bowler but got bowled in to the ground  and while I could play as batsman I got bored just fielding so in the nets just started bowling off spin all I would say is if your a spinner spin the ball . Or you a slow bowler so learn how to spin the ball hard and spin the ball off other fingers and try to learn diffent balls all more fun than running up bowling flat out trust me !!!