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[Churchy1989]

Lads, I could not be bothered to bowl seam on Saturday and with no spin option, i gave it a go....I was shocked at how the batsmen instantly started giving me respect and batting it back to me. After never bowling spin before... i got around 25% to "turn", one did rip and bounce...but would say that was the pitch more than me. Ended up with 7 overs 2 maidens 1 wicket for 15 runs (including 3 no balls for height). So im going to practice spin this week and give it another go on Saturday as our normal spinners are poor.

Anyway, whats the best field to set if you are bowling off spin? Looking to be 1st change, keep bowling tight for 14 overs straight :-).

Images / Paint pictures welcome.

[Kez]

3 no balls for height and didn't get taken out of the attack?

As for the best fields, really depends on the batsmen but a start point to a RH would be.

short fine leg. deep square. midwicket. mid on.
mid off, cover, extra cover, backward point, slip/ short third man.

[Churchy1989]

@Kez they were only chasing 123 so I think their ump didn't see much point...

Mid on/off deep or on the 1?

[Buzz]

It depends on the line you are bowling.
5-4 off side if you are bowling outside the off stump. 4-5 leg side if you are trying to bowl at off to hit middle/leg.

Start with an imaginary ring for each of those field options then move the fielders in or out depending on the ground, batsman and match situation.

[mohawks94]

IMHO, this would be a good starting point:

Mid on, mid off, extra cover, point, deep cover, mid wicket, short fine leg, deep square leg and one of slip/gully/short cover.

My plans are always to get a right hander playing against the spin, so as a leggie I leave mid wicket open. Leaving cover open as an offie would bring this into play. Point and deep cover for any that are dropped short, depending on how the batsmen are looking to play you, and deep square for the sweep/slog.

[Neon Cricket]

Surely having sweepers from the start is just setting a field for bad bowling? If you've got any level of control then setting a more aggressive field will pay dividends (if your spinner is throwing down regular long hops then he shouldn't be bowling lol).

We usually operate with the following for our off spinner:

Short fine leg/45
Square leg (in front)
Short mid wicket (catching)
Mid on
Mid off
Short extra cover (on the 1)
Cover
Point
Gully

[mohawks94]

Having played at churchy's ground, the sweepers would still be saving two as it is pretty small. Should have said that I was thinking specifically of his home pitch. As churchy also said he is new to spinning, so may be useful having sweepers whilst getting the experience and control.

[SLA]

Surely having sweepers from the start is just setting a field for bad bowling? If you've got any level of control then setting a more aggressive field will pay dividends (if your spinner is throwing down regular long hops then he shouldn't be bowling lol).

We usually operate with the following for our off spinner:

Short fine leg/45
Square leg (in front)
Short mid wicket (catching)
Mid on
Mid off
Short extra cover (on the 1)
Cover
Point
Gully

That's a very attacking field for a spinner in normal circumstances and would most likely reduce the revs he gets on the ball.

Shane Warne always says: defend with the field, and then attack with the ball. If you attack with the field, then the bowler subconsciously defends with the ball.

[SLA]

Lads, I could not be bothered to bowl seam on Saturday and with no spin option, i gave it a go....I was shocked at how the batsmen instantly started giving me respect and batting it back to me. After never bowling spin before... i got around 25% to "turn", one did rip and bounce...but would say that was the pitch more than me. Ended up with 7 overs 2 maidens 1 wicket for 15 runs (including 3 no balls for height). So im going to practice spin this week and give it another go on Saturday as our normal spinners are poor.

Anyway, whats the best field to set if you are bowling off spin? Looking to be 1st change, keep bowling tight for 14 overs straight :-).

Images / Paint pictures welcome.

Obviously there are a lot of "it depends" factors, what the pitch is doing, whether you're a flatter spinner or you give it some air, what the game situation is, and what the batsman is looking to do.

But at a starting point

to a RH:

slip, point, extra cover, mid-off (leave a gap at cover to tempt the shot against the spin)
long on, wide mid on, midwicket, deep square leg, backward square.

to a LH:
slip, point, cover or deep cover, extra cover, long off
mid on, straight midwicket, deep square leg, backward square (leave a gap at forward square leg to tempt the shot against the spin)



All spinners have different strengths - if your strength is accuracy, then you can set a more attacking field as you won't bowl many bad balls. If on the other hand, your strength is big spin, then set a more defensive field and wait for one to really rip and castle him.
 

[Churchy1989]

Looks like you guys roughly have the same sort of field.

came across this earlier which was an interesting read.

https://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/metarasa/cricket/spin/the-complete-guide-to-bowling-off-spin/

[jjelricksmith]

Depends on what kind of batsman i am bowling to. I tend to bowl on off/1-2 stumps outside spinning back and turn about 60-75% bowling with a scrambled seam so that they dont all turn and dont turn consistently and i have no idea if it will turn or not before i bowl it.

wide slip
point
cover
mid off
mid on
straight mid wicket
cow corner for that classy stroke
square leg
short fine (45)

Most important fielders for me are slip and straight mid wicket, the mid wicket fielder will probably deal with 40% of the deliveries or have them go in his area. Slip is there and wider as i try and go wider on the crease on occasion and try to get a wicket snicking off. Has worked a few times this year with most being dropped by our replacement 2s keeper or 1st slip.

Give this a go and change it to how you would bowl, wider line take out short fine and put him at extra cover and push cover out and square so that he can cover more ground and encourages the harder shot against the spin for the 1. If he is straighter it makes it a lot easier to rotate the strike into the gap.

[jjelricksmith]

The idea of having everyone out encourages you to bowl some bad balls that only go for 1, if you bowl tripe it'll stick in your memory if it goes for a boundary.

[six and out]

When it comes to setting fields for spinners I am a massive fan of 'in, out' fields from the start. Who says you can't attack with men on the fence.

We regularly start with 2 close catches on each side, slip, gully but have boundary riders on the off and legside (probably deep cover and mid wicket).

I am also a big fan of leaving square leg open to encourage the sweep shot. There are few batsmen at our level who can play it regularly well and sooner or later get it wrong and are LBW or top edge etc..

[Number 11]

I normally bowl with starting on the boundary:
Deep mid wkt sweeper, cow corner, long off.
Backward sq leg (deep leg gully), mid wkt on the single, mid off, extra cover, point.
1st slip

gotten me somewhere between 700 and 800 wkts.

[alexhilly1492]

I quite like:

Deep square leg
Deep midwicket
Long on
Midwicket
Mid off
Deep extra cover
Cover
Slip
Point

Bit in out but provides cover for the bad ball but I feel also cuts out the single

I rarely bowl to it though