Very strange legspin grip... seam 90 degrees

[composition4]

Hi, I'm an older guy (31) and my legspin grip is very unusual. I get decent turn, perfect spinning on seam and pointed towards slips, but just concerned whether this is going to pose problems? I **** the wrist at the beginning of my delivery as per normal legspin. My middle finger seems to impart the spin, and the side closer to my thumb is the side I can see while it's in the air. Comments?

 

[composition4]

And yes, legspin, not offspin even though the grip is closer to offspin grip except along rather than across the seam!

 

[ajdude]

i can't get my head around how that would turn like a legbreak haha, is your hand turned at release like it would be if you were bowling a wrongun?

 

[Daemon]

Can see why it would turn, but how do you get the seam to go perfectly pointed towards slip? Holding a ball in my hand and it seems impossible.

 

[Dan]

I think what might be happening here is he's essentially imparting backspin on the ball, ripping that finger down along the seam, but ****ing the wrist means that the seam comes out angled.

Grab a ball and hold it like he does, but go through with the 'over the wrist' element of a wristspinner. You'll have your palm angled up and out towards cover, and if you release the ball you'd be ripping that middle finger down the seam. The ****ing of the wrist means that backspin actually ends up working akin to a leg break.

But that would result in seeing the side of the ball held by the ring finger. Which I cannot fathom at all.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah, reckon he's just bowling legcutters. Have nfi what's going on.

 

[Dan]

Actually, hang on a second. The positioning of the ring finger looks like it could be pushing the ball out of the hand almost like a carrom ball. But that still doesn't explain everything said in the post.

Now I'm just confused.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, reckon he's just bowling legcutters. Have nfi what's going on.

Probably, yeah, and I'm interpreting the whole 'wrist ****ed' thing incorrectly.

 

[benchmark00]

Yes he's bowling it out of the front of his hand like a leg cutter.

 

[composition4]

Nah it's not a leg cutter. I just made a video of it then with my phone...

Edit... Obviously get more spin with a heavier ball and bowling it over 22 yds, but this is with a soft ball

 

[Daemon]

Haha, you confused me with "side closer to my thumb is the side I can see while it's in the air". It's the side that the ring finger is on that you can see there. Like a back of the hand slower ball.

 

[composition4]

Ah so it is... Sorry my bad. So apart from the obvious lack of follow through in the video is there any problem with bowling leg breaks in this way? And does anyone bowl them like this? (Pro or amateur)?

 

[benchmark00]

Ah so it is... Sorry my bad. So apart from the obvious lack of follow through in the video is there any problem with bowling leg breaks in this way? And does anyone bowl them like this? (Pro or amateur)?

Th problem is that you're going to suffer from a lack of subtlety. Balls essentially aren't spinning as such, they're just going on with the seam and the top spin and you're not going to be able to get a good level of pace because you can't rotate through and have a follow through without losing control.

And the major problem is that it's recycling night tonight bud so you better out that bin out.

 

[benchmark00]

But anyway, it's pretty unique and if it works for you at the level you play why would you want to change it?

 

[ajdude]

And the major problem is that it's recycling night tonight bud so you better out that bin out.

wtf you nsw people are so strange

 

[benchmark00]

wtf you nsw people are so strange

Our bin night is on Monday itbt, but it's different for other suburbs.

Just wanted to make a gag ok buddy? Lay the **** off.

 

[composition4]

Thanks for the reply. That's the thing though, I do get good speed and control, and it turns a decent amount. Its not just coming out following the seam, pretty sure my middle finger is coming along the seam imparting the spin. I'm not trying to talk it up at all, just curious... For years I struggled with normal legspin grip and has scrambled seam and mostly topspin, very very little sidespin. I know this works for me but just wonder whether its worth trying to go back to a conventional grip as I'm always looking to improve. Also wish there was an easy way to figure out the revs on the ball, just out of curiosity more than anything

 

[composition4]

Here's a video that shows the release better...

 

[45DegreeOBS]

Hi, I'm an older guy (31) and my legspin grip is very unusual. I get decent turn, perfect spinning on seam and pointed towards slips, but just concerned whether this is going to pose problems? I **** the wrist at the beginning of my delivery as per normal legspin. My middle finger seems to impart the spin, and the side closer to my thumb is the side I can see while it's in the air. Comments?
View attachment 21120View attachment 21121

If you can get decent turn with this grip, a good seam position (accuracy too?) there's no need to change it. It is very unusual though and you might want to look at trying the orthodox grip first. Just to see which grip works best for you.

Just had a look at your video, that method of spinning the ball is perfectly fine! You use your wrist more than the fingers when you bowl, and it is essentially the same method that Muttiah Muralitharan and Saeed Ajmal use, just in reverse. I'd suggest doing some wrist exercises to strengthen your wrist and give it lots of spring power and flexibility (something you require if you want to spin the ball in this way) If you twist your wrist further round, so the back of your hand faces straight forwards and give it a big flick you'll get a top spinner. (Bowled in a similar way to a fast bowlers' back of the hand slower ball) Those two deliveries will bring you lots of success if you can master them and give them an enormous flick of the wrist.