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The Slider

45DegreeOBS

Cricket Spectator
Over on Pitchvision academy I made a comment on the "slider" which is a wrist spin variation that is described by many different sources in different ways and has a lot of mystery surrounding it. I'm an "OBS" believer (hence the display name) whereas other people are "zooter" believers and so forth. Basically a slider is a delivery that is bowled with backspin or very little spin that skids on instead of turning. Ideally used to get LBW or clean bowled dismissals. However there are a multitude of ways to bowl it and everyone wants to believe that their way is the best and their slider is the type of slider that Warne bowled. I discovered a few videos to prove that he bowled an OBS and made a reasonably convincing comment, here it is:

"I've found new evidence to prove that the backspinner as described by Peter Philpott does exist. Have a look at this video, at 2:07 you'll see that Warne is holding the ball seam-up like a fast bowler. This means that if he bowls with a normal leg spin action, imparting spin with the wrist as well as the ring finger, the ball will come out with a scrambled seam. If he held the ball with a normal grip and used his ring finger the ball would have an upright seam. The so called "slider" he bowls in this video is clearly held seam-up and comes out with a scrambled seam. Most people believe that he only pulled down on the ball or released it without imparting any spin. However, it is nearly impossible to bowl a ball with a seam as scrambled as the seam in the video with a seam-up grip. Just ask a fast bowler, the worst thing their seam position ever does is wobble, Warne's seam position was doing much more than mere wobbling, which means he didn't simply pull down on the back of the ball or bowl it without imparting spin. If he did, the seam would be upright and pointing towards fine leg. He could have been bowling a leg cutter type delivery, but that would most likely have turned or would be obviously different to his leg breaks.

warne slowmo 2001 - YouTube

I'm convinced that he uses the same method as I do, the reversed wrist position of the googly with spin being imparted by the ring finger or in his case perhaps by the 5th finger. This is much more effective than simply pushing / rolling the ball out of the hand. If Warne held the ball in a conventional leg spin grip and it came out with a scrambled seam it would be the traditional "slider" that is only pushed from the hand like a fast bowler. But I think that video proves Warne used the Philpott method!

Shane Warne talks about Spin Bowling - YouTube

In this video Warne bowls it with an upright seam. Not as effective, but this was early in his career when he still had the flipper and googly. Perhaps later in his career when he he needed a new, better variation he turned to Jenner and was then taught the OBS? ("slider" bowled with the ring finger) Or he was already bowling the OBS in the video but held it with a normal grip so it spun with an upright seam? He also says that it's hard on the wrist, a ball that it just pushed out of the hand with very little spin isn't hard on the wrist! Especially not on some of the best wrists to ever spin a cricket ball, which is more proof that he was most likely bowling the OBS and not the ball that's pushed out of the front of the hand."

The Shane Warne Mystery Delivery... Slider or Not? - YouTube

Here's another useful video. Pause at 6:00 to see Warne's seam-up grip and the ball coming out with a cross seam because he gives it a rip with the ring finger with the wrist in the reversed position of the googly, deadly stuff.

Have I convinced anyone or do I need more proof?
 

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