Key takeaways
- Spinners come in four types: off spin and leg spin from the right arm, and left-arm orthodox (finger spin) and left-arm unorthodox (wrist spin) from the left.
- A leg break turns from right to left from the bowler's view, into a right-hander from leg side to off; an off break turns the other way.
- Leg spinners vary their stock ball with the googly, which turns the opposite way, the top spinner, the flipper and the slider.
- Off spinners use the arm ball, which goes straight on, and the doosra, which Saqlain Mushtaq is credited with inventing, turning away like a leg break.
- Every variation must still be a legal action: the ICC's 15-degree elbow limit applies to doosras and googlies alike.
Spin bowling is cricket's art of disguise. A spinner's stock ball turns one way; the variations turn the other way, or not at all, or skid on lower than expected, all from an action the batter tries to read. Wikipedia's articles on spin, leg spin and off spin set out the main types and deliveries, which this guide summarises.
The four types of spinner
Wikipedia divides spin bowling into four categories by technique:
| Type | Bowling arm | Technique | Stock ball |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off spin | Right | Finger spin | Off break |
| Leg spin | Right | Wrist spin | Leg break |
| Left-arm orthodox | Left | Finger spin, the off spinner's action | Spins right to left on pitching, the same trajectory as a leg break |
| Left-arm unorthodox | Left | Wrist spin, the leg spinner's action | The mirror image of a right-arm leg spinner's stock ball |
Wikipedia's off-spin and leg-spin articles define the left-arm types this way: a left-armer using the off spinner's finger action is a left-arm orthodox bowler, and one using the leg spinner's wrist action is left-arm unorthodox. Finger spinners impart spin mainly with the fingers; wrist spinners with the wrist. Wikipedia notes there is virtually no overlap between the two techniques.
Which way it turns
Directions are easiest from the bowler's view:
- A leg break spins from right to left when it bounces. To a right-handed batter, it breaks towards them from the leg side, away towards the off.
- An off break spins from left to right. To a right-handed batter, it breaks towards them from the off side.
A left-handed batter sees the reverse. Wikipedia notes that a left-hander has more difficulty facing off break bowling, because the ball moves away from their body.
The leg spinner's variations
Wikipedia lists a leg spinner's repertoire, and one of its references, ESPNcricinfo's style sheet, puts it as "legspin is the whole set: legbreaks, wrong'uns, topspinners, sliders, flippers":
| Delivery | What it does |
|---|---|
| Leg break | The stock ball, turning from leg to off for a right-hander |
| Googly (wrong'un) | Turns the opposite way to a leg break |
| Top spinner | Does not turn, but dips sharply and bounces higher |
| Flipper | Goes straight on like a top spinner but, having floated, skids and keeps low |
| Slider | Travels more straight on |
Wikipedia notes the flipper often dismisses batters leg before wicket or bowled. Leg spinners also vary their stock ball through line, length and the balance of side spin and top spin. Wikipedia credits Shane Warne's success, beginning with his "Ball of the Century" to Mike Gatting in 1993, with reviving the art, and notes that Warne and Anil Kumble, both leg spinners, sit second and fourth on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers.
The off spinner's variations
Off spinners vary their off breaks mainly through line and length, plus two notable deliveries:
- The arm ball, which does not spin but goes straight on "with the arm", useful for catching a batter playing for turn.
- The doosra, bowled with an action like the off break but spinning the opposite way, just as the googly reverses the leg break. Wikipedia credits Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq with inventing it.
Wikipedia adds why off spin is generally considered less difficult to play: off breaks typically spin less than leg breaks and do not generally have the same loopy, potentially deceptive flight.
Drift, flight and pace
Spin is not only about turn. Wikipedia explains that rotation can make the ball drift sideways in the air before it bounces, through the Magnus effect, so the ball can change direction twice. A typical spin delivery travels at 70–90 km/h, but the fastest leg spinners sometimes top 100 km/h. Wikipedia's off-spin article adds that varying speed, length and flight matters for the off spinner, who often bowls faster and more accurately than a leg spinner and can deceive the batter with changes of pace. Pace versus spin bowling compares this with fast bowling, and how cricket pitches affect play explains why worn pitches help.
Variations must still be legal
Some variations, especially the doosra, put the bowling arm under scrutiny. The ICC treats elbow extension of more than 15 degrees, between the arm reaching horizontal and release, as an illegal action, with testing at accredited centres and suspension until a bowler passes a retest.
Fielders matter for spinners too: one or two slips, short leg or silly point are the attacking positions Wikipedia lists for spin, set out in cricket fielding positions, and cricket batting shots explains the sweep and the other shots batters play against spin. In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, spin bowling is one of the skills your cricketer can specialise in.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is a googly?
What is a doosra?
Why is leg spin considered harder to play than off spin?
What is a flipper?
Sources
- Leg spin (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- Off spin (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- Spin bowling (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- Illegal Bowling Actions (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
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