How to Do an Off Spin in Cricket

Off-spin (also known as off-break) is the most common type of slow bowling in the sport of cricket. The basic premise is that you deliver a ball between 45 and 70 miles per hour that bounces and spins away from the off side to the leg side (left to right) when bowling to a right-handed batsman. Spin is imparted on the ball using the first and second fingers of your bowling hand, and the more revolutions you can impart upon the ball, the more it will spin and cause problems for the batsmen.

Things You'll Need

  • Cricket ball
  • Stumps
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice gripping the ball. Hold the ball in your bowling hand with your first and second fingers over the seam of the ball, which rests against your third finger--the width between your index and middle finger is a case of personal choice, but you want to have at least an inch between the two so you can get some good revolutions on the ball.

    • 2

      Practice your release action by throwing and spinning the ball into the air in front of you and catching it. Turn your wrist clockwise and practice rolling your first and second finger over the top of the ball, making sure they remain over the seam the whole time. Remember that, at this stage, your objective is to perfect your grip and spinning action, making sure your wrist rolls from left to right, and your first two fingers roll over the seam of the ball.

    • 3

      Move on to releasing the ball. Maintain your perfect grip and bowling action. Your primary objective at this stage is to simply practice getting the ball cleanly out of your hand, so don't worry about delivering the ball accurately down the length of the 22-yard wicket, as you would when bowling to a batsman. Practice spinning the ball into a chair or net, getting the ball to pitch and bounce. If you are bowling off-spin, the ball should bounce from left to right as you look at it. Work on your grip and release action if this is not the case, using a trial-and-error approach.

    • 4

      Complete your off-spin practice by incorporating the full bowling action into your practice. Keep your grip and delivery action true and consistent, but now, instead of practicing throw-downs in your front room, move on to bowling on a 22-yard wicket at some stumps. Incorporate your run up into your action, working on getting the ball cleanly and legally delivered and spinning from off to leg side (as to a right-handed batsman). Ensure your arm is straight when you release the ball, as per the laws of cricket. Take a trial-and-error approach to practice, making small adjustments to your grip, release and action before you are happy with your devilish off-spin bowling.