Looking for Legspin specific blogs - see these....
http://spinbowling-wrongun.blogspot.com/
http://spinbowling-legbreak.blogspot.com/
http://spinbowling-flipper.blogspot.com/
General News/Diary
For the first time in 20 days I think I’ve managed to have a look at the wicket in the Paddock and it’s looking to be in a sorry state. I went over and tried to see how it was looking a week or so ago in the dark and I could see that it appeared to have leaves on it. Today I went into work on the later train and left early enough to stop by and do a pitch inspection as such in the light and it looks a mess. Over to one side – fortunately wider than anyone’s bowling line it looks as though a dog walker has taken to standing in the same kind of rough area while he or she then throws something for the dog. So where there’s been so much rain the earth is ultra soft, soggy and malleable and where this person has been moving around but staying concentrated in a smallish area it’s done some serious damage. Additionally where he/she has moved forwards to then meet the dog and the dog returning to them there’s additional areas that have been flattened and basically mushed.
As to what I can do about it I’m not sure, there’s the issue of the leaves first though as they have a bad effect on the growing of the grass and some of these leaves are concentrated in the mud that’s been created by this bloke/woman. So I’ll rake all that out and try and get the mud level where the damage has happened and hopefully the grass/roots in amongst the mud will recover? Other than that I’ll have to sew more in the spring. With it being to one side at the moment that shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the biggest issue is having time and light to get over there and action these things.
No cricket of any sort over the weekend. The only practice I'm doing is the usual indoor flicking of the ball keeping the wrist supple and getting to grips with the wrist position with regards how it's going to turn once the practice starts again in the new year.
Over at http://www.bigcricket.com/forum/t70231-68/ we're still in the process of compiling our top ten tips for wrist spinners and it looks like it may end up as a top 20. But so far we've come up with..........
No.1 - Get yourself a good wicket keeper.
No.2 - Make sure you've got a captain that appreciates Wrist Spin as an attack weapon.
No.3 - Practice without a batsman - but with a wicket keeper.
No.4 - Bowl into the Breeze.
No.5 - Don't be afraid to flight the ball.
No.6 - Spin the ball hard.
No.7 - Bowl your stock leg break 90% of the time
No.8 - Keep the umpire on-side be really enthusiastic about LBW appeals - but realistic
No.9 - Wind the batsman up get under his skin - verbally without being antagonistic and psycologically by taking your time between balls discussing 'Stuff'.
No.10 - Practice, practice, practice and more practice with total focus.
No.11 - Look after your rotator cuff muscle
That's about it for now.
