Playing spin - right technique?

[angryangy]

Took them what 3 tries? '98, '01 and then '04, more to do with practice and experience than a simple 'play against the turn, that's how the Indians are doing it.'

But it's not like Taylor, Healy, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Blewett or Slater were playing in 2004, or that Clarke, Martyn and Katich were playing in 2001. New players with their own ideas is a very liberal definition of experience.

 

[Epic]

But it's not like Taylor, Healy, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Blewett or Slater were playing in 2004, or that Clarke, Martyn and Katich were playing in 2001. New players with their own ideas is a very liberal definition of experience.

Right, but the 6 guys you mentioned were still around to tell the likes of Clarke/Martyn/Katich what works, what worked for them etc.

 

[angryangy]

Well if you want to look at it that way, it took a lot longer than 3 tours.

 

[Epic]

Well, the personnel for India really didn't change from '01 to '04, it was still Kumble and Harbhajan.

 

[sifter132]

I find in Australia the slog sweep is common but paddle sweeping not so much. I mean the slog sweep is employed more like a wristy flick; you can sweep off your pads or reach one outside off, but it's also a boundary shot. Some batsmen will sweep constantly just to be annoying or try to sweep when they don't know what else to do; that gets them few runs for a fair bit of trouble.

Yeah it's weird - seems like the majority of Aussie batsmen see the sweep shot as almost a cheap shot, some underhanded trick - something to only resort to if you are desperate, almost an admission of failure. I'm not sure why, but it's just the way it's been of late. Exception would be Mike Hussey's reverse sweeping in ODIs, but that's about it. There's no one sweeping for one in Test matches for example. Be a good question for journalists to ask the players actually - what's wrong with the sweep?

Even among bowlers too, Shane Warne always talked about how annoying the sweep shot was, and guys that just swept continually really got his goat. I think in part because if you can play the sweep shot really well, then you are difficult to bowl to - just screws the bowlers length a LOT. I think it's one of the first things a batsmen should try against spin, not the last.

 

[Prithvi]

BCCI/SLC/BCB should welcome overseas players to take part in their respective Domestic FC Championship. That will easily help the other batsmen to tackle the spin.

 

[Phen]

Some really interesting posts here. Yeah the argument of getting to the pitch of the ball by dancing down the track verses waiting for the ball to turn and bounce is probably a more accurate discussion on how to play spin.

It would be interesting to know why more top players don't use a mixture of both techniques. I would have thought that would be the ultimate way to play spin. Because players that use the waiting technique can sometimes play too late and get bowled or go for an edge while the getting to the pitch technique has problems when the spinner anticipates what the batsmen is going to do and achieves a stumping chance or creates a chance as it's too short for the batsmen to reach.

Just to clarify...I'm talking about playing on the front foot ^

 

[sifter132]

^I agree - mixing both sweep and 'normal' techniques seems the best way to me, because you are disrupting the bowlers length AND the captain's fields. You can see how one paddle sweep will sometimes make a captain change his field, certainly two will, and once a captain starts chasing the ball you are winning as a batsman.

 

[Phen]

^I agree - mixing both sweep and 'normal' techniques seems the best way to me, because you are disrupting the bowlers length AND the captain's fields. You can see how one paddle sweep will sometimes make a captain change his field, certainly two will, and once a captain starts chasing the ball you are winning as a batsman.

I think you summed it up pretty well. I guess the reason why more batsmen don't do normal sweeping or paddle sweeping because as someone mentioned earlier, they have been discouraged by trying it in the past and failing.

If Tendulka plays it when the ball is really turning, I don't see why other batsmen shouldn't do the same. Just like any shot, it can be a strength or a weakness and sometimes both. Even with the new LBW rules; I don't think it should be completely taken out of their game. Getting out of the line of the stumps before sweeping is the best option as it gives the bowler something extra to think about although this can be dangerous at times as well.

 

[angryangy]

If your argument was that Chris Martin plays lots of sweeps and never gets out out, I'd be persuaded, but Tendulkar is a pretty high standard.

I think there's a big difference between Tendulkar producing the odd sweep to fine leg for 4 and the sorts of players who don't know what is coming at them and sweep in hope of being safe. He has a great ability to spot a ball that will miss leg stump early and that's the key.

 

[sami ullah khan]

The great players of spin have always looked to score against the spinners rather than surviving. If a good spinner is allowed to settle into a good line and length, any batsman will struggle. Best thing is to keep disrupting the line and length of spinner. That is best achieved by coming down the wicket, staying back to use the crease, and intelligent use of sweep shot. Getting bogged down and playing maiden after maiden is not the ideal thing to do.

 

[angryangy]

Warnie bowling a load of absolute filth here, but still.

 

[spooony]

Get him to change his line. Remember spinners need to trick you out. Letting him put it on one place then trying his bag of tricks are going to get you out. Easiest way to get him to change his line is to sweep him.

 

[JD10]

Playing Leg Spin/ Slow Left arm
I'm left handed but if I was right handed i'd always look to cut or if it's full use your feet and hit over cover

Off spin/ chinaman
Always look to sweep. Get the front leg outside off. Upsets the line and then he will through all sorts right were you want it.

 

[spooony]

If you sweep always sweep against the spin. You are hitting into the final line of the ball, in other words, the line the ball is going to take until it hits your bat, as opposed to a line going away from your bat as the ball spins away.