#NewsBytesExplainer: All you need to know about variations of spin
What's the story
"Pitch it up and let the ball dance around!" This has been the mantra of spinners since the inception of cricket. Spin is perhaps the oldest and yet an unparalleled skill of bowling. The profound art has jeopardized even the most complete batsmen regardless of any format. Spinners rule the roost by their variations. Let us decode the different variations of a spinner.
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The two forms of spin bowling
The primitive terminology of spin bowling includes off-spin and leg-spin. A classic off-spinner spins the ball into the right-hand batsman and away from a left-hander. Spinning the ball involves rigorous use of index finger, which gives the required revolutions to the ball. Contrary to this, a leg-spinner moves the ball away from a right-hander. The ball in this case is spun using the wrist.
Doosra
Doosra moves away from the right-hand batsman
The 'doosra' (the second one) is another variation of off-spin, that spins in the opposite direction. The ball must be gripped between the index and ring finger, while the back of the hand must be facing the batsman when releasing. Pakistan's Saqlian Mushtaq is believed to have invented the doosra. Other notable bowlers who followed are Muttiah Muralitharan, Harbhajan Singh and Saeed Ajmal.
Carrom ball
Carrom ball spins away from the right-hand batsman
Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis made this mystery ball famous during the latter half of 2000s. For bowling this distinctive delivery, the ball must be held between the thumb, forefinger and the middle finger. Instead of a conventional release, the bowler flicks the ball like a carrom striker. Ravichandran Ashwin's carom ball against Hashim Amla was termed the 'ball the of the century'.
Googly
Googly is a prized possession of every leg-spinner
While a normal leg-break delivery spins towards the off-side, googly spins in the opposite direction. It appears like an orthodox leg-spin, but the moment of release does the trick. The ball is placed into the palm with the third finger holding the seam. Right before the release, third and fourth fingers apply pressure on the ball as the wrist moves from right to left.
Topspin
Both wrist-spinners and off-spinners use the top spin
Top spin is a rare delivery that can be bowled by both leg-spinners and off-spinners over the top of fingers. The ball here dips more in flight in both the scenarios. A top-spinner spins forward in the air towards the batsman. For off-spin, the ball ball is released off the outside of the first finger, while leg-spinner releases the ball off the third finger.
Flipper
Flipper is possessed by a few leg-spinners
The flipper is bowled like a usual leg-break, but it skids on with a relatively low bounce. The ball here is squeezed between the thumb and first two fingers with the joints across the seam. At the time of release, the thumb clicks the ball forward, keeping it straight and low. Shane Warne bowled a perfect flipper against Alec Stuart in 1994.
Arm ball
Off-spinners tend to bowl the arm ball
An arm ball is bowled by an off-spinner or slow left-armers in most cases. The arm ball is considered equivalent to a wrist spinner's slider. It is delivered by rolling the fingers down the back of the ball while releasing so that it travels straight. More often than not, it is bowled at a higher speed, leaving no margin for the ball to turn.