A vital part of winning a cricket match comes with the removal of a batsman and taking his wicket. This is a job primarily carried out by the bowler who carries a ton of responsibility for his team.
Cricket has two types of bowlers in general and they are fast and spin. Here, DAZN looks at the role of the spin bowler.
What is a spin bowler?
A spin bowler in cricket is a bowler who bowls at a much slower pace than a fast bowler but is able to generate huge amounts of spin which enables the ball to move in different directions and confuse the batsman.
The tactic of using spin bowlers is highly popular in Asian countries where pitches tend to deteriorate a lot quicker. The poor condition of the pitch creates an environment where the ball can deviate a lot more than in countries such as England and Australia.
The heat in Asian countries also means that fast bowlers become tired more easily. With spin bowlers only requiring a short run up, teams can sometimes play two or three spinners to combat the conditions and to take advantage of the pitch.
Bowlers are able to spin the ball using their wrists or fingers with the key target being the batsman’s wicket
Who are some of cricket’s best spin bowlers?
- Shane Warne (Australia)
- Jim Laker (England)
- Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
- Anil Kumble (India)
- Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan)
- Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)
- Graeme Swann (England)
- Nathan Lyon (Australia)