They’re all leggie good!

Wrist-spinners have proved their utility in the shortest form of the game

In addition to providing a few surprise results, the T20 World Cup has reconfirmed the crucial part wrist-spinners play in achieving success in the format.

Leading exponents like Adil Rashid, Rashid Khan, Adam Zampa, Tabraiz Shamsi, Shadab Khan and Ish Sodhi have been a big part of their team’s success in recent years. So important has wrist-spin become in T20 cricket that England—of all countries—have included all-rounder Liam Livingstone in their team in order to have a second option.

Former Australian great leg-spinner Bill O’Reilly wrote in his 1985 book Tiger: “They [England] have tried time and again to handicap leg-spin right out of the game.”

No admirer of 50-over cricket, I hate to think what the feisty O’Reilly would’ve made of the T20 format. He would be devastated that very few of the wrist-spinners listed above have had any major effect in the Test arena. This, despite batsmen in general struggling mightily once the ball spins to any degree on wearing pitches.

Shane Warne’s theory

Another great leggie in Shane Warne has his theory on why wrist-spin success in T20 cricket isn’t being replicated in the Test arena. He feels the main reason is that while wrist-spinners of yesteryear used to practice for hours perfecting a stock ball that they could land accurately under pressure, the modern leggie is encouraged to bowl a variety of deliveries so they don’t become predictable in T20 cricket.

Warne’s summation coincides with the advice O’Reilly passed on to Richie Benaud in 1953. Looking to improve his leg-spinning skills, Benaud approached O’Reilly while on tour in England. The retired spinner told him to work assiduously on a stock delivery so that his hard-spun leg break would keep batsmen under constant pressure.

Warne cited another area where the thinking of wrist-spinners has changed and not necessarily for the better. He explained that the modern wrist-spinner would rather concede a single than a boundary. While Warne was never one to encourage boundary hits, he reasons that if it occurs at least you’re bowling the next delivery to the same batsman. Conceding regular singles means you’re constantly facing a different batsman and Warne believes this can lead to the bowler becoming impatient.

O’Reilly was never one to countenance any generosity towards his sworn enemies and when asked if he’d ever tried to run out a player (for backing up too far), he replied: “I never encountered a batsman that keen to get to the other end.”

Therein lies one of the great conundrums with the best leg-spinners—they are at their best when ultra-aggressive whilst also remaining patient. O’Reilly and Warne both epitomised that breed.

Lack of FC opportunity

Another problem leg-spinners face in pushing their claims for inclusion in a Test XI, is a lack of opportunity at first-class level. On this count, Australia, which used to be the great promoter of wrist-spin, is now no better than England.

Until last season, Queensland largely overlooked the skills of Mitchell Swepson, a leg-spinner with the credentials to succeed at Test level. When Queensland finally played him on a regular basis last season he had great success, averaging six wickets a match.

In England, the promising Mason Crane, what with injuries and Hampshire’s reluctance to select him in first-class games, is in danger of withering on the vine. To their credit Lancashire played Matt Parkinson regularly last season and he rewarded them with a good County campaign.

Wrist-spinners also suffer from a lack of understanding surrounding their art. This comes both in the form of conservative captaincy and ill-informed coaching. All spinners need nurturing, but in a world where success is well-rewarded, captains and coaches aren’t often patient.

If a young wrist-spinner is prepared to employ the work ethic of O’Reilly, Warne and Benaud and he receives the right encouragement he’ll enjoy success in all forms of the game. After all, a good wrist-spinner operating against leaden-footed batsmen is a recipe for widespread bowling success.

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