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Explain the difference.

In reply to TEMPER

They turn off the wicket in different directions.

In reply to TEMPER

Based on the spin of the ball and the likelihood of turning towards the leg stumps or towards off stumps. Any versatile spinner should at least be capable of turning the ball both ways.

So timely that you are on this topic today, for we had some Covid down time at the hospital just yesterday, so I spent the time demonstrating to my colleagues how to turn the ball both ways.

In reply to TEMPER
Leg spin means that the ball pitches and turns towards the off-side of a right-handed batsman. If a left handed batsman comes to the batting crease, the leg-spin bowler is still bowling leg-spin (i.e. he does not become an off-spinner because the batsman is a leftie).

The ball turning from leg towards off is called a leg break, but most good leg spinners also bowl googlies which are from a right handed leg spinner who uses a leg break action but delivers the ball from the back of the hand, causing it to turn in the opposite direction, i.e. an off break.

Off spin means that the ball turns towards the leg side of a right-handed batsman. An orthodox off spinner bowls this way.

To match the versatility of the leg spinner, off spinners in the past few years have developed a turner from leg to off which is called a dusra. However, most off spinners breach the code by chucking it and end up being called for an illegal action.

Left arm wrist spinners typically bowl 'chinamen' and googlies. The chinamen turn from off to leg and the googlies in the opposite direction.

(This language is oriented to a right-handed batsman facing a spinner. Logically speaking, you can say that an off spinner bowls leg spin to a leftie in just the logical context. But the off-spinner does not become a leg spinner because he bowls to a leftie with the ball turning from leg to off). I hope that is not all too confusing.

In reply to TEMPER

There are a lot more right arm off spinners compared to right arm leg spinners. Off spin is more popular because it is easier to bowl. Also, off spinners are usually fairly accurate and don't "leak" as many runs as leg spinners.

Leg spin is very difficult to master and takes a lot of practice. Consequently, leg spinners are usually not as accurate as off spinners. Leg spinners can be dangerous though because it is harder for the batsman to "read" which way the ball will turn.

Most Test teams have produced considerably more off spinners than leg spinners over the years.

However, Australia seem to have a history of producing more Test leg spinners than off spinners.

In reply to Fivestar

Hence Bradman's quip to Worrell that off-spinners do not do well in Australia.This was in 1960 before Lance Gibbs took 3 wickets in 4 balls in his first test in Australia and a hat-trick in his second test.

In reply to Fivestar

Thanks.One aspect of the game not properly understood by many people about spin slow bowling.