How to Bowl a Leg Break

While cricket is looked upon as a gentleman's sport, its competitive nature is obvious when one considers that one of the types of swing bowler deliveries is called a "leg break." If anything, that sounds a bit like something that might be accomplished by a member of the International Wrestling Federation, but it's not. It's just a wicked way of tying up a batsman.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Hold the cricket ball with seams underneath all your fingers, ring finger slightly to the side of the ball. The thumb is not involved in the grip.
2. Take your most comfortable run up and as you ready for the release, allow your lead hand to elevate and then drop quickly, essentially pulling your bowling arm with it.
3. Begin your bowling motion and set your wrist in a cocked position.
4. Release the ball, imparting a snap of the wrist to the left (for a rightie bowler) and let the ball roll off your pinkie finger. This imparts a right to left spin that will jerk the ball to the off side of a right-handed batsman after the ball hits the pitch.
5. Allow your lead arm to pull your bowling arm and hand through a full follow through. Your right hand should finish below your left armpit.
6. Adjust how far down the pitch you must carry your delivery depending upon conditions and how hard you're spinning it.
7. Imitate Shane Warne to a tee by carrying on a bit of banter and insult as the batter swings defensively.