The main aim of off spin bowling is to deceive the batsman, both in the air (by making the ball drift and drop quicker than would normally be the case) and off the wicket (by making the ball turn and bounce higher than would normally be expected). This is largely achieved by making the ball: • spin very quickly (ie high level of revolutions per minute) • have the axis of rotation horizontal • have a uniform direction of spin along the seam of the ball • have a combination of ‘overspin’ and ‘sidespin’. Depending on wind conditions and wicket conditions, a good rule-of-thumb is to have an angle of spin, relative to its direction of travel of 45°. How The Aggot™ works: When bowling the The Aggot™, if spin is imparted on the ball correctly, due to its physical shape, it will retain its disc shape throughout its path in the air. Additionally, it will be clearly visible what its angle of trajectory, rotation, direction of spin and axis of rotation is. The Grip: The grip used on The Aggot™ should be exactly the same used for a normal ball. The orthodox grip for the off spinner is a two finger grip, with the first joints of the index and middle fingers spread widely on the seam. Ideally the thumb should not apply any pressure onto the ball. Spin is imparted primarily through the index finger. The Ideal Off Break: The “perfect” off break could be considered to have the following properties in the air: • Very fast spin or revolutions on the ball. • A uniform direction of spin around the seam of the ball. • A combination of overspin (topspin) and sidespin so that not only does the ball turn when it bounces off the wicket, but it also drops in the air and bounces higher than would normally be expected. A simple rule-of-thumb would be having the direction of the spin at 45° (pointing to backward-square) as it travels down the wicket. • A vertical position as it travels down the wicket. This means that the axis of rotation of the ball is horizontal resulting in the fastest spinning part of the ball (which is around the seam) hits the pitch first. Please note, different wicket conditions, state of condition of the ball, wind strength and direction may affect the “perfect” off- break at a particular time.   To download this coaching guide as a PDF file click the icon above.