Can A Bowler Bowl Spin And Fast In The Same Over?

When it comes to cricket, there are typically two types of bowlers namely spin bowlers and pace bowlers. These bowlers are further divided into fast bowlers, swing bowlers, and wrist and finger spinners for pacers and spinners respectively. This raises the question, can a bowler bowl spin and fast in the same over? 

In cricket, it is allowed for a bowler to bowl spin and fast in the same over but is required to inform the umpire before changing hands of moving to another spot which he intends to bowl from.

There are so many misconceptions about the rules of cricket, which can be hilarious sometimes. I’ve heard people raise some justifiable claims about why a bowler cannot bowl spin and fast in the same over. If I’m honest, some claims don’t hold water, but that’s the point of this article anyway. If you want to finally gain some clarity on the limitations of a bowler in cricket, keep reading because it’s about to get exciting. 

What Is Spin Bowling And What Is Fast Bowling?

Spin Bowling

Spin bowling is a technique bowlers use in cricket. In spin bowling, the bowler releases the ball slowly, and the ball eventually changes direction sharply after it bounces. The bowler here is referred to as a spinner. 

Spin bowling is essentially about the bowler’s ability to deliver the ball right and at the right time. This is unlike fast bowling, which is about the bowler’s strength, speed, accuracy, and discipline.

The main concern for a spin bowler is the rotation of the ball, so spin bowling is how the bowler can get the ball to rotate as desired while it travels.   

Think of spin bowling as a tactic that is more than what meets the eye.  

Fast bowling

Fast bowling or pace bowling is the second major bowling technique in cricket. This bowling technique relies on speed to beat the batsmen and force a poor shot or even cause the batsman to get out. 

Fast bowling does not simply mean the ball is thrown fast; releasing the ball fast does not automatically make a bowler into a fast bowler. The holding and throwing techniques used in the delivery are essential in fast bowling. 

For bowling to count as fast bowling, the bowler has to hold the ball seam vertically and aligned down the pitch. The ball is then delivered in a rotating motion so it travels through the air with the seam remaining upright. In fast book won’t, the ball usually maintains a speed ranging between 130 to 150 km/hr. 

Now that we understand what spin bowling and fast bowling are, let’s look back to the main question; can a bowler bowl spin and fast in the same over? 

Can A Bowler Bowl Spin And Fast In The Same Over? 

The simple answer to this is “Yes,” as it is legitimate to both spin the ball and serve the ball fast in the same over. But a bowler needs to inform the umpire for the match if he wants to change the bowling hand or the side he is bowling from.

However, what are the possibilities of a bowler spinning and delivering the ball fast?

To start with, the ability to bowl at an international and competitive level is a top-level skill that may not be so easy to handle. How much more, the ability for a bowler to bowl fast and spin bowl. This is such a rare talent and as we have stated above, bowlers are allowed to bowl fast and spin bowl. There are no rules in cricket that prohibit a bowler from doing this.

As much as the ability to spin bowl and bowl fast is not something any bowler can have, bowlers may rely on this in certain situations. 

Considering that it takes years of practice to master just one of spin or fast bowling, why would a bowler want to switch between both.

Why A Bowler May Switch From Spin Bowling To Fast Bowling And Vice Versa.

Switching from one bowling type to another is a very rare practice in cricket, and so are the reasons limited. 

As seen In the history of cricket, the reasons for switching from spin bowling to fast bowling and vice versa may include:

If The Bowler Gets Injured

A bowler may be forced to switch from fast bowling to spin bowling in case of an injury to the bowler. The injury factor is quite popular as fast bowlers are prone to injury since their bowling techniques require great fitness. A fast bowler needs to be always fit to deliver the ball fast and consistently. But if there’s a case of injury on the bowler, he may opt for spin bowling which doesn’t require as much fitness.

The Sheer Ability To Both Spin Bowl And Fast Bowl

Although this is not popular, a few bowlers can bowl both spin and fastballs. It is rather rare to find bowlers that can do both spin bowling and fast bowling, but those that can do both may switch between the two bowling types. This is possible since there are no laws prohibiting bowlers from spin bowling and fast bowling. 

For Adapting To Certain Conditions (It May Be The Pitch Or Some Other Conditions)

A bowler may need to change their bowling type after observing what type of bowling is favored in a particular situation. The bowler may switch from either bowling type to the other after recognizing that the condition of the pitch does not favor their bowling type. 

Likewise, a bowler may be forced to change from one bowling type to the other to adapt better to the match. 

For example, a bowler may switch from spin bowling to fast bowling after observing that the opponent is faring well with fastballs and vice versa. 

A popular example was the 1996 world cup when India’s Manoj Prabhakar was forced to switch from fast bowling to spin bowling against Sri Lanka.

Some Notable Cases Of Bowlers That Have Had To Spin Bowl And Fast Bowl In The Same Over In The History Of Cricket

The names that you will see below are bowlers that had to switch from spin bowling to fast bowling and vice versa. The reasons for the switch from bowling types always fall under any of the three reasons we pointed out above. 

Manoj Prabhakar

The Indian bowler is one bowler that is associated with one of the biggest scandals in the history of cricket. Manoj Prabhakar was revered for his talents, he was a typical all-rounder, and he was especially known for his fast swingball and banana swing bowling. 

The situation we will address happened in the 1996 world cup when Manoj had to switch from fast bowling to spin bowling to adapt better to the match.

Manoj Prabhakar was one of the main fast bowlers India had, and he was the opening bowler for India in that match against Sri Lanka. 

However, the opening batsman for Sri Lanka tore Manoj’s fast bowling apart which forced him to switch to off-spin In his second spell of two overs.

Years later, Manoj described the Sri Lankan opening batsman, Sanath Jayasuriya, as unbeatable in that 1996 world cup match. 

Manoj started with fast bowling in that match but had to switch as the opponent was handling his bowling pretty well. In that match, Prabhakar conceded 33 runs in his first two overs during fast bowling. 

On the other hand, he beat Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya’s catch after switching to off-spin. He only conceded 14 runs in his second spell of two overs while bowling off-spin. 

Phil DeFreitas 

England’s Phil DeFreitas is another bowler that had to switch from fast bowling to spin bowling. This too, happened in a game against Sri Lanka with Sanath Jayasuriya on the receiving end of the ball. He was easily beaten while fast bowling, so he had to switch to spin bowling later in the match.

Colin Miller

The former Australian cricketer Colin Miller is one of the few cricketers that have the rare talent to spin bowl and fast bowl. He showed this in the March 2000 test match against New Zealand. 

He had already spin bowled against Stephen Flemming. Colin Miller then switched to fast bowling against Matthew Sinclair for the last bowling of the over. This change in bowling style took everyone by surprise, and even the commentators were surprised when it happened. 

Andrew Symonds

Another worthy mention is Andrew Symonds, who was also an Australian cricketer. He was well known for his bowling skills. 

Andrew Symonds makes our list because he could bowl both spin bowls and fastballs. Andrew Symonds was a right-handed bowler who bowled right-arm spin balls and right-arm medium pace bowling. He was known to occasionally switch from one bowling type to the other. Even when spin bowled sometimes, his spin bowling delivery speed may clock 120 km/h which is equivalent to a medium pace bowling. 

Karsan Ghavri

The former Indian cricketer was a left-arm fast to medium pace and left-arm spin bowler who could both spin bowl and fast bowl. 

The 1977 test against England saw him spin bowl and bowl fast in the match. Karsan started by bowling fast, but he eventually switched to spin bowling in the second innings as a result of Bedi’s failure. 

Sohail Tanvir

Former Pakistani left-arm bowler Sohail Tanvir is another worthy mention in our list of bowlers that have attempted both spin bowling and fast bowling in the same over. The Pakistani fast bowler was known for his swing bowling.

One time, the Pakistani former left-arm fast bowler switched from one of the main bowling types to the other in a match against India.

This was in the 2007 test against India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. 

Sohail Tanvir decided to switch to the left-arm orthodox spin bowling in that match as the fast bowlers were having a difficult game.

Sachin Tendulkar 

The former Indian cricketer is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He was known to have bowled both medium-fast and spin in the same match. He has even pulled off an off-spin, a leg-spin, and a medium pace bowling in the same over on a few occasions.