Left-arm unorthodox spin

Left-arm unorthodox spin, or chinaman, is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket using the hand wrist.

A left-arm unorthodox spin delivery.

Left-arm unorthodox spin bowlers use a wrist hand action to spin the ball which turns from off to leg side of the cricket pitch. The direction of turn is the same as that of a traditional right-handed off spin bowler, however, the ball will usually turn more sharply due to the spin being imparted predominantly by the wrist. Some left-arm unorthodox bowlers bowl a leg spinner's "googly" (or "wrong'un"), which turns from right to left on the cricket pitch. The ball turns away from the batsman, as if the bowler were an orthodox left-arm spinner.

The left-arm unorthodox bowling action is bowled in common with a leg spin or leg break. Very few highly skilled left-arm wrist spinners have played at the international Test level. The South African Paul Adams, known for his unusual bowling action, is perhaps one of the best-known left-arm wrist spinners. Another notable wrist spinner includes Michael Bevan from Australia, who was known for his speed and bounce. Other types of spinners include Brad Hogg, Garfield Sobers and Dave Mohammed of the West Indies.

Bowling techniques
Bowling strategy Fast bowling Seam bowling Swing bowling Medium pace bowling Spin bowling Finger spin Off spin Left-arm orthodox Wrist spin Leg spin Left-arm unorthodox Throwing
Deliveries
Full toss/Beamer Fast bowling Bouncer Inswinger Leg cutter Off cutter Outswinger Reverse swing Slower ball Yorker Spin bowling Arm ball Doosra Teesra Flipper Googly Carrom ball Leg break Off break Slider Topspinner
Historical Styles
Underarm Roundarm Overarm Lob This box: view · talk · edit

Origin of the term chinaman

In cricketing parlance, the word "chinaman" is used to describe the stock delivery of a left-arm "unorthodox" spin bowler (though some reserve it for the googly delivery [1]). The name has its origins in a Test match played between the West Indies and England at Old Trafford, Manchester, in the year 1933. Elliss "Puss" Achong, a player of Chinese origin, was a left-arm orthodox spinner, playing for the West Indies at the time. According to folklore, Achong is said to have had Walter Robbins stumped off a surprise delivery that spun into the right-hander from outside the off stump. As he walked back to the pavilion, Robbins said to his teammates "Fancy being done by a bloody Chinaman!", leading to the popularity of the term in England, and subsequently, in the rest of the world.

External links

• Puss Achong Player profile: Left-arm unorthodox spin from ESPNcricinfo
• Cricinfo - The Original Chinaman
• Cricinfo - Leggie in the Mirror

References

• Cricket and Race by Jack Williams ISBN 1-85973-309-3
• Wisden, 1968 and 1987 editions