{{Short description|Type of spin bowling in cricket}} {{Use British English|date=November 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Bowling techniques sidebar |expanded=all}} frame|right|Trajectory of a left-arm unorthodox spin delivery '''Left-arm unorthodox spin''', also known as '''slow left-arm wrist spin''', is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. Left-arm unorthodox spin bowlers use wrist spin to spin the ball and make it deviate from left to right after pitching.<ref name=ci22nov07>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-dummy-s-guide-to-the-chinaman-310734 Leggie in the mirror], CricInfo, 22 November 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> The direction of turn is the same as that of a traditional right-handed off spin bowler, although the ball will usually turn more sharply due to the spin being imparted predominantly by the wrist.
Some left-arm unorthodox bowlers also bowl the left-arm equivalent of a googly or a 'wrong'un' and the ball ends up turning from right to left on the pitch, going away from a right-handed batsman as if the bowler were an orthodox left-arm spinner.
==Notable left-arm unorthodox spin bowlers== The first cricketer known to bowl the style of delivery was 19th-century South African bowler Charlie Llewellyn.<ref name=ci22nov07/><ref name=bs>Rubaid Iftekhar (25 June 2020) [https://www.tbsnews.net/sports/chinaman-mystery-racism-and-left-arm-leg-spin-97843 The 'Chinaman mystery': Racism and left-arm leg-spin], ''The Business Standard''. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref><ref name=carter74>Carter A (2019) ''Beyond the Pale: early black and asian cricketers in Britain 1868–1945'', p.74. Leicester: Troubador. {{isbn|9781838592028}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=QBu7DwAAQBAJ&dq=chinaman%20bowling&pg=PA74 Available online]. Retrieved 14 August 2021.)</ref> Llewellyn toured North America with Bernard Bosanquet, the originator of the googly delivery, and it is likely that Llewellyn learned the googly-style of delivery from him, bowling it with his left-arm.<ref name=carter74/>
Among noted players who have bowled the delivery are Denis Compton, who originally bowled orthodox slow-left arm deliveries but developed left-arm wrist spin, taking most of his 622 first-class wickets using the delivery.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155296.html Denis Compton], Obituary, ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 1998. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref><ref>Arlott J (1988) [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/138910.html The great entertainer], ''Wisden Cricket Monthly'', May 1988. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> Chuck Fleetwood-Smith used the delivery in the 1930s, including in his 10 Test matches.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/234722.html Fleetwood-Smith, Leslie O'Brien], Obituaries in 1971, ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 1972. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> Although better known for fast bowling and orthodox slow left-arm, Garfield Sobers could also use it to good effect.<ref name=ci22nov07/> In cricket's modern era, Australian Brad Hogg brought the delivery to wider notice<ref name=ci22nov07/> and had one of the most well-disguised wrong'uns.<ref>Dorries B (20 March 2014) [https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/aussie-spinner-brad-hogg-admits-he-didnt-know-what-wrongun-was-early-in-his-career/news-story/54dbeaf19722cf3c45d0d58659984375 Aussie spinner Brad Hogg admits he didn’t know what wrong-un was early in his career], ''The Courier Mail''. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> Kuldeep Yadav, who debuted for India in March 2017, bowls left-arm wrist spin,<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/559235.html Kuldeep Yadav], CricInfo. Retrieved 18 December 2019.</ref><ref name=gran28mar17>Bull A (18 March 2017) [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/28/the-spin-cricket-chinaman-phrase Isn't it about time cricket consigned 'chinaman' to the past?], ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> and Paul Adams played 45 Test matches and 24 One-day internationals for South Africa between 1995 and 2004 using the delivery.<ref name=ci22nov07/><ref name=gran28mar17/> Michael Bevan and Dave Mohammed are also considered to be "among the better known" bowlers to use the style.<ref name=ci22nov07/>
In 2021 ''The Guardian'' claimed that Kuldeep, Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa and the Afghan bowler Noor Ahmad were "probably the foremost left-arm wrist-spinners in world cricket",<ref>Liew J (23 July 2021) [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/23/jake-lintott-reviving-english-left-arm-wrist-spin-after-half-a-century Jake Lintott reviving English left-arm wrist-spin after half a century] ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 2 August 2022.</ref> while in 2022 Michael Rippon was reported as "the first specialist left-arm wristspinner" to play for New Zealand.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/nz-tour-of-ireland-scotland-netherlands-michael-rippon-becomes-first-left-arm-wristspinner-picked-by-new-zealand-1320738 Michael Rippon becomes first left-arm wristspinner picked by New Zealand] ''CricInfo'', 21 June 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.</ref> In the women's game, Kary Chan of Hong Kong and Millie Taylor of England bowl left-arm wrist spin deliveries.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/kary-chan-587502 Kary Chan] ''CricInfo''. Retrieved 2 August 2022.</ref><ref> [https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/millie-taylor-1486314 Millie Taylor] ''CricInfo''. Retrieved 16 December 2025. </ref>
Instances of left-arm unorthodox spinners taking a ten-wicket haul in a Test match are rare. Examples include Chuck Fleetwood-Smith against England in 1936–37,<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-australia-1936-37-61729/australia-vs-england-4th-test-62644/full-scorecard Full Scorecard of Australia vs England 4th Test 1936-7], ''CricInfo''. Retrieved 21 July 2022.</ref> Michael Bevan against the West Indies in 1996–97,<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-tour-of-australia-1996-97-61894/australia-vs-west-indies-4th-test-63732/full-scorecard Full Scorecard of West Indies vs Australia 4th test, 1996/97], ''CricInfo''. Retrieved 21 May 2022.</ref> and Paul Adams against Bangladesh in 2002–03.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-tour-of-bangladesh-2003-61862/bangladesh-vs-south-africa-1st-test-64028/full-scorecard Full Scorecard of Bangladesh vs South Africa 1st Test 2002-3] ''CricInfo''. Retrieved 21 July 2022.</ref>
In 2007 CricInfo suggested that left-arm wrist-spin bowlers are uncommon because it is "difficult to control left-arm wrist spin. And [...] the ball coming in to a right-hander is considered less dangerous than the one leaving him".<ref name=ci22nov07/> A left-arm wrist spin bowler's standard delivery will turn towards a right-handed batsman, as opposed to a right-arm leg spin bowler who will turn the ball away from them. In 2024 Cameron Ponsonby reiterated this view on The Final Word podcast, stating in jest of the success of Kuldeep Yadav,
<blockquote>"The hardest thing in the world, in this sport, is to bowl wrist spin. The reason why right arm leg spin works and is effective is because it spins the ball away from the bat. That's the positive. The negative side of that is you have less control. [...] What's bad about off spin? You spin the ball into the right-hander. What's good about off spin? You have control. Left arm wrist spin: what's good about it? Nothing, because you spin the ball into the right-hander without control."<ref>{{cite web |title=India England Daily 2024 - Dharamsala Day 1 |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/india-england-daily-2024-dharamsala-day-1/id1315888074?i=1000648354287 |website=Apple Podcasts |publisher=The Final Word Cricket Podcast |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Final Word on X: "Left-arm wrist spinners are the result of people who have made poor life decisions. / X |url=https://twitter.com/Final_Word_Pod/status/1765737496552382766 |website=X |publisher=The Final Word (@Final_Word_Pod) |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref></blockquote>
==Historical use of the term 'chinaman'== Historically the term "chinaman" was sometimes used to describe the googly delivery or other unusual deliveries, whether bowled by right or left-arm bowlers.<ref name=carter75>Carter, ''op. cit.'', pp.75–76.</ref> The left-arm wrist spinner's delivery that is the equivalent of the googly eventually became known as the "chinaman".
The origin of the term is unclear, although it is known to have been in use in Yorkshire during the 1920s and may have been first used in reference to Roy Kilner.{{efn|Kilner bowled slow left-arm orthodox deliveries rather than wrist spin. Although it is possible that the term was first used either by Kilner or in reference to his bowling, it was not used by ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'' in 1924 when he was one of their five Cricketers of the Year or in his 1929 obituary.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154716.html Bowler of the Year: Roy Kilner], ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 1924. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155638.html Roy Kilner], Obituary, ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 1929. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref>}}<ref name=gran28mar17/><ref name=wis68>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155454.html Maurice Leyland], Obituary, ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 1968. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> It is possible that it is a guarded reference to Charlie Llewellyn, the first left-arm bowler to bowl the equivalent of the googly.{{efn|Llewellyn had a white father and a mother who had been born on St Helena.<ref name=carter69>Carter, ''op. cit.'', pp.69–70.</ref> She was described as "black" by historian Rowland Bowen, although it is possible that she was from a Madagascan or Indian background. Andy Carter has suggested that there could be a link between Llewellyn's mixed-race heritage and the use of the term "chinaman".<ref name=carter76/>}}<ref name=carter76>Carter, ''op. cit'', p.76.</ref> It is first known to have been used in print in ''The Guardian'' in 1926 in reference to the possibility of Yorkshire bowler George Macaulay bowling a googly,{{efn|Macaulay was a right-arm bowler who did not bowl wrist spin deliveries.}} but the term became more widely used after a Test match between England and West Indies at Old Trafford in 1933. Ellis Achong, a player of Chinese origin who bowled slow left-arm orthodox spin, had Walter Robins stumped off a surprise delivery that spun into the right-hander from outside the off stump. As he walked back to the pavilion, Robins reportedly said to the umpire, "fancy being done by a bloody Chinaman!",<ref name=gran28mar17/><ref name=smh26mar17>Andrew Wu (26 March 2017) [https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-v-india-test-series-2017-does-cricket-really-need-to-continue-using-the-term-chinaman-20170326-gv6w27.html Australia v India Test series 2017: Does cricket really need to continue using the term 'chinaman'?], ''The Sydney Morning Herald''. Retrieved 23 March 2019.</ref><ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/67761.html The Original Chinaman], CricInfo, 31 August 1995. Retrieved 21 March 2021.</ref> leading to the more widespread use of the term.<ref name=bs/>
In 2017, Australian journalist Andrew Wu, who is of Chinese descent, raised concerns about the use of the term as "racially offensive",<ref name=smh26mar17/> arguing the term itself "has historically been used in a contemptuous manner to describe the Chinese".<ref name=smh26mar17/> ''Wisden'' formally changed their wording of the term to slow left-arm wrist-spin in the 2018 edition of the Almanack, describing chinaman as "no longer appropriate".<ref name=bs/><ref name=carter76/><ref>[https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/wisden-replaces-chinaman-with-slow-left-arm-wrist-spin-bowlers-700792 Wisden replaces Chinaman with slow left-arm wrist-spin bowlers], CricketCountry, 12 April 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.</ref> CricInfo followed suit in 2021, noting that although some argued that its use in cricket "was not meant to be derogatory", that its continued use was inappropriate.<ref name=bal>Bal S (16 April 2021) [https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sambit-bal-why-we-are-replacing-batsman-with-batter-1259243 Why we're replacing 'batsman' with 'batter'], CricInfo. Retrieved 15 August 2021.</ref> Some writers continue to use the term.{{efn|For example, the term remained in use to describe Kuldeep Yadav in the ''Hindustan Times''<ref>Samyal SK (19 July 2021) [https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/kuldeep-yadav-finds-his-rhythm-in-opening-sri-lanka-odi-win-101626700454798.html Kuldeep Yadav finds his rhythm in opening Sri Lanka ODI win], ''Hindustan Times''. Retrieved 15 August 2021.</ref> and ''The Indian Express'' in 2021.<ref>Sandip G (12 February 2021) [https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/no-room-for-chinaman-third-test-7197354/ India vs England: No room for Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav], ''The Indian Express''. Retrieved 15 August 2021.</ref>}}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}} * ''Cricket and Race'' by Jack Williams {{ISBN|1-85973-309-3}} * ''Wisden'', 1968, 1987 and 2018 editions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Left-arm unorthodox spin}} Category:Cricket terminology Category:Bowling (cricket)