Among the many varieties of bowlers, left-arm spinners are among the least glamorous. While the left-arm unorthodox bowlers are very rare – and are therefore quite suited to the exotic-sounding moniker of ‘Chinaman’ – left-arm orthodox tweakers often go under the radar.
Still, the game has seen plenty of great bowlers of this variety. They have come from the spin hotbed of the Indian sub-continent as well as from less hospitable climes of other continents.
In this article, we will look at the five greatest left-arm spinners in the history of Test cricket. This list focuses on orthodox spinners among the left-arm variety. However, even if we had considered the ‘Chinamen’, the list wouldn’t be different as no bowler of that kind has attained the legendary status thus far.
Do let us know through your comments and social media replies whether you agree with this list and its order.
#5 Hedley Verity
A man who was praised by Don Bradman has to be among the greatest. Hailing from the storied county of Yorkshire, Hedley Verity played 40 Tests and picked up 144 Test wickets. His miserly economy rate of 1.88 and a commendable average of 24.37 tell only part of the story about his greatness.
The Don rated him highly and heaped praise on him on several occasions. At a time when matches were played on uncovered pitches, Verity’s fast pace made him unplayable at times. His first-class record is mind-boggling too and would have made him a legend by itself. 1,956 wickets in 378 games is a feat that is hard to fathom.
The Englishman achieved stardom on the cricket field, but he has an even greater distinction that came from it. Verity lost his life while serving in the Army during the Second World War.
While commanding his company in Sicily, Italy, he got injured during an attack on an enemy position and had to be left behind. The Germans captured him and transferred him to mainland Italy, where he passed away despite medical treatment. Verity shone on the cricket field but served his country even more strongly with his bravery off it.
#4 Daniel Vettori
Playing in the golden era of spin bowling, with the likes of Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan as his contemporaries, Daniel Vettori managed to leave his own mark on the game.
A beautiful exponent of the art of spin bowling, the Kiwi spinner used subtle variations of flight and speed to deceive batsmen. 362 wickets in 113 matches is a good record in itself, but it doesn’t tell the whole story about the bespectacled bowler’s quality.
Vettori’s last few years in cricket saw a clear decline in his bowling success and he kept his place mainly as an all-rounder. At one stage, the 45-year-old even had ambitions of overtaking the great Richard Hadlee’s tally of 434 Test wickets – the most for New Zealand.
He may have ended up far short of that mark, but he played a key role in making New Zealand a competitive side during his time. In the history of New Zealand cricket, he safely holds his place as the greatest-ever spinner.
#3 Rangana Herath
Filling the shoes of Muttiah Muralitharan was always going to be near-impossible. But the fact that Sri Lanka didn’t feel his absence greatly is a huge testament to the greatness of Rangana Herath.
The career of Herath can be easily divided into two parts – Before 2011 and From 2011. Prior to the Test series against Australia that began in August 2011, the Lankan spinner had a very modest record. He had taken 84 wickets in 27 Tests – not bad but nothing special.
But from the home series against Australia onwards, Herath reached another plane of success. 349 wickets in 66 matches is a record that puts him in the reckoning for a spot among the all-time greats.
Herath was devastating in his home conditions, but he deserves special plaudits for his efforts in less helpful places. He had a wonderful tour of Australia in 2012-13 where he took 12 wickets in five innings, including a five-fer. To succeed in the most difficult country for finger-spinners in this way is very commendable.
That’s not all! In Sri Lanka’s first-ever Test win in South Africa, the diminutive tweaker led the way. His figures of 4/49 and 5/79 paved the way for his team’s memorable triumph at Durban in 2012.
Herath wasn’t the biggest spinner of the ball, nor did he get much drift. What made him a great bowler was his control and those subtle variations of flight which the best spinners excel in. He gave Sri Lanka much to cherish during a period of decline in their fortunes.
#2 Derek Underwood
Decorated with the moniker of ‘Deadly’, Derek Underwood fell tantalizingly short of the landmark of 300 Test wickets. But 297 wickets in 86 matches is good enough to enshrine him among English cricket’s greats.
What made Underwood ‘Deadly’ was his ability to exploit uncovered pitches after they had been exposed to rain – the proverbial sticky wicket. However, this didn’t mean that he was overly dependent on such conditions.
In a career spanning nearly 16 years, Underwood managed to succeed even when the elements were not working in his favor. 50 wickets in 14 Tests played on Australian wickets, known for their lack of assistance for spinners, is proof of the former Kent cricketer’s greatness.
We can divide left-arm spinners into two clear categories – Those who use flight to befuddle the batsmen and those who bamboozle them with a flatter trajectory. ‘Deadly’ belongs to the latter category. He bowled fast to give the batsmen little time to adjust. He truly earned the nickname accorded to him.
#1 Bishan Singh Bedi
Hedley Verity and Derek Underwood bowled fast and utilized friendly conditions. But when it comes to beating the batsmen in the air, nobody comes close to the mastery of Bishen Singh Bedi among left-arm spinners.
Possessing a simple and elegant run-up, Bedi knew how to use the flight of the ball to leave the batsman in a lurch. On countless occasions, they pushed forward with the thought that the ball is going to land close to their feet, only to find the cherry falling well short of their bat and rendering them helpless.
This wizardry made Bedi the most successful among the famed Indian quartet of spinners who played from the late 1960s and for most of the 70s. Erapalli Prasanna, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar were the other members of that legendary group.
The late Indian cricketer picked up 266 wickets in 67 matches. But what is far more relevant and meaningful is the respect and admiration he drew from his rivals. Those who faced him still speak of his amazing skills. That respect, along with the numbers, make him the obvious choice for the top spot on this list.
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