The World's Greatest Leg-spin Bowlers

With the recent success of spin-bowlers like Shane Warne and Mushtaq Ahmed there has been a revival of interest in the skill of the leg-spin bowler in a sport too long dominated by fast bowlers. Pollard provides an account of the skills of these sportsmen. The book covers an array of gifted wrist-spinners from all over the cricketing world, beginning with the origins of leg-spin bowling and such famous early bowlers as Cooper, Bosanquet, Barnes, and the legendary "Ranji" Hordern. Following the development of new deliveries like the "googly" and the "flipper", the lure of the leg-break was quick to spread to all the major cricketing nations. Pollard evaluates the subtleties of the wrist-spin and delves into the personal quirks of some of bowlings more colourful characters. Such famous bowlers as "Tich" Freeman, Clarrie Grimmett, Bill O'Reilly, and the great Abdul Qadir are discussed, as well as some of the forgotton bowlers of the past through to the new crop of leg-spinners who continue to dispense their own brand of mayhem. The books extensive appendix contains statistics on leg-spinners from all the leading cricketing nations.