left arm spin or chinamen?

[Tom Halsey]

In view of the topic started by tendulkarfan, I would like to see whether you prefer left arm orthodox spin or left arm chinamen.

Left arm orthodox is theoretically much better, as it is usually more accurate, and turns away from the right handed batsman. But because chinamen is such a rare style of bowling, it could be a suprise package. (Remember Bevan against West Indies and South Africa, 96/97)

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

AFAIK the difference between LAO and chinaman is the same as that between OS and LS.

 

[luckyeddie]

AFAIK the difference between LAO and chinaman is the same as that between OS and LS.

Quite correct, Liam.

Sobers truly did rule.

 

[Richard]

Surely it's fairly simple - wristspin (whether right-arm "leg-break" or left-arm "chinamen") and fingerspin (whether "off-break" or "left-arm orthodox") are different and have different merits.
Fingerspinners are almost invariably more accurate but nowadays there are only a few international grounds outside the subcontinent and West Indies that regularly produce pitches offering sufficient turn for fingerspinners to be a threat to decent batsman. Wristspinners are almost invariably more of a threat, on good fingerspinners' pitches and pitches that don't help fingerspinners, but they almost invariably offer more runs.
If you're Abdul Qadir, Muralitharan, Warne, Mushtaq Ahmed and, possibly, Kaneria, you are a bit of an exception.

 

[Richard]

Quite correct, Liam.

Sobers truly did rule.

But yes - someone who could bowl both and be one of the best batsmen of all time at the same time was a bit more than an exception!

 

[chris.hinton]

Both are Mirrors off off spin and leg spin