Who is England's greatest bowler of Spin?

[Ymaxxx]

Of course barring Sydney Barnes from this, Underwood was an all format champ, and has the biggest FC & List A record (a stunning one that) among all English Spinners, his tag team with Knott left batsmen dismissed. Laker infamous for his 19 wicket haul, was a great weapon on home tracks and faced the invincibles and the 3 W's. Verity Has the greatest FC record in terms of quality. He maintained a great international record despite facing Bradman, Headley, Barry.

 

[trundler]

Coin toss between Laker and Verity

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Of course barring Sydney Barnes from this, Underwood was an all format champ, and has the biggest FC & List A record (a stunning one that) among all English Spinners, his tag team with Knott left batsmen dismissed. Laker infamous for his 19 wicket haul, was a great weapon on home tracks and faced the invincibles and the 3 W's. Verity Has the greatest FC record in terms of quality. He maintained a great international record despite facing Bradman, Headley, Barry.

Infamous for 19 wicket haul ?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

lance Gibbs

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Coin toss between Laker and Verity

This.

 

[ataraxia]

Verity first, Rhodes and Laker very close behind.

 

[Gob]

There is only one king of Spain

 

[_00_deathscar]

Whoever ripped through the Indian batting lineup.

 

[cnerd123]

Voted Laker by mistake, should be Verity. Laker a fine spinner in his own right tho.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Whoever ripped through the Indian batting lineup.

Joe Root it is then.

 

[honestbharani]

Joe Root it is then.

Before Joe Root, there was Graeme Hick.

 

[Nintendo]

I believe Moeen Ali remains England's best spin bowling option ahead of their tour of India.

You use internet explorer too?

 

[Line and Length]

Ymaxxx saying, "Laker infamous for his 19 wicket haul" is yet another example of someone attempting to belittle one of the finest displays of spin bowling ever.
True, the wicket was one designed to favour England's "Spin Twins" Laker and Lock but consider the following:
While Laker was taking his 19 for 90, Tony Lock took 1-106.
Australia's spinners, Ian Johnson and Richie Benaud, took a combined 6-274 on the same wicket.

Jim Laker was a match winner in England where he claimed 135 wickets @ 18.09. He may have been less effective overseas but his performances in Australia where, on his only tour 'down under', he took 15 wickets at an average of 21.2 are often overlooked. It is his performances in South Africa and West Indies where he was less effective, averaging around the 30 mark in those countries.

I had the pleasure of witnessing both Laker and Underwood in action and both were fine bowlers. Anecdotally Verity is often ranked above both ... with good reason.
As for Swann and Lock, I would rate Johnny Wardle above both.

 

[ataraxia]

Ymaxxx saying, "Laker infamous for his 19 wicket haul" is yet another example of someone attempting to belittle one of the finest displays of spin bowling ever.
True, the wicket was one designed to favour England's "Spin Twins" Laker and Lock but consider the following:
While Laker was taking his 19 for 90, Tony Lock took 1-106.
Australia's spinners, Ian Johnson and Richie Benaud, took a combined 6-274 on the same wicket.

I think he meant infamous in a good way. Which is odd, but hey.

Lock had a bad few days, Aussie spinners weren't designed to bowl as quick as was needed to fully reap benefits out of the Oval wicket. But it's still an insanely good performance, considering that it was in an Ashes Test and no one else ever has taken 18 wickets in a first-class match. So it's pretty remarkable stuff there.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

The answer is obviously Peter Such.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

John Emburey.


Wait.

Did he spin it?

 

[AndrewB]

I think he meant infamous in a good way. Which is odd, but hey.

Lock had a bad few days, Aussie spinners weren't designed to bowl as quick as was needed to fully reap benefits out of the Oval wicket.

Old Trafford wicket.

 

[ataraxia]

Old Trafford wicket.

The Oval and Laker just are associated too well in my mind that I forgot that it was indeed at Old Trafford.

 

[Gob]

Swann is under rated imo. Always felt he was the best spinner I've seen after Murali and Warne just by watching him bowl (with no regards to stats) as he looked like someone who can be effective on a day 1/2 wicket and didn't really rely on turning pitches to get wickets. Loved the way he got the ball to drift in late aswell and it intrigued me how the ball use to leave his hand with a scrambled seam but the seam got perfectly upright just before pitching. I know the magnus effect causes the drift but could not explain this sensation.

Any way had a look at his record on country by country basis


Not great in Aust but even Murali struggled there but his next worst was SA (a perfectly fine 31). Most importantly, he had a match winning spell in every single country including Australia. Very impressive indeed

Absolute tool though. Shouldn't be anywhere near a microphone

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I see Swann never played any tests in NZ (another graveyard for spinners). Monty Panesar from 6 tests (3 each in 2008 and 2013) averaged 42.