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Will England produce a (decent) leg spinner in our lifetime?

Will England ever a HALF-DECENT Legspinner

  • Yes!

    Votes: 17 63.0%
  • No!

    Votes: 10 37.0%

  • Total voters
    27
  • Poll closed .

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Nah, England have never had a particularly good one TBH. Douglas Wright was the only genuine wristspinner who even approached decent (and with his action, he was certainly flawed in many ways). All others were part-timers and not very good. (Or just not good full-stop, such as Salisbury in Tests, and Robin Hobbs).
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Never head that name before now, but that story (reading the brief profile on that page) seems incredible. :-O
 

stumpski

International Captain
Never head that name before now, but that story (reading the brief profile on that page) seems incredible. :-O
This is from the 1960 Wisden (Lancashire report):-

'Greenhough clearly established himself as England's leading leg-break and googly bowler, despite trouble over running onto the pitch during his delivery. With great determination, after playing in two Tests, he went out of the game for a time to correct this fault, and finished the season triumphantly by regaining his Test place and, like Statham, was chosen to tour West Indies.'

Doesn't strike me as a very serious fault - I wonder if there was more to it - doubts about his action, perhaps? He didn't play for very much longer.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
I suppose that sort of thing happened occasionally in those days - Raman Subba Row, for instance, disappeared in the blink of an eye despite recent success in Test, never mind domestic, cricket.

Does it say anywhere if he was a pro or an amateur?
 

stumpski

International Captain
Yes, amateurs often retired young if they had a business to attend to (or a flock, in the case of the Rev Sheppard). But Greenhough was a professional - perhaps he went into the Leagues. I'll see what else I can find out, I enjoy going through the old Wisdens anyway.
 

pietersenrocks

U19 Vice-Captain
Adil Rashid is capable ov being a gud Leg-Spinner .. at d International Level......N' heard Saqlain Mushtaq may *** into da England side.....he might perform well.
 

DCC_legend

International Regular
He did but he got injured/went out of form and got dropped. He has a British passport so i suppose he could play for England at some stage.
 

gettingbetter

State Vice-Captain
N' heard Saqlain Mushtaq may *** into da England side.....he might perform well.
I thought he played for his own nation.
He did but he got injured/went out of form and got dropped. He has a British passport so i suppose he could play for England at some stage.
He could play for any country, but I'm quite sure he bowls offies.
 
I think Adil Rashid might be the leggie england have been looking for ages.When ECB recently asked Shane "who does he thnk should be England's backup spinner for upcoming tour of Srilanka?".Shane Warne said that he is most impressed by Adil Rashid.So,I think he must have something that he's been able to impress a leggie of Warne's calibre.
 
He did but he got injured/went out of form and got dropped. He has a British passport so i suppose he could play for England at some stage.
Saqlain Mushtaq is one of the best spinners of alltime.At his peak,he was better than Warne & Murali even but he didn't last as much in international cricket as u normally expect from a good spinner.Now,he's past his best & not in any great form currently so I think he would be useless even for the Bangladesh side unless bowls some good spells in county cricket to show some revival of form.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
This is from the 1960 Wisden (Lancashire report):-

'Greenhough clearly established himself as England's leading leg-break and googly bowler, despite trouble over running onto the pitch during his delivery. With great determination, after playing in two Tests, he went out of the game for a time to correct this fault, and finished the season triumphantly by regaining his Test place and, like Statham, was chosen to tour West Indies.'

Doesn't strike me as a very serious fault - I wonder if there was more to it - doubts about his action, perhaps? He didn't play for very much longer.
Was incredibly injury prone. Fell off a ladder or something and broke both his feet one winter, although I think that was before he played Test cricket.

Does it say anywhere if he was a pro or an amateur?
Pro.
 

Cameron-Moss

U19 12th Man
He did but he got injured/went out of form and got dropped. He has a British passport so i suppose he could play for England at some stage.


To play in a international sport not for your nationality team, dont you need to have lived in that county 4 years?
 

Cameron-Moss

U19 12th Man
I think Adil Rashid might be the leggie england have been looking for ages.When ECB recently asked Shane "who does he thnk should be England's backup spinner for upcoming tour of Srilanka?".Shane Warne said that he is most impressed by Adil Rashid.So,I think he must have something that he's been able to impress a leggie of Warne's calibre.
Warne could have give him some tips, I hope so, atlast we could give Aussies, some of there own medicen, :D
 

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