5 Unconventional Bowlers

1. Paul Adams

Paul Regan Adams is a former cricketer of South Africa. He was born in 20 Jan, 1977 in Cape Town. In domestic cricket he represented the Cobras as a left arm spin bowler (combine name of Western Province and Boland first class cricket teams). He played 141 first class matches, 24 ODI’S, 45 test matches and took 412, 29, 134 wickets respectively.

He had a very awkward bowling action and in most conditions he deceive the batsman.  Normally a bowler has both his hands in opposite directions when he bowls like up and down. But Paul Adams first gets his both hands in parallel and then throws a bowl taking his hand way over his head towards his hips. He seems to fall down with every bowl yet he delivers it beautifully.

2. Mushtaq Ahmad

Mushtaq Ahmad is the retired player of Pakistan Cricket Team. He was born in 28 June, 1970 in Sahiwal, Pakistan. Basically he was specialized leg spin bowler and played for several years for the country. He was renowned as “hard to pick googly” and this delivery was major threat for all the batsman in the world especially English Teams. He took 185 test wickets with an average of 32.97 and 161 ODI wickets with an average of 33.29. He also played English County in 2002 for Sussex county cricket club.

He was considered the leg spin bowler in cricket world but he can move the ball opposite to his traditional bowling pattern which is known as “googly” with the same action. That deceive all the English cricketers because at that time he was counted as the inventors of googly.

3. Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga is the famous Srilankan cricketer, born on 28 Aug,1983 at Galle, Srilanka. He represents Sri Lanka, BCCSL Academy XI, Galle Cricket Club, Kent, Mumbai Indians, Nondescripts Cricket Club and Ruhuna in his career. In a short period of his career achieve lot of landmarks like lead the team in ICC T-Twenty 20 in final and in 2007 World cup also the part of final squad. He played 28 Tests, 62 ODI’S, 18 T-twenty and took 90, 91 , 23 wickets respectively.

His bowling style is very un-conventional because normally fast bowlers delivers the ball with the high arm but in case of Lasith Malinga, releases the ball from an un-usual low point which can give a hard time to batsmen who is used to more conventional actions.

4. Makhaya Ntini

Makhaya Ntini is the first racial black player to play for the South African team. A fast bowler he likes to bowl from wide of the crease with vigorous speed. He was born on 6th July,1977 in Zwelitsha, South Africa. He started his ODI career on 16 Jan, 1998 against New Zealand and test career on March 19,1998 against Srilanka. He played 99 tests and took 388 wickets and in 173 ODI’S got 266 wickets. He is a right handed bowler and batsman. With his quality bowling, establish a platform for the next black generation.

He is a fast bowler but still cannot generate the desire speed which he is capable for due to un-conventional style of bowling because his left hand is stick with the body while delivering the bowl.

5. Johan Botha

Johan Botha is the off break bowler in the South Africa Line up. A very handy in T-twenty format game. He was born on 2 May,1982 at Johannesburg, South Africa. He is on track from 2 January,2006 and he played 2 tests and 45 ODI’S and started his international career against Australia. He played all formats of game but much more establish player in T-twenty matches because he can read well the mind of the batsman.

His bowling style is unusual because he is a off break bowler but he deliver the bowls with the wrist not with fingers. That’s feature doesn’t give him much turn from the pitch and he doesn’t bend his body while delivering unlike other spin bowlers.

Image Source: Cricinfo.com