Who is England's Greatest Left Arm Spinner?

[Line and Length]

Verity then Underwood and Wardle

 

[honestbharani]

The Answer

 

[ataraxia]

Kallis was right-arm iirc

 

[Migara]

Rhodes and Wardle would be ahead of Lock in my rankings, for sure. Lock's overall average is very misleading. He took 47 wickets @ 7.80 against New Zealand who at that time were amongst the weakest Test sides ever seen. Against all the other sides, he took 127 wickets at 32.15. He averaged over 25 with a strike rate over 74 against every other side. Given the favourable era in which he played, when compared with contemporaries like Laker, Wardle and Appleyard who all averaged under 22, this is a relatively run of the mill bowling resume; despite what his overall average may suggest at first glance from a modern perspective.

There is a relatively unknown Pakistani named Pervez Sajjad who averages 24 with the ball for 59 wickets. Anyone know about him?

 

[Prince EWS]

There is a relatively unknown Pakistani named Pervez Sajjad who averages 24 with the ball for 59 wickets. Anyone know about him?

Beating up on NZ in the 60s wasn't really impressive, ultimately.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Extra respect for Wardle bowling left-arm leg spin (formerly known as 'Chinaman' bowling) as well as orthodox SLAs. Have any other English test bowlers bowled left-arm leggies?

 

[a massive zebra]

Extra respect for Wardle bowling left-arm leg spin (formerly known as 'Chinaman' bowling) as well as orthodox SLAs. Have any other English test bowlers bowled left-arm leggies?

Denis Compton, but at Test level he wasn't very effective (at bowling).

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Denis Compton, but at Test level he wasn't very effective (at bowling).

That's right. I forgot about Compton.

 

[trundler]

It's Verity.

A little insight into Briggs would be great though. Seems to have played a lot as an all rounder. Not sure how to judge that average considering when he played. I see he averaged 20.55 against Australia and 4.80 against SA. That's pretty Trumble's record plus minnow bashing.

Was Blythe mostly kept out by illness or Rhodes? Tragically killed in action like Verity. Averaged 21 against Australia in 9 matches which is similar to Barnes actually.

 

[mr_mister]

I want to say Wardle so bad

 

[NZTailender]

I thought I'd be the only one going the lol vote but no I have company

 

[bagapath]

If it were about first class cricket Rhodes would win this by a mile

In tests, it has to be Verity; and Underwood a respectable runner up.

 

[AndrewB]

If it were about first class cricket Rhodes would win this by a mile

Verity’s average was 14.90, the lowest for any bowler with 1000 wickets since 1900, so I don’t think it’s that clear-cut.