9 mystery spinners through the ages

2. Ellis Achong

Ellis Achong invented the left-arm leg spin

The West Indian bowler of Chinese decent was the inventor of left-arm leg spin bowling and since then the style of bowling has been christened as ‘chinaman’. Initially an orthodox left-arm spin bowler, Ellis stunned a batsman with a delivery bowled with a wrist spinner’s action.

Also being the first cricketer of Chinese extraction to play Test cricket, Achong appeared in six Tests for the West Indies and took only eight wickets at 47.25.The left-arm leg spin is an unusual breed and it was Achong who unfurled it first.