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Why is it called a googly in cricket?

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Jan 20, 2026

The word was earlier used to describe a high-tossed teasing delivery. Often an ordinary leg-break was referred to this way in Australia. Tom Horan, writing as 'Felix' for The Australiasian, suggested that the babyish sound 'goo' juxtaposed with'guile' gave rise to the 'googly' used to identify this curious delivery.

What does the term googly in cricket mean?

In the game of cricket, a googly refers to a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is different from the normal delivery for a leg-spin bowler in that it is actually turning the other way.

Who named the googly in cricket?

Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet (13 October 1877 – 12 October 1936) was an English cricketer best known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman.

Why is a Jaffa called a Jaffa in cricket?

What is a Jaffa in Cricket? It has no fixed definition but generally a jaffa is an unplayable, exceptional delivery. The batsman will either play and miss, or they may edge the ball through to the keeper.

Why is it called cow corner in cricket?

Cow corner - which is a fielding position between deep mid-wicket and wide long-on - derives its name from a corner of the field which was safe for cows to graze on because very few batsmen would hit the ball there… until Twenty20 cricket came along, that is.

42 related questions found

Why is a duck called a duck in cricket?

The name is believed to come from the shape of the number "0" being similar to that of a duck's egg, as in the case of the American slang term "goose-egg" popular in baseball and the tennis term "love", derived – according to one theory – from French l'œuf ("the egg").

Who invented the doosra?

Definition: An unconventional off-spin delivery, the doosra was the brainchild of Pakistani spin wizard Saqlain Mushtaq who successfully used the delivery for maximum effect against Australia in the Sharjah series two decades ago.

Who invented the googly ball?

Bernard Bosanquet, died at his home in Surrey on October 12, the day before the 59th anniversary of his birth. A capable allround cricketer at Eton and Oxford and also for Middlesex, Bosanquet enjoyed chief claim to fame as the acknowledged inventor of the googly.

What is it called a googly?

A googly, or "wrong'un", is a delivery which looks like a normal leg-spinner but actually turns towards the batsmen, like an off-break, rather than away from the bat. Unlike a normal leg-break, a googly is delivered out of the back of the hand, with the wrist 180 degrees to the ground.

What is googly and doosra?

The difference between a Googly and a Doosra is that a Googly is bowled by a leg-spinner and the ball spins from left to right. Whereas, the Doosra is bowled by an off-spinner and the ball spins from right to left. The Doosra is a more recent creation and more difficult to master than a Googly.

What is a googly ball?

On the more technical side, googly is a leg-spinner's trick ball. A leg-spinner's stock delivery is a ball that after pitching leaves a right-handed batsman. A googly is bowled with the same grip and action but instead of spinning away, spins in.

Who is the king of googly?

Shahid Afridi: King of googly.

Who is the best googly bowler?

Mushtaq Ahmed (born on June 28, 1970) is one of the greatest leg break googly bowlers Pakistan has ever produced. During his playing days, Mushtaq was one of the best three wrist-spinners in the world (other two were Shane Warne and Muralitharan).

What is a wicked googly?

"* A googly is a kind of pitch similar to a baseball pitch or a bowling throw in the game cricket; a wicked googly would be a really good pitch."

Why is it called a yorker?

A yorker could be described as the king of all bowls. It's when the ball lands directly at the batter's feet, and it's extremely difficult to hit. Oxford dictionaries suggests that the term was coined because players from York bowled them so often.

What is a Teesra in cricket?

The Teesra, also known as the Jalebi , is a particular type of delivery by an off-spin bowler in the sport of cricket, which renowned off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq said he had invented.

What is a leg bye in cricket?

: a bye in cricket made on a bowled ball that glances off some part of the batsman's person other than his hand.

Why is doosra banned in Test cricket?

However, he was banned in September 2014 after his action was deemed illegal for all deliveries by the ICC as part of the clampdown on illegal actions.

Is the doosra banned?

The doosra, Muttiah Muralitharan's controversial mystery ball, has been found to be illegal but, far from making him an outcast, the conclusion has sparked an immediate campaign for the rules on throwing to be relaxed.

Who invented reverse swing?

Sarfraz Nawaz is credited as being the earliest exponent of reverse-swing, but on that third afternoon of the Karachi Test, Imran gave the most fearsome exhibition of the art which was yet to acquire a name.

What is a bunny in cricket?

Cricinfo defines a bunny as "Also known as rabbit, a member of the side who cannot bat and is chosen as a specialist bowler or wicketkeeper, and who almost always bats at number 11.

What is a dolly in cricket?

DOLLY. A very easy catch taken by a fielder. EDGE (SNICK OR NICK) When a batsman only just touches the ball with the side of his bat and is caught by the wicket keeper or the slips.

Why is a cricket ball called a yorker?

Etymology. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the derivation of the term as originating in Yorkshire, a notable English cricketing county. According to Oxford dictionaries, the term was coined because players from York bowled these deliveries.

Who is the king of doosra?

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, the world's top-ranked bowler in one-day cricket, has been reported for a suspect action, the world governing body said Monday, the second such incident in his career.