Action Replay

• South Africa’s Paul Adams was famous for his ’frog in a blender’ action — the weirdest sight was when his head pointed skywards at the point of delivery. ‘Gogga’ could change the trajectory, the line, and the length, according to batsmen’s intentions even though he would be looking at the sky. But in due course, batsmen decoded his mystery and he suffered.
(45 Tests, 134 wickets at 32.87)

• Round-arm never came rounder than this. And under-the-belt never came any lower. Sri Lanka’s latest pace sensation Lasith Malinga’s ‘low and round arm’ arm comes from right in front of the umpires’ trousers – so much so that New Zealand batsmen requested the umpires to change their black trousers, as the Kiwis couldn’t pick the red ball from the black background. For good measure, he kisses the ball at the top of his mark.
(6 Tests, 26 wickets at 29.46)

• Mike Procter, South Africa’s finest all-rounder, had a chest-on action; his arms would whirl in a cartwheel motion and would create an illusion that he bowled off the back-foot. A useful batsman, Procter lost majority of his cricketing years to apartheid and the sanction that came with it.
(7 Tests, 41 wickets at 15.02)

• Mystique, glamour, surprise, renaissance — Abdul Qadir brought it all to leg spin bowling. More than Shane Warne, Pakistan’s Qadir brought leg-spin back into fashion. His action has inspired musicians to compose tunes. He would dance up to the wicket with his tongue out, would get so wide it seemed he would start off from the practice wickets and finally turn as much as the ball would after pitching.
(67 Tests, 236 wickets at 32.80)

• Graham Dilley, known more for his historic partnership with Ian Botham at Headingley, would begin his run just ten feet from the crease, would run on his toes, churning up half the outfield. He could never complete a five-match series in his entire 10-year career- could have something to do with the action, as he kept picking up injuries. Was bowling coach of the England team briefly
(41 Tests, 138 wickets at 29.76)

— Sidharth Monga