In Which Country Was the Googly Invented? History, Inventor & Origin of Cricket’s Mystery Ball
Everyone thinks they know where the googly was born… but the real answer will leave cricket fans speechless. Discover the shocking truth now!
Cricket, undoubtedly one of the most loved sports across the world, has had many evolutions in terms of batting and bowling techniques. Amongst them is the Googly ball, which is an essential part of spin bowling. The development of a Googly ball meant the game of cricket changed for eternity. Let’s dive into the article ‘in which country the Googly was invented…???
What is a Googly?
The googly, or wrong ‘un is a delivery ball delivered by a right-arm leg-spin bowler. It looks like a normal leg-spin delivery but instead spins in the opposite direction towards the batsman, instead of away from the batsman. The psychological approach often fools batsmen because they play the wrong shot.
Who Invented the Googly?
The googly was invented in England by Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet, an English cricketer who played for Middlesex and the England national team, in 1900. Bosanquet first bowled the googly at Lord’s in July 1900, and during that match Sam Coe of Leicestershire became the first batsman to be dismissed by it.
Bernard Bosanquet’s design was mapped out for a table-top game called Twisti-Twosti, whose ball spun in an unpredictable manner. He subsequently took this idea and turned it into a delivery that provided the bowler with a deceptive delivery that we now call a googly.
The invention soon began to spread after Reggie Schwarz, a South African cricketer who learned the googly from Bernard Bosanquet, started using it successfully in international cricket, which allowed it to proliferate around the world.
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How the Invention Happened.
The googly was invented by Bernard Bosanquet, based on an inspiration he had received from a parlour game called “Twisti-Twosti”. Each player had to bounce a ball on the table causing it to spin in an unpredictable way; when Bosanquet twisted, he perceived that he could make the ball break the other way, simply by changing his wrist and fingers.
Bernard Bosanquet decided to use the same wrist actions when bowling in cricket; to everyone’s disbelief the ball spun out like an off-break because he had caused the ball to go the other way. What was now known as “the googly” was of course a delivery that looked like a very regular leg-spin, but broke the other way, confusing even the best batsmen of the time.
Bernard Bosanquet had accidentally and dramatically changed spin-bowling by transferring a simple trick from a casual game to professional cricket.
Nature and Impact of the Googly
The development of the googly represented a major change in the game of cricket in at least three important ways:
1. Disrupted Batsmens’ Anticipation- When the googly first appeared on the scene, it was virtually impossible to see and recognize. Batsmen were accustomed to expecting the ball to spin away from them like a leg break, but the googly moved in the opposite direction leading to being bowled for countless batsmen what had the makings of a classic dismissal.
2. Completed the Unpredictability of Leg Spin – Leg-spin bowling prior to Bosanquet, was much easier for batsmen to pick than it have been before, the googly introduced legitimate innings wrecker into a leg spinner’s toolbox that greatly heightened the unpredictability and hence danger level.
3. Provided inspiration for even newer variations – Putting aside the obvious historical importance of the googly for spinners, the googly and Bernard Bosanquet’s inventive bowling sparked the development of mystery balls such as the flipper, doosra and carrom ball etc. Many of today’s spinners rely heavily on these types of deliveries or variations of them to either succeed, or to make a name for themselves and they all owe their existence to Bosanquet.
The Googly’s Legacy
Over a century since the googly’s invention, it remains one of the most exciting deliveries in the game of cricket. From Shane Warne and Anil Kumble to modern stars like Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal, leg spinners have perplexed even the best batsmen with the googly.
What Bernard Bosanquet created in England in 1900, is still choosing batters and entertaining spectators all over the world. The googly represents more than just a delivery, it encompasses cricketing creativity, the evolution of the game, and the mind games that bowlers and batsmen will never stop waging against each other.
Googly vs Leg-Spin vs Off-Spin: Key Differences Explained
| Delivery Type | Spin Direction | Bowler Type | Difficulty for Batsman | Key Bowlers |
| Googly | Looks like leg-spin but spins opposite (towards off-side for right-hander) | Leg-spinner variation | Very deceptive, hard to pick | Bernard Bosanquet, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Rashid Khan |
| Leg-Spin | Spins away from right-hander (towards off-side) | Right-arm leg-spinner | Can beat outside edge | Shane Warne, Anil Kumble |
| Off-Spin | Spins into right-hander (towards leg-side) | Right-arm off-spinner | Easier to read than googly |
Some FAQs on ‘In which Country was the Googly Invented?’
Q1: In Which Country Was the Googly Invented?👉 The googly was invented in England in the early 1900s by a famous bowler Bernard Bosanquet, a cricketer who played for Middlesex and the England national team.
Q2: Who developed the googly in cricket?
👉 The googly was invented by Bernard Bosanquet of England, who developed it between 1900–1904. He first tried it in first-class cricket before using it in international matches. You can also check Wisden’s cricket archives for more details.
Q3: What does the googly really do?
👉 The googly’s intention is to deceive the batsman. The bowler will bowl the googly as if it is a leg-spinner. When the batsman is anticipating the ball to go in the other direction the ball spins in the other way (off-spin delivery) that it was bowled.
Q4: What famous bowlers have bowled the googly?
👉 Some of the greatest bowlers to bowl googly include Shane Warne (Australia), Anil Kumble (India), Abdul Qadir (Pakistan) etc. You can explore our full list of the Top 10 Googly Bowlers in Cricket History.
Q5: Is the googly still used today in modern day cricket?
👉 Yes! Top leg-spinners like Rashid Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Adil Rashid use the googly as a key variation to beat batter. Googly is legacy and will remain as an important delivery in future too.
Q6: When was the first Googly bowled in cricket?
👉 The first ever recorded googly was bowled by Bernard Bosanquet in 1900 during a first-class match in England. According to ESPNcricinfo archives, he introduced it in international cricket during the 1903–04 Ashes.
Q7: Is the Googly a legal delivery?
👉 Yes, it is a legal delivery as it is bowled with a regular wrist-spin action and does not involve any illegal motion.
Also Read :
How to Bowl a Googly: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners to Master the Mystery Ball
Top 10 Googly Bowlers in Cricket History | You Won’t Believe #4! (2025 Updated List)