What Is a Googly in Cricket?
A googly is a leg-spinner's delivery that spins the opposite way to the stock ball, turning back into a right-hander. Here is how it is bowled.
Author
Jim Smith
Cricket & Tennis Editor
Writing since 2019
MA, University of Warwick
16 articles
Jim Smith is a sports writer and editor who graduated from the University of Warwick in 2019 with a Master’s in Global and Comparative History. He has built his career on the editorial side of sports media, serving as site manager at Last Word on Cricket and deputy site manager at Last Word on Tennis, where his focus on the two sports he knows best shapes both his own writing and the work he commissions. He is happiest watching a match with a laptop open, turning the day’s play into a story.
Areas of expertise
Cricket
Test Cricket
Tennis
Grand Slams
Sports History
Also published at Last Word on Cricket, Last Word on Tennis
Latest from Jim Smith
What Is the Powerplay in Cricket?
The powerplay in cricket is a block of overs that limits how many fielders can sit outside the 30-yard circle. Here is how it works in ODI and T20 cricket.
Cricket Fielding Positions Explained
Cricket fielding positions are named by angle and distance from the batter: slip, gully, point, cover, mid-on, fine leg and more. Here is the full map.
What Is a Grand Slam in Tennis?
The Grand Slam is tennis's four biggest tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. Learn what winning all four means.
What Is a Tiebreak in Tennis?
A tiebreak decides a set locked at 6-6. Learn the first-to-7 win-by-2 rule, how serving rotates, and how final-set tiebreaks now work.
What Is a Break Point in Tennis?
A break point is when the returner is one point from winning the server's game. Learn how it works, break vs double break points, and why it matters.
What Is a Duck in Cricket?
A duck in cricket is when a batter is dismissed for zero. Learn the golden, diamond and pair variations and where the odd term comes from.
Test vs ODI vs T20: Cricket Formats Explained
Test, ODI and T20 are cricket's three main formats. Compare their length, overs, innings and playing conditions in one clear side-by-side guide.
What Is a Maiden Over in Cricket?
A maiden over is an over of six legal balls from which no runs are scored off the bat. Here is what counts, what does not, and why it matters.
The Science of Sports Recovery: How Elite Athletes Sleep, Eat and Regenerate in 2025
Modern sports recovery has been revolutionised by technology, nutrition science and sleep optimisation. We examine what the best athletes in the world do between competitions.
Golf's Civil War: LIV vs PGA Tour and the Battle for the Sport's Soul
Two years after the Saudi-backed LIV Golf disrupted the establishment, the sport remains divided, the merger talks continue, and the best player in the world is still trying to hold it all together.
Football's Diversity Problem: Why the NFL Must Do More for Black Coaches
Despite decades of discussion and policy, the NFL remains far behind where it should be in hiring Black head coaches. The numbers demand urgent action.