Why is a Left-Handed Player Called a Southpaw in cricket ?

In the world of cricket, the expression southpaw is associated with left-handed batters or bowlers. This phrase may appear often in commentary or in conversations among enthusiasts, but it is included in the few researched who do not know its history or its domestic usage among left handers. This post intends to get to the core of the southpaw's background and share its relevance to sports in general and cricket in particular.

The Origins of the Term "Southpaw"

The phrase 'southpaw' as one would imagine doesn't triumph as the first usage in the sport of cricket but rather in baseball in the United States. The reasons for adopting the name can be connected to baseball for it seems that the first known users are ahead of us in time and in the American sport. One of the most crystal clear explanations of the origin of the word concerns the direction baseball diamonds are constructed.

Historically, baseball fields were designed so that the batter faced east, which meant that the pitcher faced west. A left-handed pitcher would have his pitching arm on the southern side of the field, hence the term "southpaw" – with “south” referring to the geographic direction and “paw” being a colloquial term for a hand. Over time, the word southpaw became a colloquial term for left-handed people, transcending the sport of baseball.

Southpaw in Boxing: A Growing Influence

Prior to its appropriation in cricket, the term "southpaw" was already popular in another sport: boxing. Southpaw in boxing refers to a fighter whose right hand and right foot are in front, using the left hand to throw punches, which is the reverse position of an orthodox boxer.

The widespread practice of boxing and left-handed boxers made the term "southpaw" to be used to refer to left-handers in many other sports. The use of ‘southpaw’ to refer to left-handed boxers was popularized further by the likes of Marvin Hagler and Manny Pacquiao.

The Introduction of Southpaw in Cricket

Though the word “southpaw” is deeply rooted in American sports, particularly baseball and boxing, cricket has started innovating the word in the essence of the game, which is fast growing to all regions of the world. It is hard to determine when exactly the term first appeared in cricket, as there was no particular event or individual connected with its use. However, even before the Second World War, it was normal to call left-hand batsmen and bowlers, ‘southpaws’.

However, it is the cricket commentators, who are known to use metaphors and embellishing techniques to make the game more appealing, who have arguably coined the term where its use is concerned. Now given the fact that “southpaw” also had a rhythmic connotation to it and was used in the reference of sportsmen who used their left hand, ‘southpaw’ was likely to be used in cricket. Nowadays, once a commentator mentions that the player is a southpaw, the audience is aware that the person being referred to is a left-handed batsman, bowler or fielder, without a doubt.

The Advantage of Being a Southpaw in Cricket

Southpaws or left-handed players have certain benefits when it comes to cricket, which is why they are always in demand in any playing eleven. This is true for batsmen and bowlers alike.

Batsman Advantage

  • Different Angles: Bowlers are at disadvantage when facing left-handed batsmen, as they have to alter their line and length. Generally, bowlers tend to be right-handed – which means they are more comfortable and used to facing right-handed batsmen, and thus the rhythm is broken as soon as they face a left-hander.
  • Right-Hand, Left-Hand Combinations: It is common practice to adopt a right-handed and a left-handed batsman to confuse the opponent. While in the middle of the innings, whosever is left to take the crease is whether a right-handed or a left handed batsman, it results to fielder switching of zones rather than static positions creating more room for errors.
  • Natural Sweep Shots: When playing against off spinners more so when the ball is coming into him, left-handers have an in built characteristic of playing sweepers and reverse sweepers. And there are some situations where the left-hander’s angle allows him/her to use the field better than a right-hander would.

Bowler Advantage

  • Different Trajectories: Bowlers with left hands can produce different angles for right-handed batsmen. For instance, a left-arm fast bowler may reverse swing the ball into the right-handed batsman making it very difficult to play or even leave. In the same way, left-arm spinning bowlers can deliver well outside the batsman to make it difficult for some shots to be played.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Much like batsmen, a combination of left and right arm bowlers also makes it such that batsmen are forced to make adjustments in their footwork and shot making, thus favoring the bowling side in terms of keeping the batsman under control.

Great left-handed batsmen such as Brian Lara, Wasim Akram, and Kumar Sangakkara have shown how well the left hand can be optimally employed in the game. The left-handedness of these players enhanced their skills, angles, and approach to the game, making them dangerous for any team, contributing to their iconic status.

Cricketing Southpaws: Legends Who Defined the Term

The game of cricket has seen many illustrious left-handers and thanks to them the sport becomes more enjoyable to watch. Let us have a quick glance at several of the best southpaws in the sport of cricket.

Brian Lara

Lara is aptly called one of the best batsmen to have ever existed and his attacking left handed batting was a nightmare to all bowlers. Only a world class left hander knows how to play spin effortlessly and pound pace with such fierce power as Lara.

Wasim Akram

Without a doubt Akram is the best left arm fast bowler to have ever played the game, Wasim Akram possessed the unique art of swinging the ball both ways which made him all the more dangerous. Pakistan had a very lethal bowling attack and still drove his left arm orthodox to even more baffling effect on the batsmen all over the world.

Kumar Sangakkara

The sportsman possessed the outstanding skills of cricket such as textbook batting and has the most remarkable ability of retaining it over the years, making him one of the classy left-handed batsmen of all time. A southpaw who can rotate the strike as well as possess the ability to play exactly the required innings win the match for him on all occasions some times even proves his brilliance.

Adam Gilchrist

What is more, Adam Gilchrist was another tremendous cricketer left handed, who however defied the aggression within him as a wicketkeeper-batsman. Thanks to his left hand batting, he was horrific for the bowlers, especially in the shorter formats of the game.

In modren cricket, left-handed cricketers are being used more than in the earlier days of cricket thus most teams make sure that there is a good number of both right and left-handed players on the team to avoid giving the opponent the advantage. The stylish cover drive of the left-handed batsman, the late swing delivered by the left-arm pace bowler, left-handed players are always in the game.

Therefore, the next time you hear the word ‘southpaw’ during a cricket match, you will understand that it is not one of those silly names, but a salute to the long history of sporting practices around the world and throughout the ages.