“Left hand, right hand, it doesn’t matter. I’m amphibious.”
So said American basketballer Charles Rutherford. Footballer and coach Yogi Berra uttered something similar, as have a few self-described ‘ambidextrous’ Australian footballers.
Apocryphal or not, it begs the question- why have so few elite cricketers bowled and batted with different hands ?
It seems reasonable to me that a player’s natural bowling hand, could also serve as his top (ie dominant) hand when holding a bat. Meaning a left-handed bowler would bat right-handed, or vice-versa.
Yet to date, less than 50 cricketers have done so successfully in both disciplines at the very highest level. Perhaps a sports biomechanist can explain the mystery, in layman’s terms ?
To help fill the void until serious cricket recommences, here is a pair of teams drawn from the thin ranks of this very rare type of player.
The ‘Bowled right-handed and batted left-handed’ XI
1. Chris Gayle (West Indies, 103 Tests, 2000-2014)
In addition to aggressive batting that yielded 7,214 runs at an average of 42.18 and 15 centuries, ‘Universe Boss’ also claimed 73 wickets at an average of 42.73 with his canny off-spin. His best bowling figures were 5/34 at Edgbaston in 2004, 5/91 against Pakistan in Bridgetown in 2005, 4/50 against South Africa in Port-of-Spain in 2004/05, and 4/71 in Auckland in 2005/06.
2. Bob Barber (England, 28 Tests, 1960-1968)
Barber is best known for his match-winning 185 from 255 deliveries at the SCG in 1965/66, in a career return of 1,495 runs at an average of 35.59. He is also his nation’s most-prolific wrist-spinner since the 1950s, claiming 42 wickets at an average of 43.00. His highlights with the ball included match hauls of 6/139 against New Zealand at Edgbaston in 1965, and 6/178 in Lahore in 1961/62.
3. Bob Cowper (Australia, 27 Tests, 1964-1968)
Cowper retired at the age of 28 to make a small fortune and ultimately reside in Monaco, but not before amassing 2,061 runs at an average of 46.84 including an innings of 307 against England at the MCG in 1965/66. His finger-spin yielded 36 wickets at an average of 31.63, highlighted by match hauls of 7/135 against India at the Gabba in 1967/68, and 6/130 at Old Trafford in 1968.
4. Wasim Raja (Pakistan, 57 Tests, 1973-1985)
Wasim Raja was a gifted strokeplayer with a career aggregate of 2,821 runs at an average of 36.16 with four centuries, including 919 runs at an average of 57.43 against the West Indies. His wrist-spin returned 51 wickets at an average of 35.80, highlighted by match figures of 6/86 in Christchurch in 1978/79.
5. Greg Matthews (Australia, 33 Tests, 1983-1993)
‘Mo’ scored 75 on debut, and ultimately amassed 1,849 runs at an average of 41.08 including four centuries. His off-spin bowling was under-rated, and only team-mate Geoff Lawson has taken more Sheffield Shield wickets for New South Wales than his 363. He claimed 61 Test wickets at an average of 48.22, with the highlights being match hauls of 10/249 in the tied Test in Chennai in 1986/87, and 7/169 (in addition to scoring 64) in Colombo in 1992 when Australia won by just 16 runs after conceding a 291-run first-innings lead.
England captain Ben Stokes. (Photo by Gareth Copley – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)
6. Ben Stokes (England, 115 Tests, 2013-2025)
Stokes is one of his nation’s greatest all-rounders, with a batting record to date of 7,032 runs at an average of 35.69, including 14 centuries and a highest score of 258. He has also claimed 230 wickets at an average of 31.64 with his fast-medium bowling. At the SCG in 2013/14, he had a match haul of 8/161. And he has taken five wickets in an innings on five occasions, his best figures being 6/22 against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2017.
7. Adam Gilchrist (captain, Australia, 96 Tests, 1999-2008)
‘Gilly’ is best known for effecting 379 catches and 37 stumpings, and scoring 5,570 runs at an average of 47.60 and scoring rate of 81.95 runs per 100 balls faced. He also delivered very-occasional off-breaks, which yielded List A career figures of 0/10 from two overs, and one delivery in an IPL match- with which he claimed a wicket.
8. Jack Gregory (Australia, 24 Tests, 1920-1928)
Gregory is one of his nation’s finest all-rounders, and a member of its first great fast-bowling duo. He regularly batted without gloves in the process of scoring 1,146 runs at an average of 36.96, including two centuries one of which took him just 70 minutes. With the ball, his 85 wickets at an average of 31.15 included match hauls against England of 8/101 at the MCG in 1920/21, and 8/103 at Trent Bridge in 1921.
9. Moeen Ali (England, 68 Tests, 2014-2023)
While ‘Moe’ began his career as a batsman, his off-spin subsequently developed to the point that he was a genuine all-rounder. He scored 3,094 runs at an average of 28.12 with five centuries and a highest innings of 155 not out, and claimed 204 wickets at an average of 37.31. Against South Africa in 2017, he took a hat-trick at The Oval, and returned match figures of 10/112 at Lord’s.
New Zealand cricket icon Richard Hadlee appeals for yet another wicket. Photo: Simon Bruty /Allsport
10. Richard Hadlee (New Zealand, 86 Tests, 1973-1990)
‘Paddles’ is one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket. With the ball, he claimed 431 wickets at an average of 22.29, highlighted by nine 10-wicket match hauls including 15/123 in Brisbane in 1985/86. He was also a hard-hitting lower-order batsman whose 3,124 runs at an average of 27.16 included two centuries and a highest score of 151 not out.
11. Stuart Broad (England, 167 Tests, 2007-2023)
Broad was a genuine match-winner with the ball, and his aggregate of 604 wickets at an average of 27.68 has been surpassed by only one other fast bowler. As well as his three 10-wicket hauls he also claimed innings figures of 8/15 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2015. His batting highlight was an innings of 169 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, and his aggregate of 3,662 runs at an average of 18.03 also included 13 half-centuries.
Honourable mentions – Travis Head, Ken Mackay (Aus), Jacob Oram, Bruce Taylor (NZ), Lance Klusener (SA), Kamindu Mendis (SL). Current star batsman Mendis makes the list due to his ability to bowl finger-spin both right-handed, and left-handed.
The ‘Bowled left-handed and batted right-handed’ XI
1. Wilfred Rhodes (England, 58 Tests, 1899-1930)
While Rhodes batted at number ten on debut, he became a first-choice opening batsman ten years later. His career aggregate of 2,325 runs at an average of 30.19 included two centuries, and his 36 first-wicket partnerships with Jack Hobbs averaged 61.31 and included eight three-figure ones. At the MCG in 1911/12, he scored 179 and shared a 323-run stand with Hobbs. His finger-spin yielded 127 wickets at an average of 26.96, while his first-class tally was an unbeatable 4,204. He claimed a match haul of 15/124 at the MCG in 1903/04, and innings figures of 7/17 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1902.
2. MH Mankad (India, 44 Tests, 1946-1959)
‘Vinoo’ is one of his nation’s greatest all-rounders. With the bat he scored 2,109 runs at an average of 31.47. His five centuries included ones of 231 and 223 against New Zealand in Chennai and Brabourne in 1955/56, and 184 at Lord’s in 1952. His finger-spin claimed 162 wickets at an average of 32.32. He took 13/131 against Pakistan in Delhi in 1952/53, and 12/108 against England in Chennai in 1951/52. A controversial form of dismissal bears his name.
3. Charlie Macartney (Australia, 35 Tests, 1907-1926)
‘The Governor-General’ was one of Australia’s first great batsmen. His 2,131 runs at an average of 41.78 featured seven centuries, including one made before lunch on the match’s first day at Headingley in 1926. With the ball, his finger-spin took 45 wickets at an average of 27.55. At Headingley in 1909, he recorded match-winning figures of 7/58 and 4/27.
4. Michael Clarke (Australia, 115 Tests, 2004-2015)
‘Pup’ is one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era. He amassed 8,643 runs at an average of 49.10, with 28 centuries and a highest score of 329 not out. While a chronic back condition restricted his finger-spin, he still claimed 31 wickets at an average of 38.19 including figures of 6/9 in Wankhede in 2004/05, and 5/86 in Roseau in 2012, and 3/5 at the SCG in 2007/08.
Michael Clarke made plenty of runs, but also did damage with the ball. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
5. Frank Worrell (captain, West Indies, 51 Tests, 1948-1963)
Worrell is his nation’s most important cricketer and greatest captain. In addition to batting elegantly, he also bowled both medium-pace and finger-spin. His batting record was 3,860 runs at an average of 49.48 with nine centuries and a highest score of 261. With the ball he claimed 69 wickets at an average of 38.72, highlighted by returns of 7/70 at Headingley in 1957 and 6/38 in Adelaide in 1951/52.
6. Denis Compton (England, 78 Tests, 1937-1957)
Compton is one of his nation’s most outstanding batsmen of all time, with a career aggregate of 5,807 runs at an average of 50.06. His 17 centuries included a highest score of 278. While knee injuries incurred playing football for Arsenal restricted his wrist-spin, he did claim 5/70 in Cape Town in 1948/49, and match figures of 4/78 against South Africa in 1947, among his 25 wickets at an average of 56.40.
7. Frank Foster (England, 11 Tests, 1911-1912)
Foster was a fast-medium opening bowler and hard-hitting batsman who starred in England’s Ashes series win in 1911/12, taking 32 wickets and scoring 226 runs. His career figures were 45 wickets at an average of 20.57, and 330 runs at an average of 23.57. His hauls in that Ashes victory included 6/91 at the MCG, 5/36 in Adelaide, and 5/92 at the SCG. In the same series he scored 71 in Adelaide, 56 at the SCG, and 50 at the MCG.
8. George Hirst (England, 24 Tests, 1897-1909)
Hirst is one of his nation’s greatest all-rounders, and was born in Kirkheaton just like his England and Yorkshire team-mate Wilfred Rhodes. At Test level he scored 790 runs at an average of 22.57, and took 59 wickets at an average of 30.00. In first-class cricket he amassed 36,356 runs and took 2,742 wickets. He is recognised as the first bowler to master swing bowling, often proving unplayable by swerving the ball into the batsmen from around the wicket at medium-fast pace.
9. Johnny Briggs (England, 33 Tests, 1884-1899)
All-rounder Briggs enjoyed a successful Test career as a lower-order batsman and finger-spinner, scoring 815 runs at an average of 18.11 and taking 118 wickets at an average of 17.75. He recorded his highest score of 121 at the MCG in 1884/85, and took ten wickets in a game on four occasions. His best match figures were 15/28 in Cape Town in 1888/89, and 12/136 in Adelaide in 1891/92.
Marco Jansen. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
10. Marco Jansen (South Africa, 18 Tests, 2021-2025)
Jansen is the latest in a long line of fine South African all-rounders. To date he has taken 77 wickets at an average of 22.02, and scored 506 runs at an average of 22.00. Against Sri Lanka in Durban in 2024/25, he took 7/13 and 4/73. In the recent World Test Championship final at Lord’s, he claimed 3/49 and 1/58.
11. Murray Bisset (South Africa, three Tests, 1899-1910)
As far as I have been able to establish, Bisset holds a unique position in Test cricket. He appears to be the only one of more than 300 wicketkeepers to date, to have batted right-handed and bowled left-handed. In three games against England he scored 103 runs, claimed two catches and one stumping, and captained his nation twice. In 40 first-class matches, his finger-spin captured five wickets.
Honourable mentions– Chuck Fleetwood-Smith (Aus), Dick Barlow, Ashley Giles, Hedley Verity (Eng), Ravi Shastri (Ind), Bernard Julien (WI). Fleetwood-Smith makes the list having opened the batting at the MCG in 1936/37, and having allegedly bowled with either hand during his youth, prompted by having to wear a plaster cast on a broken ‘natural’ right arm.
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