what is carrom ball

The carrom ball is a style of spin bowling delivery used in cricket. It is a unique delivery that is often utilized by spin bowlers, where the grip is unusual as the ball is held between the thumb and a bent middle finger, and then released by flicking it out of the hand. The ball is spun by squeezing and flicking it with the fingers, similar to how a carrom player flicks a striker in the indoor game of carrom. The direction of the spin depends on the grip of the middle finger. When the middle finger is gripped towards the leg side, the ball spins from leg to off; when the middle finger is gripped towards the off side, the ball spins from off to leg. The carrom ball was first used by the Australian Jack Iverson from Victoria, who used it throughout his Test cricket career in the period after the Second World War, although he did not use the name "carrom ball". The Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis is known for his mastery of the carrom ball, and he used it to great effect in international cricket.