A: The Chinaman is a variety of delivery specific to purveyors of left arm spin, such as South Africa's Paul Adams (see pic).
During the Trent Bridge Test match Richie Benaud gave the following explanation of its origin.
"It started with EE Achong, the chinese left arm spinner from the West Indies. He bowled orthodox but he also bowled over the wrist and he had Walter Robins stumped by about six yards at Old Trafford in the 1933 Test match.
"As he walked back to the side-on pavilion he said to Joe Hardstaff Snr, the umpire, 'fancy being done by a bloody chinaman', and that's where the thing started. And from that point on that type of bowler has always been known as a Chinaman."
Simon Hughes further elaborates on the style and derivation of the Chinaman delivery in the bowling section of the Analyst.
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