Paul Adams (cricketer)

Paul Regan Adams (born 20 January 1977) is a former South African cricketer and coach of the Cape Cobras cricket team.

Career
A left-arm unorthodox spin bowler with a unique bowling action, which Mike Gatting likened to a "frog in a blender", Adams played for the Test and ODI teams for South Africa sporadically since the 1990s. Meanwhile, his first class cricket career registered 412 wickets.

He is currently the youngest test player for South Africa who debuted at the age of 18.

In December 2006 he was recalled to the Test side for the series against India, only to be dropped from the squad before the first Test. He held the ball with two fingers of his left hand (the thumb and the index finger). He announced his retirement from professional cricket on 2 October 2008, more than four years after his last Test match and five years after his last ODI.

After his retirement he became a coach and served as head coach of the Cape Cobras.

As a coach, Adams has led a South African domestic franchise in all three formats of the game, securing five domestic trophies during his tenure. He was also a key member of the coaching staff for the South African Emerging side, which clinched the CSA Division 2 One Day Cup in the 2023 season. Adams has additionally served as a coach for the South Africa “A” team and currently works as a Spin Bowling Consultant for Cricket South Africa's High Performance Programme, overseeing various levels of cricket development in the country.