quote:

Originally posted by ten years after:

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:
Botham caught just as well as any slipper ever has and he was deadly close in saving ones and twos.

While rating his fielding very highly, i do remember Botham dropping a few more than his reputation allows.

I can remember Hooper and Mark Waugh dropping chances too, no one escapes dropping a few here and there.

Watching old highlights of late, I've seen Knott drop and miss total sitters that the likes of Nixon would be mauled for.

Time has a lot to answer for in terms of memory.

quote:

Originally posted by JGK:

quote:

Originally posted by ten years after:
Paul Parker of Sussex in the 1980s.

It is not suprising that he is overlooked, but he was a truly great cover fieldsman.

Didn't he play for Man U as well?

Dunno. I think his twin brother, Peter, was spiderman though.

Ross Edwards was outstanding in the covers for Australia during the seventies. David Ogilvie was the best gully fieldsman I have ever seen.

Solkar should get a guersney as a close catcher.

It may well be that the overall standard of ground fielding has improved in the last 30 years. I do not believe that this can be said of catching.

quote:

It may well be that the overall standard of ground fielding has improved in the last 30 years. I do not believe that this can be said of catching.

I agree with that. In the case of wicket keepers I think it's even worse.

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:

quote:

It may well be that the overall standard of ground fielding has improved in the last 30 years. I do not believe that this can be said of catching.

I agree with that. In the case of wicket keepers I think it's even worse.

Keepers dropsy has been almost epidemic for the whole 7 (and a bit) years of this millenium.

quote:

Originally posted by ten years after:

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:

quote:

It may well be that the overall standard of ground fielding has improved in the last 30 years. I do not believe that this can be said of catching.

I agree with that. In the case of wicket keepers I think it's even worse.

Keepers dropsy has been almost epidemic for the whole 7 (and a bit) years of this millenium.

And that's despite bigger and better gloves.

It's gone so much now that sides don't look for wicket keepers they look for decent-ish bats who can keep a little bit.

quote:

Originally posted by JGK:

quote:

Originally posted by ten years after:

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:

quote:

It may well be that the overall standard of ground fielding has improved in the last 30 years. I do not believe that this can be said of catching.

I agree with that. In the case of wicket keepers I think it's even worse.

Keepers dropsy has been almost epidemic for the whole 7 (and a bit) years of this millenium.

And that's despite bigger and better gloves.

I suspect that rather too much emphasis is placed on their batting ability.

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:

Watching old highlights of late, I've seen Knott drop and miss total sitters that the likes of Nixon would be mauled for.

Don't forget, you are watching highlights - so the odd drop by a keeper is bound to feature, and, not surprisingly, may skew the opinion of someone who did not see him live.

Trust me, Knott was as good as any keeper playing now, if not better. And his contemporary Bob Taylor was rated by some as a better keeper than Knott.

I agree, Basil.

I wasn't putting down Knott's talent or disputing how great he was, I was just pointing out that time can help forget some of the drops.

quote:

Originally posted by daydreamings:
I agree, Basil.

I wasn't putting down Knott's talent or disputing how great he was, I was just pointing out that time can help forget some of the drops.

Fair comment!

Well one things for sure.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY THREAD ON THIS BOARD WHERE KP. DOE'SNT RATE A MENTION..!!

Funny that.

quote:

Originally posted by tailender:
No smeg, I'm from Tasmania and thus have a spare.

That's what I meant. Only now realised that could have been ambiguous. I guess Billys ARE stupid.

Some others worth mentioning, amongst those I've seen, and not mentioned so far ... Ian and Greg Chappell*, AB*, Graham Roope, Phil Sharpe, Paul Sheahan, Gus Logie*, Bobby Simpson. Maybe even Greg Matthews.

I've asterisked those who seemed able to field anywhere with distinction.

I never saw Alan Davidson, but he can't have been called 'the claw' for nowt.

Chris Harris?

quote:

Originally posted by lardbucket:
Some others worth mentioning, amongst those I've seen, and not mentioned so far ... Ian and Greg Chappell*, AB*, Graham Roope, Phil Sharpe, Paul Sheahan, Gus Logie*, Bobby Simpson. Maybe even Greg Matthews.

I've asterisked those who seemed able to field anywhere with distinction.

I never saw Alan Davidson, but he can't have been called 'the claw' for nowt.

Greg Mathews would be number 1 on a top 5 of 'Fielders off their own bowling' There were none better at this.

quote:

Greg Mathews would be number 1 on a top 5 of 'Fielders off their own bowling' There were none better at this.

Well said. If anyone has 'On top down under' (video of England winning the WSC and Perth Challenge in 1986-87), Matthews takes a caught and bowled off Beefy that is unbelievable and knocks him over with the force behind the shot. 'Catch it or you're dead'. The same video has Roger Harper leaping 4 feet in the air to catch Allan Lamb at point, but somehow misses Emburey's famous catch fielding on the boundary and diving back.

Harper's catch and his 'stumped and bowled' run out of Graham Gooch off his own bowling in the MCC v Rest of the World game in '87 make him my number 1. 2. Rhodes 3. Ponting 4. Botham (some of the best slip catches you could ever see) 5. Gus Logie (brilliant in the covers and at short leg). Honourable mention to Brian McMillan in the slips and Mark Waugh in the slips and in the ring in ODIs.

So far we now have consensus on at least a top "8"
Someone can put them in their correct order please.

Ponting
Rhodes
Taylor
Randall
Hooper
Richards V
Waugh M
Symmonds


Then this thread will have achieved its desired result.

quote:

Originally posted by I just want peace:
So far we now have consensus on at least a top "8"
Someone can put them in their correct order please.

Ponting
Rhodes
Taylor
Randall
Hooper
Richards V
Waugh M
Symmonds


Then this thread will have achieved its desired result.

FWIW:

1. Symmonds
2. Rhodes
3. Ponting

thats only 3 smeg in the wrong order as well

1. Colin Bland
2. Jonty Rhodes
3. Clive Lloyd
4. Andrew Symonds
5. Derek Randall

I give up.

About time.

Hi you Tossie devil Taily. Are you still celebrating their win dear..!!
You probably are. Good on yer Tails.