Is Jonty Rhodes the best fielder International Cricket has seen ?

[salman85]

Jonty's probably the only guy better known for his fielding than other attributes of Cricket.

But Fielding ability is more subjective than batting or bowling ability.You have stats measuring the number of catches and runouts you've achieved, but you can't measure the number of runs you have saved in the field completely accurately.

I'm sure that for everyone who started watching cricket in the 1990s, Jonty was the prime example of world class fielding. But Cricket goes back a long way before the 1990s and the possibility of better fielders being around before him can't be discarded. Also, the game has become faster since Jonty's time with the rise of T20s and more ODI cricket, giving way to higher standards of fielding than ever before.

So,is he really the best the International game saw? Or is his ability on the field overhyped because he was the first 'fielding superstar' after TV made Cricket bigger than before?

PS. There might have been better cricket in First Class cricket who never made it to the International Scene, but for the sake of this thread, let's keep the discussion limited to fielders who played International cricket.

 

[hendrix]

Haven't you heard of This Indian Side's Fielding???

 

[salman85]

The way they catch Tendulkar's undies everytime he throws them around in the dressing room ?

 

[hendrix]

My favourite fielder was Roger Twose. Saw him take some superb catches at gully and cover.

 

[robelinda]

Adam Dale.

 

[BeeGee]

He's the best I've ever seen. His reaction speed to the ball was incredible.

 

[Crazy Sam]

Andrew Symonds was another of the great fielders. Saved runs, took tough catches and executed many direct hit run outs.

 

[subshakerz]

Jonty's probably the only guy better known for his fielding than other attributes of Cricket.

But Fielding ability is more subjective than batting or bowling ability.You have stats measuring the number of catches and runouts you've achieved, but you can't measure the number of runs you have saved in the field completely accurately.

I'm sure that for everyone who started watching cricket in the 1990s, Jonty was the prime example of world class fielding. But Cricket goes back a long way before the 1990s and the possibility of better fielders being around before him can't be discarded. Also, the game has become faster since Jonty's time with the rise of T20s and more ODI cricket, giving way to higher standards of fielding than ever before.

So,is he really the best the International game saw? Or is his ability on the field overhyped because he was the first 'fielding superstar' after TV made Cricket bigger than before?

PS. There might have been better cricket in First Class cricket who never made it to the International Scene, but for the sake of this thread, let's keep the discussion limited to fielders who played International cricket.

Best ground fielder I believe. Best catcher probably is Mark Waugh.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Nope. Jonty was a phenomenal ground fielder, maybe the best ever, and saved a truckload of runs for SA, but overall he's kind of overrated as a fielder.
From ones I've seen, Ponting is the clear number 1. Probably not as good as Jonty as a ground fielder but still phenomenal, a brilliant catcher at point, in the slips, even at forward short leg and silly point, and took some amazing catches even in the outfield. He was brilliant in virtually every position
But the thing that makes him the best for me is how often he ran out batsmen with direct hits. His success rate when he let loose was just freaky... Especially in the late 90s and early 2000s he hit the stumps for fun.

Among others, Colin Bland was probably the best ever... My dad never shuts up about him and maintains that Jonty and Ponting don't come close to him

 

[Daemon]

Even our domestic scene is full of top class fielders.

 

[Red]

Symonds is the best I've seen outside of the slips. Ponting was gun anywhere. Jonty was an excellent groundfielder. Mark Waugh the best slipper.

Rogers Harper was awesome. Viv was awesome. Paul Collingwood was awesome.

All were good at different aspects.

 

[JontyPanesar]

We also remember Jonty for his fielding because he was exponentially better at that than his batting. Ponting can rival Jonty as a fielder imho

 

[Black_Warrior]

Jonty's ground fielding was unmatched as has been said in this thread. Since then I think De Villiers and Gibbs were absolutely phenomenal at ground fielding.

But I'd be very interested to know about some of the players before the TV age and the 90s who were known for their excellent fielding which is what I suspect Salman85 is asking.
Maybe the Burgeys of the forum can help us with that.

 

[smash84]

Jonty best ground fielder for sure. Nobody beats ME Waugh at catching though. NOBODY

 

[Shri]

Can't beat the athleticism of Ashwin.

 

[andyc]

Even our domestic scene is full of top class fielders.

Remarkably similar to Dale's one, even down to the celebration

 

[Crazy Sam]

Thinking about this further, I think the fielding is what sets ODI's apart from the other two formats. For mine there was nothing better than watching Australia in the field in the late 90's-early 00's in home ODI's with Ponting, Bevan, Symonds, Clarke, MWaugh etc fielding, particularly when they fielded second as the light was fading.

 

[Migara]

People tend to forget Roshan Mahanama. Jaysuriya, Kumar Dharmasena, Upul Chandana were as good as Dilshan today in their hayday. Mahanama was in a different class though.

 

[smash84]

yeah, Mahanama was exceptional. Probably in the Jonty, Symonds class

 

[OverratedSanity]

yeah, Mahanama was exceptional. Probably in the Jonty, Symonds class

I actually remember mahanama dropping a few simple ones.

For me, the top 5 of the generation are Ponting, Jonty, Symonds, Harper and maybe de Villiers