Is Jonty Rhodes the best fielder International Cricket has seen ?

[JBMAC]

What about Sobers, Eknath Solkar, MAK Pataudi, Brian Close?

Good but not in this company

 

[Riggins]

Bowlers are equally good fielders as batsmen.

goffy pls

 

[Antihippy]

If we're talking about new zealand that bit is true.

 

[Flametree]

My Dad was a regular at Old Trafford in the 70's and says a Clive Lloyd was amazing in the covers in his younger years.... he didn't maintain the standard into his late 30s the way Ponting did of course.

No fielding thread is complete without mentioning Derek Randall.

And back in the days of ODI tri-series, Allan Border just owned the short midwicket position...

 

[BeeGee]

Bowlers are equally good fielders as batsmen.

goffy pls

If we're talking about new zealand that bit is true.

 

[Daemon]

those one handed flying catches at point/gully are my absolute favorite thing in cricket

 

[vic_orthdox]

Warner is a genuine weapon in the field. You rarely see someone used like him - you see weak guys moved where they are in the firing line, but they just put Davey wherever the firing line is. He's a specific part of bowling plans.

 

[Archer6K]

Georgia Plimmer

 

[Burgey]

No he is not

 

[honestbharani]

Easily yes

 

[Chin Music]

My Dad was a regular at Old Trafford in the 70's and says a Clive Lloyd was amazing in the covers in his younger years.... he didn't maintain the standard into his late 30s the way Ponting did of course.

No fielding thread is complete without mentioning Derek Randall.

And back in the days of ODI tri-series, Allan Border just owned the short midwicket position...

Good to see a mention of Randall in this. Don't really remember him in his prime, but recall highlights of him from the 70s.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Among the fielders I have seen; ABD is probably the best all round. Smith is capable of magic in the slips, Maxwell a beast in the outfield and Jadeja knows how to make a throw. Though according to my father, Jonty was easily the best.

 

[honestbharani]

Though according to my father, Jonty was easily the best.

Do we know each other?

 

[SeamUp]

I think the best thing I can say about Jonty is inspired kids to want to enjoy fielding. He lit up the 90s with his fielding and energy. Like a proper jack in the box. His fielding hero was Peter Kirsten.

If you find the time, good watch.

 

[Arachnodouche]

^This. Rhodes was iconic and a trendsetter, just leagues above everyone else at the time (the leaping salmon pics are forever). The reputation he built up when there weren't too many sprinters between wickets meant he always came in to bat with a 15-20 run surplus at least.

 

[shortpitched713]

He was very, very good. An excellent athlete, although perhaps a bit overrated.

His relatively smaller stature made some of his grabs look a lot more spectacular than if you had a taller fielder there with a bit more range. Something of an Iker Casillas effect, I'd say.

Still he was a sight to behold, and didn't hesitate going full horizontal for a dive. That plus having good hands and arm, puts him already in the top percentile of fielders to ever play the game.

 

[Anil]

Yeah, they really were outstanding. Starsports was showing highlights of Tendulkar's hundred in the cb series final of 2008, and even more impressive than Tendulkar's knock was Australia's all round fielding that day. They saved atleast 40-50 runs. No joke.

Oh yeah and inb4tendulkarhighjacksallthreads

Clarke was outstanding at taking catches on the bounce...

 

[ankitj]

Yeah absolutely

 

[kyear2]

Good but not in this company

Sobers wasn't in the class of even Kanhai or Nurse? Though I have read lots of amazing things about Nurse in particular.

From everything I've read, heard and watched on YouTube he seems to be without doubt among the greatest catchers and fielders of all time

From just a cursory glance on the interwebs

 

[Daemon]

Slip fielding appears to be a skill that’s declined over the last couple of decades. You’ve got plenty taking absolute screamers but there’s little consistency. Lack of enough FC cricket may be to blame?