Best Cordons

[kyear2]

Don't think this has been done before and may be the shortest thread ever, but here we go.

We've been talking about lower order batting quite a bit recently, while apparently it's a coincidence that the greatest teams and most successful bowlers all had amazing cordons.

So which were the best?

 

[kyear2]

I would say that the best ever cordon assembled may very well be one of Taylor, Waugh Jr and a young Warne, where when you nicked it, you just walked. It's challenged by any of Lloyd, Richards & Richardson or Lara, Hooper & Richardson or Hayden, Waugh & Ponting. All brilliant...

From days gone bye we are told that Simpson, Hammond and Sobers were exceptional along with the south african duo of Bruce Mitchell and Trevor Goddard.

Following on they had Barlow, Richards and Procter, who were eventually succeeded by the more contemporary trio of Smith, Kallis and de Villiers who were exceptional and possibly the last super group we've seen.

Lillee and Thompson had the Chappell brothers and Hadlee was ably assisted by Coney and the Crowe's, while the West Indian quartet and burgeoning Titans of the 70's and early 80's would not have been complete without Lloyd, Greenidge and Richards in death row next to Murray/Dujon snapping up every chance, likewise for the Aussie juggernaut.

Catches win matches they say, who am I to argue.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

For only a single fielder, Mark Waugh was the best slipper ever. Didn’t only take insane catches but made them look easy. Supreme athlete

 

[kyear2]

For only a single fielder, Mark Waugh was the best slipper ever. Didn’t only take insane catches but made them look easy. Supreme athlete

I don't know, he was certainly brilliant but from what I've read Hammond, Simpson and Sobers were also superb and from those I've seen Hooper was consistently just as brilliant and effortless and Richardson was on a different level at 3rd. Richardson however wasn't as consistently in the cordon as the others referenced.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Any combination of M.Waugh, Ponting and Hayden. Warne at first was nothing special but as a whole cordon they were still as good as any. Usually has a Langer, S.Waugh etc. into 3rd/4th at times

 

[Zinzan]

Slightly out of left-field but NZ in the mid 80s with Jeff Crowe at 1st, Coney at 2nd & Bracewell 3rd were an underrated cordon that didn't drop many.

Also IIRC the NZ 2021 Test team that won the WTC had a >90% catching rate that year, easily no. 1 of the teams, and seemingly snared everything in the cordon.

 

[Bolo.]

Slightly out of left-field but NZ in the mid 80s with Jeff Crowe at 1st, Coney at 2nd & Bracewell 3rd were an underrated cordon that didn't drop many.

Also IIRC the NZ 2021 Test team that won the WTC had a >90% catching rate that year, easily no. 1 of the teams, and seemingly snared everything in the cordon.

Part of this would be the low % of spin bowled.

 

[Molehill]

I think you should add the keeper to the cordon too, you don't get decent slip cordons without a superb keeper who knows how to position them correctly. The fact that the Aussie trio had Healy to set them up probably helped even more.

I agree about successful teams seemingly having the best cordons. For England, Strauss, Swann and Collingwood were probably the best trio we've had in recent memory as a unit, helped by the fact Prior was at his best at that point.

 

[Zinzan]

Part of this would be the low % of spin bowled.

Fair.

 

[kyear2]

Slightly out of left-field but NZ in the mid 80s with Jeff Crowe at 1st, Coney at 2nd & Bracewell 3rd were an underrated cordon that didn't drop many.

Also IIRC the NZ 2021 Test team that won the WTC had a >90% catching rate that year, easily no. 1 of the teams, and seemingly snared everything in the cordon.

Included Coney and Crowe, can add in Bracewell.

 

[kyear2]

I think you should add the keeper to the cordon too, you don't get decent slip cordons without a superb keeper who knows how to position them correctly. The fact that the Aussie trio had Healy to set them up probably helped even more.

I agree about successful teams seemingly having the best cordons. For England, Strauss, Swann and Collingwood were probably the best trio we've had in recent memory as a unit, helped by the fact Prior was at his best at that point.

No issue with including the keeper, most of the ones named had great keepers alongside them and were just as important.

Yeah, don't think it was just seemingly having better cordons so much as it was a feature of great modern reams. It would be difficult to be truly great team if you're not taking your chances and even some of the half ones.


And yes, they were a very good trip, Collingwood being great everywhere as well.

 

[Howe_zat]

The best thing about this topic is how since there aren't proper records for it you can just name some generically strong teams and assume no one will be sure enough to contradict you

 

[kyear2]

The best thing about this topic is how since there aren't proper records for it you can just name some generically strong teams and assume no one will be sure enough to contradict you

Or have watched them and not just relying on starguru.

Looking at impact rather than just stats.

Who here haven't seen all but about two of the cordons mentioned?

Besides the SA trio from the 70's I'm confident in the names listed and there are many here, including the one who liked your post, who has seen them all and can correct anything I've said.

 

[Howe_zat]

Or have watched them and not just relying on starguru.

Looking at impact rather than just stats.

Who here haven't seen all but about two of the cordons mentioned?

Besides the SA trio from the 70's I'm confident in the names listed and there are many here, including the one who liked your post, who has seen them all and can correct anything I've said.

It's just running on hot confirmation bias, that's all. You can watch a million games and come away with a completely wrong impression of what happened if no one's doing any counting.

 

[kyear2]

It's just running on hot confirmation bias, that's all. You can watch a million games and come away with a completely wrong impression of what happened if no one's doing any counting.

Not to pick on Australia, but Steve Smith and Shane Warne are excellent examples.

Smith takes brilliant grabs but he isn't rated (by many) because of the brain fade drops, Warne for those who have watched him and appreciate the art knows the wasn't near the same quality as his running mates, especially as he migrated further into the cordon.
Graeme was solid but limited, Lara caught like he batted at times, there's nuance.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Slightly out of left-field but NZ in the mid 80s with Jeff Crowe at 1st, Coney at 2nd & Bracewell 3rd were an underrated cordon that didn't drop many.

Also IIRC the NZ 2021 Test team that won the WTC had a >90% catching rate that year, easily no. 1 of the teams, and seemingly snared everything in the cordon.

Who ordered Fuller Pilch from Temu



Jk, good post

 

[howitzer]

Immediately after ABDV stopped keeping I'm pretty sure SA had Graeme Smith at 1st and some combination of Kallis/DV in the slips... wasn't til about Kallis' retirement DV became big in the slips though. Think it might be a shout though.

 

[subshakerz]

Immediately after ABDV stopped keeping I'm pretty sure SA had Graeme Smith at 1st and some combination of Kallis/DV in the slips... wasn't til about Kallis' retirement DV became big in the slips though. Think it might be a shout though.

Yes what I was thinking.

 

[kyear2]

Immediately after ABDV stopped keeping I'm pretty sure SA had Graeme Smith at 1st and some combination of Kallis/DV in the slips... wasn't til about Kallis' retirement DV became big in the slips though. Think it might be a shout though.

Unless my memory is playing tricks indefinitely remember the fake AB fielding at 3rd slip when Kallis w as in 2nd and Smith 1st. He's also one of the 3 best 3rd slips I recall ever seeing in action.

 

[subshakerz]

Unless my memory is playing tricks indefinitely remember the fake AB fielding at 3rd slip when Kallis w as in 2nd and Smith 1st. He's also one of the 3 best 3rd slips I recall ever seeing in action.

Smith was a weak link in those slips. Kallis was immaculate.