Cricketweb decides the best fielder ever

[TheJediBrah]

Funny thing is Rhodes was not in Ponting's league as a close in fielder and Punter was not in Jonty's league as an outfielder. Honestly, I do think its very difficult to objectively compare fielders at this point. I am coming around to the reasoning that we tend to glorify what we saw when we were younger, esp. when it comes to fielding. I mean, just look at all the beyond the boundary catches we have seen in recent times when they catch it or palm it back into play and then dive back in and catch or tag team it for a catch. In general, while we may not have the stand out fielders like the earlier era, I think the overall standard of fielding has obviously improved and I wont be sure that it is not a case of rose tinted glasses that makes us feel the new guys are no match for the old greats.

I was assuming this was the case but when I looked back on it, it's really not. The best ring fielders and close catchers even just 10-15 years ago were much better than they are these days.

But like we said the outfielding, as in boundary-riding/catching etc. has progressed amazingly.

 

[Red]

Even Shane Warne was decent, though I'm pretty sure he was a combination of *****'s theory that he earned a spot in the slips, and the classic "put the fat guy in the slips".

This is an interesting one, because I remember Warne being very very good at cover and mid on early in his career. Moved really well and was athletic and had great hands.

I imagine it was more he pushed his way into the slips once Tubby and MWaugh retired because he was lazy.

 

[honestbharani]

He was 3rd slip even when Taylor and Waugh were 1st and 2nd. I am pretty sure I saw him in the slips since about 1995 or 96.

 

[Jack1]

Collingwood.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Collingwood.

Ordinary fielder with occasional moments of athleticism

 

[Jack1]

Ordinary fielder with occasional moments of athleticism

Unblocked you to read your usual drivel and laugh at it. You are extremely delusional.. Collongwood was an incredibly good fielder. Your comment is pathetic for a “cricket fan”.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Unblocked you to read your usual drivel and laugh at it. You are extremely delusional.. Collongwood was an incredibly good fielder. Your comment is pathetic for a “cricket fan”.

Thanks for letting me know

I'll try to make my comments more acceptable to your tastes in the future

 

[cnerd123]

Unblocked you to read your usual drivel and laugh at it. You are extremely delusional.. Collongwood was an incredibly good fielder. Your comment is pathetic for a “cricket fan”.

How nice of you

 

[cnerd123]

Ordinary fielder with occasional moments of athleticism

Eh I think this is partly true. Because what is fielding if you don't consider athleticism a part of it? If athleticism is its own thing, then does that mean Inzy was a good fielder? Safe pair of hands, knew how to throw...if reflexes, agility and speed across the ground are not a part of fielding skill, then what is?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Eh I think this is partly true. Because what is fielding if you don't consider athleticism a part of it? If athleticism is its own thing, then does that mean Inzy was a good fielder? Safe pair of hands, knew how to throw...if reflexes, agility and speed across the ground are not a part of fielding skill, then what is?

Collingwood was well above average all things considered, and had moments of brilliance, but simply out of his depth in this sort of discussion. He made too many errors compared to someone like Symonds.

Symonds was OP af. I think I only saw him fumble one ball in my entire time watching him and he was probably drunk.

 

[cnerd123]

Collingwood as a catcher and point fielder deserves to be in the convo IMO. Has pulled off too many stunners.

Symonds was an absolute freak. So good at hitting the stumps too

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah probably harsh to dismiss Collingwood outright given how much of his career he was playing as a specialist fielder

 

[Bolo]

Collingwood as a catcher and point fielder deserves to be in the convo IMO. Has pulled off too many stunners.

Symonds was an absolute freak. So good at hitting the stumps too

Symonds seemed to hit the stumps more than any fielder I've ever seen. It's probably partly a result of good fielders typically standing squarer than Symonds often did and having less visible to work with, but he was still ridiculously accurate (on top of getting to the ball quickly and having a very strong arm).

 

[Daemon]

Ponting was allegedly better at throwing down the stumps

 

[TheJediBrah]

That's something that has definitely fell away over the last decade in international cricket IMO. Just from watching the Australians, in 2000s they hit the stumps all the bloody time, it was weird if they missed. These days they almost never seem to hit. Even the supposed good fielders like Clarke, Maxwell, Smith, Warner etc. seem to struggle to hit the stumps with any regularity, at least compared to the days of Ponting and Symonds

 

[stephen]

Ponting, Symonds, Clarke and Hussey were such an intimidating set of infielders. One tiny mistake and they'd punish you by running you out or taking a blinder.

 

[Bolo]

Ponting was allegedly better at throwing down the stumps

Possibly true. Ponting was often throwing at just about a single stump from point while Symonds often had nearly three from mid off. I remember Ponting (sometimes) missing though, while Symonds seemed to hit every time.

I feel like Symonds fielding might not get it's due to the extent Pontings does because he wasn't such a trailblazer in standards as a result of playing later.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Possibly true. Ponting was often throwing at just about a single stump from point while Symonds often had nearly three from mid off. I remember Ponting (sometimes) missing though, while Symonds seemed to hit every time.

I feel like Symonds fielding might not get it's due to the extent Pontings does because he wasn't such a trailblazer in standards as a result of playing later.

Symonds was cover more than any other position. Can't recall him fielding much at mid-on or mid-off.

It was usually Symonds in cover & Ponting in slips early on, then later in the innings Symonds would generally go to the fence and Punter would come out to cover or mid-wicket.

edit: Ponting was at point for the first part of his career though

 

[Bolo]

Symonds was cover more than any other position. Can't recall him fielding much at mid-on or mid-off.

It was usually Symonds in cover & Ponting in slips early on, then later in the innings Symonds would generally go to the fence and Punter would come out to cover or mid-wicket.

edit: Ponting was at point for the first part of his career though

I can remember cover, mid-off and straightish boundaries for Symonds. A fair amount to aim at from all three positions- cover is throwing to the keeper typically.

Ponting always sticks in my mind as a point, even though he fielded a number of positions. (Backward) Point has got to be the most difficult place to get runouts from.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah Ponting was a fixture at point for the early part of his career. Moved into the slips when Mark Waugh left about 2002.

Hussey is another one who I think is overrated as a fielder. He was incredibly reliable, exceptional even, but didn't pull off as many amazing diving saves as other great fielders. He's like the opposite of Collingwood. Collingwood would take more screamers and saves but Hussey would miss less and not drop anything.