Ah now you're taking me back to the England sides of my youth - Botham and Hendrick in the slips, Gower and Randall in the covers, Knott or Taylor behind the sticks, Willis a much under-rated gully, Greig and Roope close in, even Boycs a safe pair of hands at long-leg or mid-on - might have the edge over the current side actually.
I would dispute that.
Boycott had a reasonably safe pair of hands but was hardly likely to take a big diving catch. He was also pretty slow around the ground.
Willis was not fielding in the gully at all by 1977 (or quite a time before) - his knees wouldn't take it. He would lumber around the outfield and stick out a boot to stop the ball.
I would agree about the keepers (Taylor is the best I've seen - just ahead of Knott) and Old was another good close catcher but todays team, taken as an XI is comfortably better.
For the general thread - nobody has mentioned Gilbert Jessop (McClaren wanted him in 1902 because he saved so many runs at cover and was always likely to get a run out), Walter Hammond (outstanding anywhere but exceptional at slip) and Learie Constantine (Neville Cardus once suggested that he should have first claim on any ball hit in the air when he was fielding).
Regarding Michael Holding - I seem to recall when Holding first came to England it was said that he'd grown up in Jamaica with a friend who was also a fine sportsman. Holding was considered the better track athlete (I'd suspect 400m) while the friend was the superior cricket talent. We know about Holding but I believe the friend ran in the Olympics.
My fielding stars team:
Hobbs (covers)
Bob Simpson (slip)
Hammond (slips - anywhere)
Bland (covers)
Randall (covers - best I've personally seen)
Wlifred Rhodes (mid off - at a time c1900 when it was a key position)
Constantine (anywhere)
Richie Benaud (gully - good call whoever made that one)
Bob Taylor (gloveman)
Holding (outfield - mid on)
James Anderson (slips - anywhere)
(he's a specialist, don't you know)
