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November 2, 2009Posted on 11/02/2009 in Fielding
Where are my slippers?
From Mark Browning, Australia
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The popular saying goes, “Bowlers win matches.” In the longest form of the game they can’t without help. First-class and Test matches are also won by guys who are usually the least athletic members of the team. They are the fieldsmen who don’t run much and stand with their hands on their knees; sticking out their backsides at the spectators. For these are the “slippers”, the unsung heroes of Test cricket.
And they have been the true litmus test as to what constitutes a great team. Without the support of “slippers” many bowling legends of the game might be forgotten. Fifty-over cricket diminished the importance of the “slipper” while Twenty20 makes the spot almost redundant. How many know that Cameron White is a fine snaffler of edges? Will a time come when it won’t matter if he’s any good in the cordon or not? One of the main reasons why the Indian team were able to push their hosts in the 2007-08 series Down Under was the reliability of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in the cordon in making the most of the opportunities provided.
In his final summers Richie Benaud’s television commentary role has been reduced to intermittent observer, but he was spot-on when he lamented the absence of slip-catching specialists. Their type played a large part in Australia’s dominance in times gone by. Benaud himself was superb in the gully and in his era Neil Harvey took some beauties.
It was Bob Simpson who really turned slips catching into an art form. In the classic coaching manual, Cricket; The Australian Way, Simpson’s whole chapter is devoted to “soft hands in the cordon”. “When I played Neil Harvey was in the cordon with me and he was in the top bracket,” he said. “Clive Lloyd was an excellent slips fieldsman in the great West Indian sides of the 1980s. I always admired the work of Colin Cowdrey during my day and I thought Greg Chappell was brilliant as well.”
The West Indies also had Viv Richards, Richie Richardson and at times Roger “Inspector Gadget Arms” Harper taking the fliers frequently on offer. In the mid 70s in Australia both Ian and Greg Chappell made sure the explosive efforts of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson were not wasted. And their support staff was also excellent. Ian Redpath was great close in, and Doug Walters was capable of horizontal acrobatics. Offspinner Ashley Mallett had two great summers in the gully between 1974 and 1976. Legendary Australian cricket writer, Ray Robinson labelled the zone, “Octopus Alley”. Ian Redpath said everyone was at a constant fever pitch of anticipation with Lillee and Thomson bowling. Their expectation and skill resulted in even the toughest chances being taken.
As a quality pairing though Australia were never in better shape than when Mark Taylor stood at first and Mark Waugh at second slip. They were equally brilliant catching spin or pace and added pressure to opposing batsmen who must have believed any mistake would be their last. Taylor like Colin Cowdrey and Greg Chappell at one time topped the tree for Test catches. In one of the greatest fielding feats of all time he won the Man-of-the-Match award in a one-day international against West Indies at the SCG in 1992 for taking four slips catches.
Mark Waugh, who has now be pushed to second spot in the Test catches list by Rahul Dravid, has said, “Slip is a position where you have to be a natural at it. Really, you’ve either got it or you haven’t. You have to have reflexes and the ability to concentrate every ball. You might be in there all day and the ball comes to you once and you have to be ready for it. It’s a tough spot.” Waugh’s spectacular ability was best demonstrated with the low right-handed horizontal dive when he caught Alec Stewart at Leeds in 1993. It is available on recorded vision and one of Waugh’s own personal favourites. The anticipation, speed and flexibility will leave any viewer gob smacked.
Posted by: Steve Howe at November 2, 2009 12:39 PM
You omit to mention that, quite apart form his contributions as bataman and bowler, Ian Botham wasa quite superb close catcher.
Posted by: Ninja at November 3, 2009 2:25 AM
While i never had the priveledge of watching anyone earlier than the 1990's and 2000's, i have always been in awe of Mark Waugh's ability in the slips. Taylor's hands may have been just as good but the athletics that went with Waugh's slipping has him as the best i've seen. As graceful to watch as his batting. If anyone was better the Waugh pre 1990's then i have truly missed out!
Posted by: Raghunath V.J at November 3, 2009 3:13 AM
nice piece,Mark
Bobby Simpson and Colin Cowdrey were my favourites.Simpson was so unhurried and moved a split second earlier than most taking everything with two hands-for chances others would have dived for and attempted one handed.Dravid may have the highest number but he is nowhere in that class.Taylor and Mark W were really up there with the best-and another who was very good was McMillan of SA some years ago-big fella but not at all clumsy at slips
Posted by: H Scorpio at November 3, 2009 3:26 AM
The cordon is a thing of timeless beauty, shout out to the Trundlers in the cordon.
Posted by: rgiridharan at November 3, 2009 12:02 PM
The article rekindles memories of golden eras.The advent of reverse swing has resulted in more bowleds and lbw's,.
Posted by: Shekar at November 4, 2009 12:19 PM
Fielding in slips is an art by itself, you got to have reflexes at high level. A simple question comes to my mind, who would make a best slip fieldsman? A bowler or a batsman? I would say the top order batsmen have better reflexes couz they wud have faced the new ball, the swing, the pace better then lower order. If you take names of sm good slip fieldsmen you would find most of them are top order batsmen, but saying that you cant rule out bowlers, Shane Warne stands as one of the best slipper. Catching of spinners it requires standing closer, double reflex. One might say the Australian caught well in the slips for Warne but that was a slow leg spin mostly tossed up and inviting the batsman to drive. This is relatively easy for a slip to anticipate the pace compared to the pace of Kumble. To stand closer in the slips for Anil and to anticipate in that pace simply requires skills which Dravid has pursued over the years. Hats off to Dravid who has the record of highest catches..
Posted by: Sharath at November 4, 2009 10:38 PM
The astonishing thing about Mark Waugh's slip catching was how occasionally he dived. He would take the most outrageous of catches just by throwing out his hands while keeping his balance and staying on his feet. There was never a more graceful catcher in the game.
I think it was Bobby Simpson who once said something to the effect of: "If Mark Waugh had to put dive to take a catch, you could be sure no one else in the world would have gotten his fingers to it."
Posted by: Pervez at November 5, 2009 1:46 AM
Phil Sharpe of Yorkshire and England was another great slipper.
Posted by: ted at November 5, 2009 11:28 PM
ausstralian catching in the slips has not been the same since waugh and taylor.ithink aussie do not make most of there chances nowadays.as i was told catches win matches
Posted by: Priyank Vaish at November 6, 2009 7:06 PM
Hello!!! Yes, Mark Waugh is one of the best in slip catching. Slip catching is all about specialist. A good outfielder need not to be as good at slips that he may be at other position. For example, Mohd. Kaif. He is excellent fielder but when it comes to slip catching,its a different ball game altogether. Also, slip fielding for fast bowlers and spin bowlers need different skills. And in this criteria, Rahul Dravid stands far ahead from others...
Posted by: Raj at November 7, 2009 2:55 PM
Ricky Ponting's horizontal dive,moving like a cheetah from second slip to third slip to dismiss Jamie How off Brett Lee was an extraordinary catch, the likes of which I have never seen by another player than Mark Waugh.
Posted by: Matt at November 8, 2009 10:21 AM
Ricky Pointing is probally the 2nd best 2nd slip behind Waugh. I love watching the cordon as they take their positions as the bowler runs in and as all 3 or 4 of them have thier eye on the ball and only one of them moves and takes the catch. The other slips eyes are still always on the ball.
Just magic.
Posted by: Paulo at November 8, 2009 8:39 PM
Thanks for rekindling the memories of great slips catchers like Colin Cowdrey and Bob Simpson. My personal favourite was a Cowdrey catch in the traditional lead up game (versus Queensland) to the first test at the Gabba in the late 60's. Some hapless Queenslander got an edge which flew apparently over Cowdrey's head, he plucked the ball from the air and put it in his trouser pocket in one seamless graceful motion while turning around to see where the ball had gone. Confusing the crowd for some small moment of time, like some conjurer he produced the ball from his pocket. Of the current players I suspect that Ponting is the best going around with a fair gap to a clutch of players hovering to fill the minor placings. More genuinely fast bowlers create (re-create?) the necessity for the old umbrella field. Bring it on.
Posted by: skid at November 11, 2009 2:06 AM
What a beautiful photo to go with a fine artical. 6 catchers in the frame as the batter plays to the leg side!! Some runs there to be sure :) and I agree with Steve, Botham was a great slipper too.
Posted by: Durgesh at November 28, 2009 4:25 PM
one of my favorite cricket photographs- Dennis Lillee bowling with Rod Marsh keeping wickets and the slip cordon in order- Ian and Greg, Doug Walters,Rick McCosker,Ian Redpath with Ashley Mallett in the gully. The only person in front of the wicket- Ross Edwards in the covers
Posted by: sunglass armani at May 21, 2010 9:23 PM
Great article, thank you very much!
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