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Catching into contention
By Will 2 months ago, 5 Comments »
What a genuinely extraordinary day of Test cricket. My boss and I meandered through proceedings much as England did, as Stephen Fleming and Jamie How looked increasingly confident, before an hour of brilliance took over. New Zealand’s bravado cost them dear. (scorecard)
So flat did England look that New Zealand confidently mucked around with their lineup in an attempt to chivvy their run-rate. But in doing so, they let England through the backdoor and allied with some astonishing catching - the like of which I haven’t seen an England side take for years - we’re in for a corker of a final day.
Matthew Hoggard’s catch to dismiss Jamie How was a wonderfully athletic salmon-leap at deep midwicket. A Youtube classic for sure. But the real sensation - and that is what his catching has been in this Test - was Alastair Cook who added two more snaffles to his three in the first innings, one of which was an outstanding two-handed leap to his left. When an average fielder pulls off a fine catch, we all dismiss it as a) marvellous / wonderful / slightly hilarious and b) a fluke to be savoured, not expected. But when has one fielder, who was previously considered nothing short of a liability, taken so many corking catches in a Test? Remarkable.
However, isn’t it odd that a flurry of catches can make an average team look really rather good? England, as Andrew Miller points out in his verdict, probably don’t deserve to be in this situation; they bowled like drains in the first innings and their batsmen have showed all the urgency of an asthmatic mole.
Some of you will no doubt tick me off for not praising England - and yes, Ryan Sidebottom richly deserved his hat-trick - and you’re quite welcome to call me a cynical old bugger. But for now, let’s just savour the fact that a dead Test match has fizzed into life with one day to go. Who needs one-dayers?
5 Comments »Video of Nathan Astle’s blinding catch
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of October, No Comments; be the first!
This was a belter - earlier this year. Click here if you can’t see it below.
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