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Nine Fielders Standing in the Slip

L Trumper

State Regular
It isnt restricted in the Laws of Cricket. See Law 41.something

The 5 fielder rule was brought into the County Champs in 1957. Not due to Bodyline but to balance out the advantage bowlers had from the earlier changed LBW law. Of course, the limit of 2 fielders behind square on the on-side was due to Bodyline but that is a different story.
Thanks for correction. I was thinking of behind the wicket on onside. Considering the pictures I thought his question was about leg slips rather than whole legside fielders.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Forgot to mention that we were talking about Test cricket but the 5 fielder rule does stand (IIRC) in OD cricket.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Certainly does and TBH that's the first I'd heard of it applying in Tests.

Has been a feature of ODIs for as long as I can remember understanding fully how ODIs worked.
 

AaronK

State Regular
I recall Steve Waugh doing that so many times.. Not exactly 9 fielders but he would have so many slips specially for McGrath..
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Ridiculous amount of fielders around the bat of a spinner is a cooler sight than 9 slips IMO
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Ridiculous amount of fielders around the bat of a spinner is a cooler sight than 9 slips IMO
They're Pakistani fielders - might as well not be there. If that was Murali bowling, fair enough, because Sri Lankans can catch.
So did we knock of the remaining runs then?
We got bowled-out with the last 5 wickets falling to no-balls, remember?

Not that that's an excuse for defeat BTW, we played Pakistan-esque cricket all game - some brilliance (especially Vaughan and Thorpe's partnership), some basic untidiness - and deserved to lose. Was doubly frustrating as our cricket had been watertight for a year beforehand and everything went wrong at the worst possible time - the last Test before an Ashes.
 

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
Wish I could remember who the commentator was who uttered the almost-immortal phrase "ten men round the bat... doesn't matter about the fours or sixes, runs don't matter, at all".
OK random quiz question: name all the players on the pitch without consulting the record books
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
I'm not sure if there were nine, but I do remember an awful lot of slips when Harmison got his 7 for 12 at Sabina Park.

I think he got his last 2 wickets with a massive slip cordon. However, iirc, both dismissals were caught by first or 2nd slip or so.
He had eight slips IIRC
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
OK random quiz question: name all the players on the pitch without consulting the record books
Off the top of my head I can think of Brown, Underwood, Knott, and I'd guess there's a decent chance Boycott, Edrich and Snow would've played that game.

But aside from them, couldn't really say without looking at the 'card.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
Does anyone have the picture of Shane Warne bowling with a ton of fielders around the bat. One of my favourites but I cant find it right now
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Off the top of my head I can think of Brown, Underwood, Knott, and I'd guess there's a decent chance Boycott, Edrich and Snow would've played that game.

But aside from them, couldn't really say without looking at the 'card.
Plus D'Oliveira of course. And Cowdrey. Barrington maybe? & Graveney? Looking at the B&W picture, I was wondering whether Milburn played.

As for the Aus batsman, I think Inverarity was the last man out.
 

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