Has Pontings Fielding been effected by Captaincy

[Richard]

Couldn't disagree more that Captaincy has been factor. If ponting has slowed down at all (i don't think he has) then if anything it should be put down to age, not captaincy

Yet Herschelle Gibbs is 2 years older and is still almost every bit as good as he was 5 years ago.

 

[Richard]

exactly.
people were saying his batting had been effected by his captaincy, but now hes been playing really well. its just a matter of form and luck.

IMO it was naive to suggest his batting had been affected by captaincy - frankly I'd not expect him to score runs in either Sri Lanka or India (the venues for 4 of his first 5 Tests as captain). Basically he'd played 3 Tests in Australia since taking-over the captaincy and just about failed - and as a result people were saying the captaincy had affected it. The recent Pakistan series (albeit with a very fortunate century at The SCG) may have started to make people realise otherwise.

 

[marc71178]

Yet Herschelle Gibbs is 2 years older and is still almost every bit as good as he was 5 years ago.

And of course all players are the same aren't they? (!)

 

[LongHopCassidy]

The basic fact of the matter is that Australia are an ordinary fielding side, have been ever since Mark Waugh dropped those sitters at SSC in 2002\03.
So far it hasn't cost them much. But it just might - and that's an only just - in 7 months' time.

Is that a joke?

Australia has some of the best fielders in the world, and most are well above average. Australia can attribute a vast part of its success to its fielding.

I suppose you'd like to believe that the English are all Jonties in the field?

 

[Josh]

Everyone gets old. That is why Ponting's fielding has dropped. Age.

I'm almost certain it'd have nothing to do with the captaincy.

Richard... Australia an ordinary fielding side?? What drugs are you on??

 

[Josh]

And of course all players are the same aren't they? (!)

Oh, sh*t yeh

 

[tassietiger]

I reckon his fielding has dropped also partly due to Steve Waugh putting him in slips when he is so much better at places like point, midwicket, etc. He still shows the odd moment of brilliance in the field, but he used to do that about 4 times a game.

 

[Richard]

And of course all players are the same aren't they? (!)

Err - no, but there are plenty of players who've maintained their fielding ability despite getting into their 30s (which Ponting still isn't).
As per usual, you take things out of context - I wasn't saying it was impossible for Ponting or anyone else to become a worse fielder with age, just that you can't take it for gospel like zinzan12 appeared to be doing.

 

[Richard]

Is that a joke?

Australia has some of the best fielders in the world, and most are well above average. Australia can attribute a vast part of its success to its fielding.

I suppose you'd like to believe that the English are all Jonties in the field?

Nope, not at all - I don't show nationalistic bias.
The fielding in the SA-Eng series was far better than anything I've seen for a long while, though, I'll say that - even if SA were a bit better. But I'm hoping we might actually see your guys dropping a few clangers while we hang-on to most - for the first time in quite a while - next summer.
Australia could attribute a large part of their success in the 1999-2002 times to their fielding, yes - in The Ashes 2001, for instance, barely a thing went down.
Australia have one exceptional fielder in Andrew Symonds, a couple of decent ones (Hogg, Lee) and several jokes (Martyn, McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, Langer, Lehmann - about the only thing he can't do for s**t). They also have those who are sporadically brilliant but more often incompetant (Hayden, Clarke, Ponting nowadays) and people like to remember their brilliance rather than their incompetance, especially when the brilliance happens to have been the more recent.

 

[garage flower]

The basic fact of the matter is that Australia are an ordinary fielding side

They're certainly not ordinary in comparison to other test sides, which is ultimately what's important.

Their catching has fallen off in the last couple of years, but in terms of all-round athleticism, handling ability and throwing strength and accuracy I think they're number one. The one-day fielding has generally been superb during the VB Series boosted - of course - by the presence of Symonds and, to a lesser extent, Brett Lee.

 

[SJS]

when it gets even worse

But is it possible

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Australia have one exceptional fielder in Andrew Symonds, a couple of decent ones (Hogg, Lee) and several jokes (Martyn, McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, Langer, Lehmann - about the only thing he can't do for s**t). They also have those who are sporadically brilliant but more often incompetant (Hayden, Clarke, Ponting nowadays) and people like to remember their brilliance rather than their incompetance, especially when the brilliance happens to have been the more recent.

Eh? Symonds is a great fielder, among the top 5 in the world, agreed. Hogg and Lee are good fielders, Lee the better of the two. Among your "jokes" Martyn, Langer and Kasprowicz are GREAT fielders, and McGrath is very solid indeed. Only Lehmann and Gillespie are a little below the average. Hayden is a good but not brilliant fielder, Ponting is great but down a little recently... and Clarke is absolutely spectacular. Have you seen any of his fielding in the VB series? He has close to a 100% hit rate throwing at the stumps from close range, resulting in three spectacular run-outs in the space of only 4 or 5 games. He's actually been BETTER than Symonds of late. To suggest that he is "more often incompetent" is absolutely ludicrous, and akin to suggesting that Rhodes, Collingwood or Symonds are medicore fielders.

 

[garage flower]

Eh? Symonds is a great fielder, among the top 5 in the world, agreed. Hogg and Lee are good fielders, Lee the better of the two. Among your "jokes" Martyn, Langer and Kasprowicz are GREAT fielders, and McGrath is very solid indeed. Only Lehmann and Gillespie are a little below the average. Hayden is a good but not brilliant fielder, Ponting is great but down a little recently... and Clarke is absolutely spectacular. Have you seen any of his fielding in the VB series? He has close to a 100% hit rate throwing at the stumps from close range, resulting in three spectacular run-outs in the space of only 4 or 5 games. He's actually been BETTER than Symonds of late. To suggest that he is "more often incompetent" is absolutely ludicrous, and akin to suggesting that Rhodes, Collingwood or Symonds are medicore fielders.

I wouldn't describe Martyn, Langer and Kasprowicz as either "great" fielders or as "jokes". A bit of hyperbole on both sides, I'd suggest (though Richard, naturally, won't admit to that).

I've seen Clarke drop a few - and Richard seems to be focussing more on catching ability - but as you point out some of his fielding in the VB series has been pretty breathtaking.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I wouldn't describe Martyn, Langer and Kasprowicz as either "great" fielders or as "jokes".

I really don't see how you can fault them, particularly Martyn. He catches well, rarely drops them, can play in a variety of positions, and has a good arm and hits the stumps often. He's not in the symonds or Jonty Rhodes league of fielding, but he's certainly very good and better than most.

 

[garage flower]

I really don't see how you can fault them, particularly Martyn. He catches well, rarely drops them, can play in a variety of positions, and has a good arm and hits the stumps often. He's not in the symonds or Jonty Rhodes league of fielding, but he's certainly very good and better than most.

I agree that Martyn's pretty good, but not great (sorry if it sounds like I'm being pedantic). My memory's very poor so I can't give any specific examples, but I do seem to recall Martyn dropping quite a few or - more accurately - a high percentage of tough chances in recent series.

 

[Richard]

I'd not be surprised if Martyn's dropped more than he's caught in the last 2 years, and I've lost count of the fumbles - and I've not even watched anywhere near half his time in the field. He's made the odd spectacular stop, too, though - and that often misleads the unwary.

 

[Richard]

I wouldn't describe Martyn, Langer and Kasprowicz as either "great" fielders or as "jokes". A bit of hyperbole on both sides, I'd suggest (though Richard, naturally, won't admit to that).

I've seen Clarke drop a few - and Richard seems to be focussing more on catching ability - but as you point out some of his fielding in the VB series has been pretty breathtaking.

Catching is much the most important aspect of fielding. You can let through 20 runs as far as I'm concerned - it's worth it if you catch the catch you get. But I've also seen Clarke fumble some pretty straightforward ground stops. His extraordinary hit-stumps ratio in a handful of recent games is really giving people a bad impression of him.
Do you really think Kasprowicz, Martyn and Langer are decent fielders? They're not the worst of the worst, no - but compared to, for instance, the Waughs and Bichel - well, there's no comparison.

 

[Richard]

They're certainly not ordinary in comparison to other test sides, which is ultimately what's important.

Their catching has fallen off in the last couple of years, but in terms of all-round athleticism, handling ability and throwing strength and accuracy I think they're number one. The one-day fielding has generally been superb during the VB Series boosted - of course - by the presence of Symonds and, to a lesser extent, Brett Lee.

I reckon South Africa's fielding in the recent Test-series was much superior to anything Australia have produced in the last couple of years.

 

[dudeurfriend]

Well folks Ponting concentrated on his batting and has become a good batsman rather than thinking of his fielding.I think ponting fielding has gone down a lot before he got the captaincy.He was in the tier of greatest fielders competing with Rhodes(in those days).Sadly now he is not.... But iam sure that captaincy has not has any effect on Ponting.......