Cricket is not just about who bats well and who bowls well. The ones who field well also play a decisive role in the outcome of a match.
Having sharp fielders on the ground gets a team ahead of their opponent. And this is perhaps the reason behind Australia’s dominance in cricket.
They have had the services of some of the finest fielders, who changed the fate of matches with their remarkable fielding efforts.
On that note, let’s look at the 10 greatest Australian fielders of all time in cricket.
#10 Andrew Symonds
The late Andrew Symonds had a fair share of controversies on and off the field. Keeping that aside, he was a power-hitter and a decent bowler, mixing up medium pace and off-spin.
But what made Symonds an all-rounder was his quick athleticism on the field. He would push his limits to take catches diving in the air or dispatch quick throws to rattle the stumps.
Symonds grabbed 107 catches across formats, with 82 coming in ODIs. He held 22 catches in Tests and three in T20Is.
#9 David Boon
You require courage to field at the short leg position. But David Boon showed his bravery in that position as he was too lazy to run behind the ball!
The cricketer turned match referee was one of Australia’s best top-order batters. But he also enjoyed fielding at the short leg.
Boon plucked 144 catches in his career. Of those, he pounced on 99 catches in Tests and the other 45 in ODIs.
#8 Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey slogged for over a decade to make it to the Australian team. And when he got the opportunity, he grabbed it with both hands just like he caught batters at gully.
Hussey had a safe pair of hands at the gully, not letting any ball pass by easily. He pocketed 210 catches across formats, of which 105 came in ODIs, 85 in Tests, and 20 in T20Is.
#7 Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor was at the centre of action for Australia. He opened the batting, then captained the team and if that wasn’t enough he stood in the slip cordon.
Fielding in the slip requires a lot of concentration and high anticipation to grab chances coming your way. Taylor was reliable in the slip just like his batting and leadership.
The former Australian captain pouched 157 catches in red-ball cricket and 56 catches in ODIs.
#6 Steve Waugh
Like Taylor, Steve Waugh was also part of an impenetrable slip cordon for Australia. Sometimes, he also fielded at short fine leg and gully.
Steve took 223 catches across Tests and ODIs, making him a safe catcher. He held on to 112 catches in Tests and 111 in ODIs.
#5 David Warner
David Warner’s bat did exceptionally well for Australia across three formats. He retired as one of their finest openers.
But Warner was also an excellent catcher at first slip and mid-wicket region. He also kept the boundary line safe with his athletic fielding efforts.
The left-hander grabbed 90 catches in Tests, followed by 71 in ODIs and 62 in T20Is.
#4 Michael Clarke
Another Australian captain who stood in the slips. Michael Clarke was athletic in the field while possessing a quick arm.
He had some back issues but that didn’t stop him from being agile on the field. And he also didn’t limit himself to the slip cordon, fielding at various regions on the ground.
Clarke bagged 134 catches in Test cricket and added another 106 in ODIs. In his short T20I career, he took 13 catches.
#3 Mark Waugh
Just like his elder brother, Mark Waugh was brilliant at slip fielding. He was perhaps one of the best slip fielders laced with concentration and technique.
When Mark saw the ball flying towards him, he remained calm and let the ball rest in his hands. And he did that with finesse on the bowling of the fast bowlers and spinners.
Mark’s technique made slip-catching look easy. He plucked 181 catches in Tests, which is the third-most by an Australian and 108 in ODIs.
#2 Steven Smith
Steven Smith is among the modern-day greats from Australia. His run-making is exceptional, with many placing him behind the great Don Bradman.
Apart from his batting exploits, Smith’s fielding also stands out. He has held onto some crazy catches while standing in the slip and inside the circle.
Thus far, Smith has taken close to 190 catches in Tests. His catching skills are also evident in ODIs and T20Is, where he has grabbed close to 90 and 41 catches, respectively.
#1 Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting liked to lead his team from the front, be it while batting or fielding. Everyone knows about his batting adventures, but he was also Australia’s greatest fielder.
Ponting was electric at the point region, creating run-out chances with his quick throws. He also fielded well at various positions, but he was a solid catcher in the slip cordon.
The World Cup-winning skipper fell shy of 200 catches by just 4 catches in Test cricket. In ODIs, Ponting pocketed 159 catches and took 8 in T20Is.
