STAT-ATTACK: Fastest fielders to 100 Test catches

 




New Zealand’s star batsman Ross Taylor has achieved a feat that no one really talks. In the third Test against Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Ross Taylor became the second fastest cricketer to take 100 catches in Test cricket. Taylor’s 100th catch was of Rahat Ali. Ross Taylor has bucket like hands and over the years, he has taken some spectacular catches in the slip cordon for New Zealand.

Before the third Test, Taylor had taken 98 catches and he took 3 more catches in the Test and  now his current tally reads 101.

The only player who took 100 catches in fewer matches than Ross Taylor is Bob Simpson, who reached the milestone in 54 matches. Simpson finished with 110 catches in 62 Tests.




Ross Taylor also became the fastest New Zealand cricketer to 100 catches in Test cricket. Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming too 68 Tests to reach the milestone.

Number of Tests to take 100 Test catches as a fielder in Test cricket: 

 

FielderTests
Bob Simpson54
Ross Taylor60
Stephen Fleming68
Ian Chappell69
Greg Chappell69
Mark Taylor71
Graeme Smith74
Brian Lara75
Mahela Jayawardene76
Wally Hammond76
Rahul Dravid79
Matthew Hayden80
Garry Sobers82
Ricky Ponting84
Colin Cowdrey84
Andrew Strauss84
Carl Hooper85
Mark Waugh86
Michael Clarke86
Ian Botham87
Younis Khan91
Mohammad Azharuddin91
Allan Border92
VVS Laxman95
Graham Thorpe95
Vivian Richards100
Jacques Kallis104
Alastair Cook106
Graham Gooch110
Sunil Gavaskar115
Shane Warne116
Steve Waugh140
Sachin Tendulkar154

 

The list comprises of some of the great slip fielders, who through their catching a lot to their respective teams. The likes of Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene, Ricky Ponting and many more, were all great slip fielders.

Australia have always been a great fielding unit. They have produced many great fielders over the years, and there was a time when their slip cordon used to one of the best in the world. The table below lists the number of fielders from each team with 100 catches.

 

Number of fielders from each team with 100 catches

 

TeamFielders with 100 catchesHighest
Australia11Ricky Ponting (196)
BangladeshMohammad Ashraful (25)
England7Andrew Strauss (121)
India5Rahul Dravid (210)
New Zealand2Stephen Fleming (171)
Pakistan1Younis Khan (104)
South Africa2Jacques Kallis (200)
Sri Lanka1Mahela Jayawardene (205)
West Indies4Brian Lara (164)
ZimbabweAlistair Campbell (60)

Leave a Comment