The double-centurion's catch to dismiss Amit Mishra was more than good ? it was sensational
Keith Medlycott, the cheerful Cockney spinner who used to play in these parts, was once given the nickname of "Jesus" by his Surrey team-mates.
Suitably flattered, and wondering which of his messianic qualities had particularly caught the attention of his fellows, Medders inquired about the origins of his soubriquet. "No, mate," he was told. "We just reckon you've dropped so many catches this season you must have holes in your hands."
Medlycott, who like a number of left-arm spinners suffered the "yips" and was forced to retire early, went on to become a most successful manager of the Surrey team, and he came to mind while thinking about the relative fielding qualities of these sides.
India do not only drop catches, they do so comically, as if discovering, for the first time and to their horror, that they are playing with a hard ball. To them the approaching ball always seems to come as a terrible shock, as if they are being attacked by a stray fragment of comet.
As for their ground-fielding, they like to keep the ball company on its passage to the boundary, in the manner of two jogging pals meeting up on a street corner before setting off in a different direction.
And then there's England, well-drilled, professional and ? as we saw with Ian Bell on Sunday ? occasionally brilliant. Bell is not only England's best batsman, he is their best fielder, too. His catch to dismiss Amit Mishra was more than good. It was sensational, especially as he appeared to lose his grip of the ball while in mid-air before collecting it again.
There are a number of good fielders in this side and the sight of two fast bowlers, Jimmy Anderson and Tim Bresnan, occupying close-catching positions is a heartening sight. Fast bowlers used to be put out to graze in the deep.
If you do not trust my word concerning Bell then listen to Richard Halsall, England's fielding coach. Halsall, who will take charge of the side in Dublin this week while the head coach Andy Flower takes a breather, told me: "I think we're very fortunate to have a group of very physically talented men at the moment who are very committed. Belly is the best all-round fielder we've got. Technically, he's fantastic. But we're lucky to have so many fast bowlers who are excellent fielders. Jimmy Anderson is just wonderful."
He added: "People talked years ago about the fielding of Colin Bland, or Derek Randall, or people who caught brilliantly, like Bobby Simpson. So I think great fielders have always been highly regarded. But there hasn't been a universal demand for everyone to be an outstanding fielder. Today there is."
On the evidence of this series, Medlycott must be wondering about qualifying for India. Yips, holes in the hands and always ready for a comic turn, he would fit perfectly into this awful side.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/aug/21/ian-bell-england-fielder-india
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