A Forgotten Aspect Altogether?

The fourth ODI of the Commonwealth Bank series between India-Australia saw some excellent performances by the Indian team in all aspects-batting,bowling and fielding.The first taste of victory for the Indians on the Aussie soil in the series.All the talk of the day was regarding the superb bowling spells by the Indian pacemen-Ishanth Sharma,Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan.More likely Ishanth Sharma who was devastating with the ball taking career best figures of 4-38.This was all!!

But,it was a really disappointing that the fielding department was not given any credits of the match.Especially the wicket keeping of captain M.S.Dhoni-whose reflexes fetched him as many as 5 scalps behind the stumps,which included 4 catches and 1 stumping.This contribution was hardly taken into consideration.The man also empowered his team to victory when his team was in trouble after losing five quick wickets with just over hundred on the board.

Along with the success of the pace trio,it was a lone captain's knock of MS Dhoni that helped his team win the match.I wonder that weather fielding is a part of cricket?Everytime,the first preference is given to batting performances,followed by bowling and no one talks about fielding.Why?

The only fielder who remains in people's mind is Jonty Rhodes.Does anyone know about Viv Richards' fielding ability?For the readers' sake,Richards was successful in effecting four run outs in the finals of the inaugral WC in 1975.Two years down the lane,when Sri Lanka snatched an upset win over Australia in the first final of the VB Series 2006,it was Dilshan's four run outs that settled the issue for Sri Lanka,but the man of the match was Kumara Sangakkara for his dominance with the bat.

People like Muttiah Muralitharan,Ricky Ponting,Heath Streak,Andrew Symonds and much more are excellent fielders in addition to their batting or bowling abilities.But they are better remembered as either bowlers or as batsmen.A saying goes by:"Catches win Matches".But,with this kind of treatment being given to fieldsmen,I wonder will anyone be motivated to take up fielding or Wicketkeeping anymore.

And finally before concluding,I feel that even fielding-like batting & Bowling be given equal importance that could bring in more delight in cricket.Bcoz-"A catch dropped is a match dropped".Have a nice day..