England slips sliding away
The recent test series defeat to Sri Lanka was tough to take for England fans who genuinely believed their side had a good chance of improving upon an outstanding win in the previous one-day series. The first hour of the Kandy Test, when Matthew Hoggard reduced the hosts to the perilous position of 42 for 5 proved to be a false dawn and with each day's play the series moved inexorably towards Sri Lanka's favour.
A 1-0 defeat in Sri Lanka is no disgrace - very few teams manage to win in the oppressive heat and humidity there and England have not become a bad side overnight. There is however a crucial aspect of England's team that desperately needs addressing sooner rather than later - slip catching.
During the run of six successive test series victories in 2004/5, England's potent pace attack of Flintoff, Harmison, Jones and Hoggard created numerous chances in the form of edges towards the slip cordon. And therein lies the crux...batsmen offering those chances would usually find themselves back in the pavilion courtesy of a settled catching unit of Marcus Trescothick (arguably the best 1st slipper in the world then), Andrew Flintoff (usually safe and often spectacular) and Andrew Strauss (also a natural slip fielder). When Flintoff was bowling, Strauss would move to 2nd slip with Ashley Giles providing excellent cover at 3rd or gully.
Allied to an attack that contained so much pace, bounce, accuracy and mastery of reverse swing, England were arguably the best side around for those two years and even the mighty Australians could not withstand them. The England of now - in test terms at least - lack the pace bowling line-up of their predecessors meaning their chance creation is reduced and every catch offered to the slips is that much more precious and simply has to be caught.
For one reason or another, the entire slip and gully unit of 2005 is no longer present in the England team requiring other players to fill the breach. At present, Paul Collingwood stands at 2nd slip to the quicks and he has a very decent record but is also England's best outfielder so they lose his energy and run out capabilities. First slip is such an important position and during quiet periods may be the only slip in place and Ian Bell has been tasked to do this vital job. Bell is a naturally good fielder and may grow into the role but he is also England's best bat-pad catcher and a good ring man so the Sri Lanka series saw the result of England's two best outfielders standing at slip with the athletic prowess of Steve Harmison gracing the stage at cover-point.
Usually, top four batsmen are bankers for the slips and if you look at world cricket at present, the names of Jacques Kallis, Matthew Hayden, Graeme Smith and Stephen Fleming stand out as test class batters who make excellent slippers. Compare England's current top four and you can see the problems facing coach Peter Moores. With Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen making up three of the players, the ideal candidate to take the crucial match-winning slip catch from the opposition's best player does not readily spring to mind.
The recall of Andrew Strauss will be a godsend to Moores' England catching cordon demonstrating again how important it is to offer more than just one specialist skill. Conditions in New Zealand will suit the swing and cut of Matthew Hoggard and Ryan Sidebottom, two high quality bowlers in the old fashioned sense, but the outcome of the series will depend heavily on whether England can grab the chance when it comes.
Wello
