AN Cook of England took a catch – that of CJL Rogers of the bowling of MA Wood – in Australia’s first innings in the ongoing fifth test between England and Australia at The Oval. It was his 121^st catch as a fieldsman for England. He is now on par with AJ Strauss who also has a tally of 121 catches. At the end of  Australia’a first innings at The Oval – AN Cook and AJ Strauss share the record for most catches by an England fieldsman other than wicket keeper with 121 catches each. AN Cook went past IT Botham  and MC Cowdrey who had pouched 120 catches on his way to share the record. AN Cook now needs one more catch to own the record for most catches by an England fieldsman other than the wicket keepers.

 

No	Player	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct
1	AN Cook	119	222	121	121
2	AJ Strauss	100	189	121	121
3	IT Botham	102	179	120	120
4	MC Cowdrey	114	214	120	120
5	WR Hammond	85	154	110	110
6	GP Thorpe	100	179	105	105
7	GA Gooch	118	211	103	103

AN Cook is one of the three England’s fieldsmen other than the wicket keepers to pouch seventy plus catches on home soil – AJ Strauss – 83, AN Cook – 78 and  MC Cowdrey –  70. AN Cook now needs six more catches at home to surpass the tally of AJ Strauss and to own the record of most catches by an England fieldsman other the wicket keepers at home.

AN Cook has an aggregate of 37 catches against Australia and needs three more catches for his 40 catches against Australia. If he gets them, he would become the fourth England fieldsman to pouch 40 plus catches against Australia. Others are – IT Botham {57}, WR Hammond {43} and MC Cowdrey {40}

The following table furnishes the performance of AN Cook and AJ Strauss opponent wise and also ho  they share the England record for most catches by a fieldsman other than the wicket keeper

 

AN Cook					AJ Strauss
Opp	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct	Opp	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct
Aus	30	56	37	37	Aus	20	37	21	21
Ban	4	8	1	1	Ban	4	8	7	7
Ind	20	39	22	22	Ind	12	24	13	13
NZl	13	25	18	18	NZl	9	18	15	15
Pak	11	21	9	9	Pak	13	25	13	13
RSA	11	20	12	12	RSA	16	30	12	12
Srl	13	24	8	8	Srl	8	16	18	18
Win	17	29	14	14	Win	18	31	22	22
Tot	119	222	121	121	Tot	100	189	121	121