Sliding stop vs conventional 'pull back' stop fielding

‘A bowler will take wickets in some matches, a batsman will succeed and fail, but a dynamic fielder will save runs in every match’ – the dialogue from the movie, MS Dhoni - The Untold Story, showed Dhoni’s focus to architect a young side and give prominence to fielding.

Current Indian captain, Virat Kohli has never let fielding take a backseat either as he has manifested during the last season of the IPL when Sarfaraz Khan was left out of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team due to his mediocre fielding.

The saying goes, ‘A run saved is equivalent to a run scored’ and rightly so, factoring in the dynamics of the sport. One run may not prove to be very important, but it may pan out to be big enough to make a difference between joy and despair.

Fielding has grown to be a pivotal facet and affording even one weak fielder turns detrimental to the cause of winning a match. Batsmen try to push fielders, while the fielders are always on their toes to prevent batsmen to be instinctive.

Over the course of time, fielders have eked out ways to put a cut on the runs scored. Conventional pull-backs have been common, but in the last decade or so, the sliding stops have been employed more by fielders from around the world. We take an insight into the pros and cons of the two styles of fielding.

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Dry and soggy outfields

Sliding stops are glamorous, may cause injuries to fielders. On a ground where the turf is moist, it’s risky business to slide as the spikes of the boot can easily get stuck in the outfield. It could also cause a tweaking of the ankle, which may put a cricketer on the sidelines for a minimum of four months.

There are also patches of certain grounds which are devoid of grass and diving over it may lead to bruises on the body which may take time to heal apart from being painful. On the contrary, pullback stop prunes down unwanted wounds as only the feet are in contact with the turf.

Therefore, from the injuries perspective, the pull-back stops are far safer than sliding stops.

Height is a major factor

The task is tougher for taller players

Height can both be a boon and a curse. While batting, batsmen reap benefits by taking more leverage of the arms and while bowling, there’s the advantage of generating extra bounce. The same advantage may turn out to be counterproductive while fielding and can leak runs at crunch moments of a game.

It’s not easy bending down for a tall and lanky fielder and batsmen often target these fielders and push hard for the extra run. The result is that pressure is hardly exerted on the batsmen, which eventually leads to frustration for the bowling side.

Captains try to hide them in the outfield, but batsmen are smart enough to place the ball to perfection. Sliding stops not only make it easier, but also help the fielders get in position to release the ball.

Time between stopping and releasing the ball

Fielders have to be agile and quick in throwing the ball back

There’s one more aspect that tilts the balance in favour of sliding stops and it’s a justified one. At the time of pull-backs, the fielder, after pulling back the ball, faces the boundary ropes. In this scenario he is looking at the opposite direction of the ball.

Therefore, after stopping the ball, he has to turn back, run towards the ball, pick it up and then throw it at the desired end. Sliding stops reduce the time between stopping the ball and releasing it thereafter.

While sliding and stopping, the fielder faces the direction of the ball and doesn’t need to turn back. He is only required to collect and hurl the ball towards the keeper or the bowler’s end.

The practice that comes with sliding

Slides can cause injuries if not executed properly

Pull-back stops are pretty natural and require minimal technique and agility, but laying down and preventing extra runs or a boundary demands prior practice. The timing of the slide is crucial and diving at the wrong time may lead to a miss-field and result in additional runs.

The landing requires technical perfection as falling badly on the knee can cause an injury that may last for a substantial period of time. It’s a useful form of fielding, but it’s not recommendable without achieving expertise on it.

Players, nowadays, are trained to slide on outfields by their coaches, parking the flexibilities of the game at the back of the mind. With the wagon wheel of batsmen widening by the day, it’s hard to find a relaxation zone for fielders.

Modern game has helped in the growth of fielding

Green outfields have helped in the improvement of ground fielding

The above preamble tells a story about the necessities and complexities of both pull-back and sliding stops. It was the former that was once prevalent when outfields weren’t always greenish.

ODI cricket first stamped its authority and then it’s the turn of T20 cricket to take the cricketing globe by storm. Amidst the transformation, the importance of saving runs became an important aspect in the game and that’s when fielders pulled up their socks to fuel their agility on the field.

Fast bowlers are deemed to be average fielders, but even they have raised the bar to emerge as potent athletes in the field. Brett Lee was a prime example of the slide and stop method. In a nutshell, in a generation of fast paced cricket, fielders aren’t left with the choice of relaxing and taking a breather in the outfield.