What separates modern cricket most from the sport as it was played a generation ago is the quality of the fielding. Though average scores in ODI cricket have risen in that time, they have been pegged back by fielding that is supremely athletic.

In the 70s a cricketing phrase commonly used referred to a senior player "escorting the ball to the boundary". That is no more the case and most cricket matches produce an act of fielding that would qualify as "Play of the Day."

An example is the stunning catch that Kapil Dev took, running in a semi-circle, first sideways and then backwards, to end Vivian Richards's innings at 33 during the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup finals.

If a catch was ever said to have won a match, that was it, one of 12 Kapil took in ICC World Cup matches. The rampaging Richards would have seen the Windies through had he been around for only a few more overs.

Ricky Ponting, who captains defending champions and tournament favourites Australia, tops the group with 18 catches in his 28 matches

Aus

18

28

NZ

16

28

SL

15

27

Ind

14

35

SL

14

35

Aus

14

33

WI

13

20

WI

12

17

Ind

12

26

Eng

12

20