The players relish a good knock as a batter and a good wicket as a bowler, but what fielding memory do they revisit? The most common yet most important memory for them is of taking good catches. It is not easy to grab an object, as small as a cricket ball, in your palms while it has soured high in the air or is traveling at fast speeds. However, over the years, many Zimbabwean players have been able to grab these catches and help their team register a good performance. In this article, we will learn about the top Zimbabwean fielders who have taken the greatest number of catches for their team in international Test cricket.

1. Alistair Campbell

We begin the list with Alistair Campbell. Campbell caught 60 catches in 105 innings of 60 Test matches between 1992 and 2002. The left-handed opening batter showed early promise. He could play a wide range of shots, generating power without apparent effort. He was also an occasional right-arm off-spin bowler.

2. Grant Flower

On number two, we have Grant Flower with 43 catches in 114 innings. Flower appeared in 67 Test matches during 1992-2004. The right-handed batter began his career as an opener but then moved to the middle order. He has the temperament needed to play long innings.

3. Stuart Carlisle

Next up on the list is Stuart Carlisle. While playing for the nation during 1995-2005, Stuart caught 34 catches in 62 innings of 37 matches. The right-handed batter showed a lot of athleticism on the field. He could bat at any number from one to seven. He was quite a spirited captain.

4. Hamilton Masakadza

On the fourth spot, we have Hamilton Masakadza, who has pocketed 29 catches in 63 innings. In his 38 matches between 2001 and 2018, Hamilton served the team as a right-handed top-order batter. He was one of the youngest batters to score a century on his Test debut.

5. Brendan Taylor

Brendon Taylor stands in the fifth position on this list with 27 catches. Brendan featured in 52 innings of 34 matches between 2004 and 2021. The right-handed wicketkeeper batter is one of the finest players Zimbabwe has ever produced. Four months after his retirement, he shocked the cricketing world after revealing a match-fixing incident. He got banned from all forms of cricket following this.

6. Guy Whittall

Making it to the sixth place on this is Guy Whittall. Whittall has bagged 19 catches in 81 innings of 46 matches during 1993-2005. The right-handed batting all-rounder played aggressively in the middle order. Originally selected for his batting, he developed into a useful seamer and a very good outfielder with a fine throw.

7. Craig Ervine

On number seven of the list, we have Craig Ervine, with 17 catches under his name. While featuring in 34 innings of 20 matches since 2011, Craig played as a left-handed middle-order batter. He hails from a family with a strong cricketing tradition. He also went to England to play for Hampshire.

8. Dave Houghton

With 17 catches in his pocket, Dave Houghton stands in the eighth position on this list. While playing for the nation during 1992-1997, Dave appeared in 40 innings of 22 matches. The right-handed wicketkeeper batter is known for hitting a century in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test match against India in 1992-93.

9. Heath Streak

On the ninth spot of this list, we have Heath Streak. Heath caught 17 catches in 110 innings. In his 65 Test matches during 1993-2005, Streak was a lion-hearted fast bowler with immense stamina and strength. He could bowl outswingers with good pace and excellent control.

10. Vusi Sibanda

Last but not least, the final player to make it to this list of elite fielders is Vusi Sibanda. Vusi bagged 16 catches in 27 innings of 14 Test matches. The right-handed opening batter scored 58 runs against West Indies on his debut. He also serves as an occasional medium pacer.