New Delhi: Jonty Rhodes is celebrating his 53rd birthday on 27 July 2022. He is regarded as one of the greatest fielders who have ever played the game of cricket. Being awarded a Man of the Match award for fielding says a lot about his skills.
While he was popular for his fielding and could not contribute much with the bat, this brought a change in him. His hard work and change in technique made him average 50+ in tests in the later stages of his career. He was also innovative with bat and played the reverse-sweep when it was not so popular.
On his birthday, take a look at 5 best moments that Rhodes has contributed to the game:
5. 121 vs Pakistan (1996)
In the second ODI game in Kenya, South Africa was in trouble batting first. They lost 3 early wickets as Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were on fire. It was at the score of 38/3 that Rhodes entered and put up a partnership with Daryl Cullinan. They posted a 232-run stand for the 4th wicket. Both of them scored a century and it was the first one for Rhodes in ODIs. The Proteas ended up scoring 321/8.
Jonty Rhodes also managed to run-out Saeed Anwar on the first ball and South Africa won that game with a massive 62-run margin.
4. Desmond Haynes run-out
In 1993, in an ODI game between South Africa and West Indies, Desmond Haynes marched for a quick single. Jonty ran for runout, and at a moment they both were running parallel to each other. Rhodes threw the ball underarm, which went on to hit the stumps before Haynes could reach inside the crease.
3. 100th catch in ODIs
In 2002, the Proteas were playing an ODI against the Aussies when the uncrowned God of Fielding completed his 100 catches in ODIs. His 100th victim was Damien Martyn. Martyn tried to thrash Makhaya Ntini through point, but Rhodes dived to his right and held it even when he had a little reaction time. However, South Africa lost that high-scoring game.
2. Man of the Match
South Africa scored just 180 runs against the Windies in the 4th ODI in 1993. Rhodes scored a quick 40 off 42 balls. However, the Proteas managed to win the game and that too by 41 runs as Rhodes took 5 stunning catches. He was awarded the Man of the Match award for his stellar fielding effort, along with the 40 runs he contributed with the bat.
In that game, it seemed like he was everywhere on the field and no ball could go past him. He executed some of the most amazing diving catches in the history of the game.
1. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
The headline of a newspaper read, “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Jonty!” Jonty Rhodes got Inzamam-ul-Haq run-out in style in the 1992 World Cup game between South Africa and Pakistan. The ball went to the point where Rhodes was fielding, and he ran and jumped onto the stumps to run him out.
When Rhodes shattered all the three stumps, the moment made it to the golden history of the game.
