The England vs Australia Test rivalry, also known as the Ashes, dates back to 1882. The series over the years have displayed some brilliant performances not only with the bat and ball, but also in the field.
‘Catches win matches’ is a common fielding term used in cricket. As a single brilliant effort in the field can lift up a team and then the energetic team can do wonders.The costs of dropped catches can be huge especially in Test cricket, where good batsmen do not provide opportunities more than once. Some fielders are experts in catching positions.
Here is the list of fielders with most catches in Ashes:
Ashes Most Catches - Overall Stats
Sr. No. | Player | Team | Matches | Innings | Catches | Span |
1 | Sir Ian Botham | England | 32 | 62 | 54 | 1977-1989 |
2 | Allan Border | Australia | 42 | 79 | 51 | 1978-1993 |
3 | Greg Chappell | Australia | 30 | 58 | 48 | 1970-1983 |
4 | Mark Taylor | Australia | 33 | 65 | 46 | 1989-1999 |
5 | Hugh Trumble | Australia | 31 | 59 | 45 | 1890-1904 |
England’s Sir Ian Botham has the most catches in Ashes as he is one of the only two fielders to take more than 50 catches in Ashes series. While Botham took 54, Australia’s Allan Border took 51. No other cricketer has taken 50 or more catches in Ashes.
Ashes Most Catches in an Innings
England’s Leonard Braund holds the record for taking the most catches in an Ashes innings. He is one of the cricketers to take 4 catches in an Ashes innings. However, he was the first one to do so in 1902. He repeated this feat in the 1907/08 series in England.
Here is the list of fielders with most catches in an innings in Ashes:
Sr. No. | Player | Team | Venue | Catches | Ashes series |
1 | Leonard Braund | England | Sheffield | 4 | 1902 |
2 | Wilfred Rhodes | England | Manchester | 4 | 1905 |
3 | Leonard Braund | England | Sydney | 4 | 1907/08 |
4 | Frank Woolley | England | Sydney | 4 | 1911/12 |
5 | Harold Larwood | England | Brisbane (EG) | 4 | 1928/29 |
Ashes Most Catches in a Match
Greg Chappell of Australia holds the record when it comes to most catches in an Ashes Test. He is the only fielder to take 7 catches. He did it in the Perth Test in the 1974/75 series.
Here is the list of fielders with most catches in a match in Ashes:
Sr. No. | Player | Team | Venue | Catches | Ashes series |
1 | Greg Chappell | Australia | Perth (WACA) | 7 | 1974/75 |
2 | Arthur Shrewsbury | Australia | Sydney | 6 | 1887/88 |
3 | Frank Woolley | England | Sydney | 6 | 1911/12 |
4 | John Gregory | Australia | Sydney | 6 | 1920/21 |
5 | Neil Harvey | Australia | Sydney | 6 | 1962/63 |
Ashes Most Catches in a Series
Another Aussie, John Gregory, holds the record of taking the most catches an Ashes series. He is the only fielder to take 15 catches. He did it in the 1920/21 series in Australia.
Here is the list of fielders with most catches in a series in Ashes:
Sr. No. | Player | Team | Matches | Innings | Catches | Ashes series |
1 | John Gregory | Australia | 5 | 10 | 15 | 1920/21 |
2 | Greg Chappell | Australia | 6 | 11 | 14 | 1974/75 |
3 | Steve Smith | Australia | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2019 |
4 | Wally Hammond | England | 5 | 9 | 12 | 1934 |
5 | Leonard Braund | England | 5 | 10 | 12 | 1901/02 |