Mumbai Test, 2004 - Australia vs India
Debutant Dinesh Karthik is at the crease. Ricky Ponting is at silly point with his baggy green on. No helmets, he hates them when fielding, but boy, doesn't he love being at silly point. Michael Clarke is bowling his part-time orthodox left arm spin. Karthik gets a leading edge as he tries to flick to the on-side.
0.16 seconds. 160 milliseconds. 1/6th of a second.
That's all he gets. Punter dives 1.5 feet high and is almost horizontal. In physics, there is something called persistence of vision, which states that a human eye cannot make out between two images when they flash within 1/16th of a second.
The old movie reel projector works on this principle. What Ponting saw was 4 frames, whereas we see as many as 24 frames in a second for a reel film. It was sheer brilliance, if not inhuman.
The silly point fielding position is a dangerous one, but it is rewarding. Ask Ponting. Ask Pujara. Ask Hashim Amla or James Taylor. No not Alistair Cook, he has been hit on the body many times.
What makes this position an important one in the cricket field?
#1 He has a great idea about the pitch having watched it from close quarters
A fielder at silly point sees the pitch from the closest possible position. Even pitch analysts do not duck as much as fielders in this position, to get a view of the pitch and its characteristics.
He has seen that Shane Warne ball turn viciously after pitching, shaking up the dust from underneath the rolled surface. He knows exactly where those rough patches are, and which areas might make the ball keep a tad low.
He goes out to bat with a clear idea of the surface, having seen through it the whole day from close quarters. The silly point fielder has a big advantage, especially in subcontinental pitches, like the one laid out for South Africa at Nagpur in their recent tour to India, where the pitch was as dry and dusty as a deserted highway near the Thar desert.
#2 Doubting if there was a nick? Silly point is the man to go to
The silly point fielder is the captain's best man and the bowler’s too. He knows if that close leg before shout is worth reviewing or if that ugly swat from the batsman got a nick through to the keeper. Yes, he even heard it like a whistle when others hardly heard a whisper.
He very well knows if that a not-out decision for caught behind is going to be overturned. He has started celebrating already. No snickometer or hotspot needed. When in doubt about a review, always ask the silly point fielder.
A keeper is behind the batsman and rarely gets the view that a fielder at silly point gets. With DRS set to take over the umpiring world by storm, the role of the silly point gets even more crucial. Keep your eyes and ears wide open, buddy.
#3 Best place to have a chirp at the batsman and intimidate him
There’s always place for friendly banter in the game and to put doubt in the batsman’s mind, the silly point is the best position to be in. You are right in the face of the batsmen and anything you comment is certain to reach his ears. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp all day.
The Aussies say there is no better way to unsettle the batsman's concentration. But, you better keep your chatter toned down when a Virat Kohli or a David Warner is the batsman. You do not want them to get pumped up thanks to your banter.
But take it out on a tailender, he is sure to take a wild slog at some point in frustration.
#4 No need for warm-ups cause he’s ducking up and down all day
Players are all busy warming up with countless sit-ups and you notice a guy who just jogs a bit around, completely avoiding the sit-ups? He has got to be the silly point fielder! Crouching and jumping after each delivery, sit-ups are too silly for the silly point.
Plus, there is the bonus of having thunder thighs from all those acrobatic jumping around stuff. No stiffness. No cramp. His muscles have overcome those long ago!
#5 He is always right in the thick of all the action
Be it a DRS or some clash which goes out of hand, he is right in the middle of it all. Ever seen those 4D films where you get the full experience of watching the film, with the realistic rocking of the chair? Well, the silly point is watching cricket in 4D.
Yes, the ball does follow him around, but he also gets to take some awesome accidental catches where the ball sticks onto his extended palms. Besides, there is the additional perk of watching legendary batsmen from the best seat in the house!
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