Worcestershire batter Rob Jones wants to become “the best slip fielder in the country” after finishing in the top six for the most catches taken in the Vitality County Championship Division One for the 2024 season.
Jones held onto 17 chances that came his way, predominantly at second slip alongside keeper Gareth Roderick and Adam Hose.
Four of those came in one innings during the home win over Kent, three of them off the bowling of Joe Leach who finished with figures of 6-52.
His previous best haul in a season was 14 for Lancashire in 2022.
Jones said: “I’ve always fielded in the slips and want to try and become the best slip fielder in the country if I can.
“I like fielding there, it’s a position where you’ve really got to want to field there. You can’t shy away from it. You’ve just got to be brave and front up.
“I enjoy it because you are always in the game. You’ve just got to make sure you take that one chance when it comes.
“It takes a lot of concentration and you’ve just got to learn to switch on and off and have a good re-set every ball.
“It does mentally tire you out more than anything because you’ve got to switch on and off all the time.
“It was good this year. I didn’t realise I had taken that many catches.
“There is a lot of banter in between the deliveries and we’ve had a good time in there, myself Hosey and Rodders.
“You’ve got to try and switch off, talk some rubbish and then switch on when the bowler is coming back in.”
Jones added: Are there any slip fielders I’ve admired? Ryan McLaren was a very good slipper. I played with him at Lancashire.
“I played against Marcus Trescothick quite a bit and he was a good slipper and you always felt if you nicked one that he was going to catch it. He was brilliant in there.”
Warwickshire’s Rob Yates held onto 28 catches followed by Essex’s Simon Harmer (25), Hampshire’s James Vince (20), Nottinghamshire’s Calvin Harrison (19) and Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings (18).
LEADING WORCESTERSHIRE CATCHERS FOR PAST 15 YEARS
2009 – Daryl Mitchell (17)
2010 – Daryl Mitchell (32)
2011 – Daryl Mitchell (33)
2012 – Daryl Mitchell (22)
2013 – Moeen Ali (22)
2014 – Daryl Mitchell (28)
2015 – Tom Fell (20)
2016 – Tom Kohler-Cadmore (18)
2017 – Daryl Mitchell (21)
2018 – Daryl Mitchell (21)
2019 – Riki Wessels (21)
2020 – Daryl Mitchell (7) shortened season because of pandemic
2021 – Daryl Mitchell, Ed Barnard (13)
2022 – Jack Haynes (13)
2023 – Jack Haynes (15)
2024 – Rob Jones (17)
