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Jonty Rhodes, a man whose name is synonymous with cricket, that fine sport favoured by many countries in the world, is one person who has won a lot of converts to the game of cricket – people who thought cricket was boring and had no interest in the game previously, suddenly changed their minds about the sport when they saw Jonty Rhodes make history one fine day in 1992.
It was the Cricket World Cup 1992 held in Australia. Pakistan, one of the strongest teams of the tournament, was up against South Africa who had just been allowed back into the fold of international cricket, after many years of isolation because of their government's anti-racial policies.
South Africa was in the field and Pakistan was at the crease waiting for a ball to be bowled at one of their players. Twenty-two year old Jonty Rhodes (very few South Africans even knew he existed) was lurking in the field waiting to pounce on any ball that came his way. The ball was hit and the Pakistani batsmen knew that this was a sure run for their team; so they set off at a furious pace. Jonty saw the ball and pounced on it and without a moment’s hesitation started to run towards the stumps. He panicked as he realised that the great Inzamam-ul-Haq would get to the crease before he did, and so he decided to launch himself through the air to dive at the wickets – later he said that he did not want to risk a throw at the stumps because he may have missed. Yes - he got to the wicket before ul-Haq. The Pakistani lost his wicket.
That spectacular dive became Jonty Rhodes’ trademark. Never had anyone attempted to do that before. A photographer has managed to capture his dive in mid-air and as the picture was shown repeatedly around the world, the legend of Jonty Rhodes the greatest cricket fielder of all time, was born.
Back home, he became a national icon and a huge hero of the people. Folk who had never watched a match of cricket in their lives, started to watch because Jonty had shown that there was magic in the game.
Fortunately for the world, he did not just stop at that one wonderful dive. He is known for his superb fielding and very rarely does he NOT stop a ball that is batted towards him. He is worth about 40 runs when he is standing in the field – 40 runs that the opposing would have run if this young man had not been there. His catches are phenomenal. He twists and turns in mid-air with such flexibility that it can only be described as astounding. When he dives and stops a passing ball, he seems to have a built-in trampoline as he bounces immediately on his feet to return the ball back to the wicket-keeper. Most wise batsmen, when they see the ball moving towards Jonty Rhodes, will refuse to run. The unwise ones that decide to run are usually run out.
He was born Jonathan Neil Rhodes on 26 July 1969, in the city of Pietermaritzburg in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. He was a promising cricket player early in his life, yet cricket wasn’t his only love. He was an excellent soccer player and also received provincial colours for hockey and eventually won South African colours for hockey and cricket.
He had to choose between the three sports and fortunately for the world of cricket, he chose cricket. He was selected to join the South African hockey team at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 – he would have been the first South African to play in two different international events in different sports, in the same year. In 1996 his hockey teammates begged him to join them at the Atlanta Olympics, but Jonty declined.
He is not only a fine fielder, he is also a batsman of note. His role over the years has often been one of the rescuer – when it is his turn to bat, South Africa has often found themselves in a spot of bother. Most times Jonty Rhodes has saved the day for his team and country.
During the late nineteen-nineties he struggled a bit with his batting form, but at all times he was a superb fielder. He is probably the only cricket player in the world who can be selected purely for his fielding skills. His batting skills have improved and since 1999 is still considered one of South Africa’s stalwarts with the bat.
When batting, he is often described as a mover and a shaker. When runs are few and far between, Rhodes will come in and manage to run two runs where others can only run one. He is as quick as a hare and as wide-awake as a fox terrier dog. His speciality in batting is the ability to rotate the strike as often as possible.
It is still his fielding that has made him the most famous South African after Nelson Mandela and Shaka the Zulu. Whenever you travel on the Asian continent and mention South Africa, people will smile and tell you that that is where Mandela and Jonty Rhodes come from. He is adored by most people in cricket playing countries.
The area that he covers in the cricket field is called the "cover point". It is here where most batsmen try to hit the ball to score runs and it here where Jonty frustrates their ambitions.
Jonty Rhodes set the standard in fielding – all players, irrespective of their country, now try to match the standard set by this most amazing of all cricket players. Most will now recklessly dive after a ball instead of just running after the ball, as was done in pre-Jonty days, and many try to equal his amazing strike record of hitting the stumps.
It is not only his cricket skills that are remarkable; in spite of all the fame, Jonty Rhodes remains a modest and likeable man. The fact that he is an epilepsy sufferer makes him even more special – he has shown that people with disabilities can reach the top in spite of their disabilities. He always smiles and is always cheerful, and is very eager to encourage his team-mates. Someone once asked him if it was just a show that he put on for the public. Jonty answered that was the way he always has been – this is the truth. During all the years that he has played cricket, not once has the camera caught him scowling or frowning, unless the frowning has been aimed at himself for missing a ball.
He is a hero in the true sense of the word – he has not got feet of clay and has never disappointed his millions of fans around the world. He remains a true gentleman and his name will always be remembered whenever fielding in cricket is mentioned.
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