Glenn Phillips vs Jonty Rhodes: Proteas legend settles best fielder debate

Fan calls Glenn Phillips better than Jonty Rhodes. (Photo: X)

For years, Jonty Rhodes was the gold standard of fielding brilliance, redefining the craft with his lightning-fast reflexes and acrobatic feats in the 90s. The former South African cricketer set the benchmark for agility, making him a legend in the field.

Now, a new name is stealing the spotlight—New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips. His jaw-dropping catches in the Champions Trophy have left fans in awe, with stunning dismissals of top players like Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill. Each grab seemed more unbelievable than the last, sparking a social media frenzy that crowned him the best fielder of the modern era. But how does he measure up to the original fielding maestro?

One fan, perhaps feeling a twinge of guilt, took to Twitter to apologize to Jonty Rhodes for calling Glenn Phillips the new king of fielding. What came next was a response no one saw coming—pure class and sportsmanship.

“Sorry Jonty Rhodes, we believe in Philips being the best fielder of this generation,” the user tweeted. The cricketer replied, “Don’t be sorry, I agree.”

At 55, Rhodes once again proved why he’s revered beyond just his fielding skills. His gracious reply won over the cricketing world, showing that while he may have passed the baton, his legendary flying run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup remains unforgettable. Now, with Phillips dazzling on the field, it’s clear the legacy of breathtaking brilliance lives on.

Rhodes is currently playing the International Masters League for the South Africa Masters. In a recently clash between Australia Masters and South Africa Masters, Jonty Rhodes and co had to face defeat. The Australia Masters skipper rolled back the years with yet another sensational century—his third in four matches — as he dismantled the South Africa Masters attack in true Watto fashion at the International Masters League 2025 to steer his side to a convincing 137-run victory to wrap off the Vadodara leg of the tournament in style.

Having lost the first two matches of the tournament, Watson & Co brought back memories of the true Australian spirit, notching up convincing wins in their next couple of matches.

Put in to bat, Watson continued from where he left in the previous outing against India Masters, with his thunderous pulls to effortless lofted drives, it felt like a throwback to his prime, where he once ruled the biggest stages of world cricket. As he raised his bat to a roaring BCA stadium, fans couldn’t help but relive the memories of his finest knocks in the Australian colours.

Watson, who teamed up with Callum Ferguson (85 not out) to open the Australia Masters innings, almost took the game away from the South Africa Masters grasps with their opening partnership producing 186 runs in mere 15 overs, before the skipper joined forces with fellow centurion of the previous encounter Ben Dunk (34 not out), to milk another 74 runs and propel the side to another mammoth total of 260/1.

With nine fours and as many towering sixes, it was a display of sheer dominance, power, and elegance, everything that made Watson, one of the most feared all-rounders of his time. He started with calculated aggression, piercing gaps with crisp drives and brutal cuts before launching into his signature big-hitting mode. As the innings progressed, the boundaries came thick and fast, muscling the spinners over long-on, dispatching the pacers into the stands, and bringing the crowd to its feet with every clean strike with his 61-ball undefeated 122.

In response, South Africa Masters got off to a forgettable start, losing Henry Davids cheaply, and could never find themselves back on track against a disciplined Australia Masters bowling attack.

Hashim Amla came up with a 19-ball 30, laced with seven boundaries, while Richard Levi and Alviro Petersen were the only other batters to offer some resistance, notching scores of 22 and 28, respectively.

Handicapped by the loss of their skipper Jacques Kallis, who injured himself while attempting a catch in the first innings, and did not turn out to bat, South Africa Masters were eventually restricted to 123 in 17 overs.

For the Aussies, Ben Laughlin emerged the pick of the bowlers, returning with three wickets while Xavier Doherty and Bryce McGain claimed two wickets apiece. Nathan Coulter-Nile and Nathan Reardon also chipped in with a wicket each.

After the conclusion of the Vadodara leg, the caravan moves to Raipur for the final leg, which begins Saturday with the iconic clash between Sachin Tendulkar-led India Masters and Brian Lara-led West Indies Masters. Fans can also watch the action live on Colors Cineplex (HD & SD) and Colors Cineplex Superhits on TV and livestreaming on JioHotstar.

Brief Scores: Australia Masters 260/1 (Shane Watson 122 not out, Callum Ferguson 85, Ben Dunk 34 not out) beat South Africa Masters 123 (Hashim Amla 30, Alviro Petersen 28; Ben Laughlin 3/18, Xavier Doherty 2/23, Bryce McGain 2/25) by 137 runs.