Simon Hughes
If the no.6 is still in, it's vital that 9, 10 and 11 try to stay there. They don't have to do anything clever. The longer they hold an end up, the more frustrated the bowlers will become. You'll probably see some unusual extremes in the field settings in this situation. Up-close and very personal for the tailender, trying to keep him on strike and swiftly remove him, or pushed back offering easy singles to the no.6, trying to get him off strike in the early part of an over. Then the field will close in for the last one or two balls, attempting to keep the decent batsman pinned down that end so that the other bowler can have the whole of the next over at his less accomplished partner.
 Every run counts
Andy Caddick, a tenacious tailender, exhibits a model
forward defensive nudge (far let) and an alert response to his
partner's call (near left).
Running between the wickets is therefore crucial for the tailenders, to ruin the fielding team's plans. Andrew Caddick (above), England's no.9 and a tailender who frequently sells his wicket dearly, is batting with Michael Vaughan, a recognised batsman. He is hemmed in by close fielders, as you'd expect facing the bowling of Curtly Ambrose.
The West Indies know if Caddick faces the whole over there is a fair chance they'll get him out but England soon scupper that idea. Caddick gets tenaciously behind the ball (above left), Vaughan is backing up aggressively and, as soon as the ball drops safely, he's haring up the wicket (above right).
It only goes perhaps five yards from the stumps but they're through for an easy single and Vaughan is back on strike. This was a valuable partnership on a difficult Headingley pitch and England's last five wickets really counted. The West Indies left the field so demoralised (and England so elated) they were shot out for 61.
Copyright material reproduced under license from Macmillan Publishers Ltd. London, England
Copyright © Simon Hughes 2001
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