On this day back in 2000, England captain Nasser Hussain etched his name into the cricketing history books with a jaw‑dropping slip‑cordon catch that set a new world record for most catches by a non‑wicketkeeper in a single Test innings. Sky Sports Retro tonight revisits that electric moment from the Second Test against the West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain.
Facing a rampaging Brian Lara, Hussain had already snared four sharp catches off the bowling of Steve Harmison when, in the 42nd over of the West Indies’ first innings, he produced the pièce de résistance. Lara, advancing down the pitch to smash a length ball, miscued a powerful drive straight to slip. In one fluid motion, Hussain dived full stretch to his right, clung on to the ball inches from the turf, and rolled over onto his back — completing his fifth catch of the innings, a new Test record for a fielder other than the wicketkeeper.
“I still can’t believe how it felt,” Hussain recalled in a Sky Sports interview. “I remember the ball almost slipping through my fingers but somehow it stuck. In that moment, everything else just faded away.”
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison, whose pace had unsettled the West Indian batsmen all morning, was quick to praise his captain’s reflexes.
“You bowl the ball, you hope the fielders do their job — but what Nasser did was beyond hope. It was instinct and pure skill.”
Sky Sports commentator Nasser Khan—no relation—captured the atmosphere at the ground: “The roar from the Port of Spain crowd was deafening. Even the home fans rose to applaud one of the greatest slips catches you’ll ever see.”
That record‑breaking performance helped England bowl the West Indies out for 198, and England went on to clinch the match by 67 runs—avenging their series defeat two years prior. Hussain finished the Test with five catches, a milestone that stood unchallenged for over a decade.
Tonight’s Sky Sports Retro not only replays every angle of that breathtaking fifth catch, but also features exclusive interviews with teammates Graham Thorpe and Alec Stewart, who reflect on the impact of Hussain’s leadership and fielding prowess in what became one of England’s most memorable overseas victories.
Tune in at 8 pm BST for the full Sky Sports Retro special: “Slipstream Glory: Nasser Hussain’s Record‑Making Catch.”
