Waugh equalled Mark Taylor's record at Lord's

And then there is the concentration factor.

"The key to is, as in all aspects of cricket, to switch the concentration switch to full volume and then back down again between deliveries," says Gooch.

"Test cricket is no different to any other level of cricket. Slip fielders talk to each other between balls, sometimes about the match situation but often about something they might have seen on the telly the night before.

"I was reasonable standing back, confident that I would hang on to anything that came my way. But inevitably, whenever I dropped a catch, it was because I had let my concentration slip.

"My movement would have been a split second slower than usual and the ball wouldn't hit the middle of the hand."

All about angles

The true measure of Mark Waugh's class, Gooch believes, is that he has proved himself capable in any position on the field.

"Some people's expertise is reaction catching, which is what is needed for spinners," says Gooch. "I never liked fielding slip to the spinners and wasn't particularly good at it.

"It's a completely different discipline to standing back and comes down to instinct as much as anything. Mark Waugh is just as good to the spinners as he is to the seamers.

Two at once? No problem for Waugh

"Take a look at the current England side: Nasser Hussain will often stand at slip for a spinner but he feels that others are better at standing back.

And even within the slips, there are subtle differences which Waugh has shown himself able to bridge.

"First slip is a specialist position whereas there is not much difference between fielding at second or third slip where the thicker edges come," explains Gooch.

"At first slip there is the wicket-keeper to take into consideration because any keeper, if he believes he can take the catch, will dive in front of the slips. At second or third you know that if it is in your vicinity you have to go for the catch.

"The formation also varies. In many ways Ian Botham was one of the best slip fielders to stand next to because he was such a good catcher. But the "W" formation we had in those days makes me laugh today.

"Botham was level with the wicket-keeper, and first and third slip were stood four yards behind them. He always stood with his hands on knees and relied purely on reflexes to take his catches. If we tried to edge closer it was too close for us."

And there we have it: for mere mortals concentration is the key and don't even try to emulate the rest.

As Gooch says: "I've stood next to some pretty good slip catchers - Botham and Graeme Hick, with his massive hands, were probably the best. And of course Mark Waugh at Essex.

"Now there's a thought - imagine Hick, Botham, Mark Waugh and Greg Chappell standing at slip when you're batting. You wouldn't fancy your chances if you got an edge."