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Dropping catches

M

marath0nman

Cricket Spectator
I have recently suffered a spell of dropped catches in the opening matches of the season, some straightforward, others harder. I now have a bit of a phobia in the field and am beginning to dread a catch coming my way. In practice I don't seem to have this problem. Have you any thoughts on how I can overcome this fear?

thanks
 
NUFAN

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
marath0nman said:
I have recently suffered a spell of dropped catches in the opening matches of the season, some straightforward, others harder. I now have a bit of a phobia in the field and am beginning to dread a catch coming my way. In practice I don't seem to have this problem. Have you any thoughts on how I can overcome this fear?

thanks
Click to expand...
How old are you mate? The thing that you should do at training is make sure it's as close to the game as possible. Do you keep fielding in the same position? If so, get your coach or a teammate to hit balls to you in a way that opposition would hit to you in a game. Use a hard ball because some people may find the practise balls easier to hold on to.

Don't get nervous, and keep your eyes on the ball.
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
marath0nman said:
I have recently suffered a spell of dropped catches in the opening matches of the season, some straightforward, others harder. I now have a bit of a phobia in the field and am beginning to dread a catch coming my way. In practice I don't seem to have this problem. Have you any thoughts on how I can overcome this fear?

thanks
Click to expand...

G'day mate,

Great to have you on board, just a note that the site discussion is for discussion on happenings on the forum. Use the cricket chat threads to discuss cricket related issues. Enjoy your time here.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Good job, Kyle.

In reply to the subject... I'd say just practice. And try to simulate the situations you've dropped stuff in.
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Mate,

There's only one way you can overcome your fear of dropped catches and that is simply by taking one in a game.

As long as you have the fundamentals of catching right, it doesn't matter how many you take at practice it doesn't simulate the pressure of taking a catch in a game, no matter how you set up the drills.

You just need to have a positive mindset when you are in the field. Always walk in with the bowler and want the ball to come to you, that way you are always expecting it. Once you take a catch you will have your confidence back.
 
archie mac

archie mac

International Coach
If you have the 'yips' I would suggest fielding in close, slips, short cover, that way you will not have time to think about dropping catches and it will be more of a reflex action. :)
 
Mister Wright

Mister Wright

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
archie mac said:
If you have the 'yips' I would suggest fielding in close, slips, short cover, that way you will not have time to think about dropping catches and it will be more of a reflex action. :)
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Probably the worst place for someone with a lack of catching confidence to field from the team's point of view. I see where you're coming from, but I would suggest somewhere more like mid-off/mid-on or mid wicket. You still may get those one's that get hit quickly, but at least you've got more chance of seeing it, but more importantly you can get the 'dollies' (sp) from miscued pull shots or drives, the catches you dream of when your lacking a bit of catching confidence.
 
Goughy

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
marath0nman said:
I have recently suffered a spell of dropped catches in the opening matches of the season, some straightforward, others harder. I now have a bit of a phobia in the field and am beginning to dread a catch coming my way. In practice I don't seem to have this problem. Have you any thoughts on how I can overcome this fear?

thanks
Click to expand...
Mate, Id love to tell you its easy to fix but it is all in the head and mental issues aren't simple.

Ive suffered from this many times and it makes cricket completely unenjoyable. It was never that I was a bad fielder (the opposite in fact) but that I placed too high an expectation on my performance in the field. One dropped catch or misfield and I didnt want the ball to come near me because I couldnt cope with the possibility of making 2 mistakes.

Extra practice will not help as it isnt a technical issue and this will not disappear if you take a catch or 2 as it will come back when another drop occurs.

The only advice I can give (and its far easier to say than implement) is to relax and take as much pressuse and expectation off yourself. You need to pursuade yourself that dropping a catch isnt a big deal and move on like nothing happened if you do.

Realise that your teammates arent going to think you are a bad player if you drop a catch (everyone does, its part of the game) and try to get rid of that fear of failure by removing the importance of the catch.

The best players forget their mistakes withing seconds of them happening.

I know its hard to do but its really the only option.
 
M

marath0nman

Cricket Spectator
Thanks Goughy and all the other respondees. It is definitely a head thing with me and I will go into the next game relaxed and with a positive attitude. I think I do over react to the importance of the dropped catch. In the two games this season ( friendlys) even with my spills we have gone onto win. The phrase dropped catches loses matches can be true, but you never really know what might have happened had you taken the catch, for instance the next batter in could just as easily go on to score lots of runs at a better rate than the man who had just been caught... I also feel I have let the team and the bowler down. But as Goughy said, put it out of mind as soon as possible as everyone drops them now and again. I'll let you know how my catching improves later in the season.

This looks like a really good site and I look forward to keeping in touch.
 
cpr

cpr

International Coach
If you drop the catch, get em with the runout, international class fielding ;)
 
archie mac

archie mac

International Coach
Mister Wright said:
Probably the worst place for someone with a lack of catching confidence to field from the team's point of view. I see where you're coming from, but I would suggest somewhere more like mid-off/mid-on or mid wicket. You still may get those one's that get hit quickly, but at least you've got more chance of seeing it, but more importantly you can get the 'dollies' (sp) from miscued pull shots or drives, the catches you dream of when your lacking a bit of catching confidence.
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Hey that is where I field, and often get some real skyers:-O
 
andyc

andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Whatever you do, don't think about it. Once you think about it you've pretty much already dropped it.
 
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