URGENT - Wicketkeeping tips needed! Please help.

[jonny1408]

Hi, I am 15 and play in the Nidderdale League, I have played half of my games with 1sts and half with the 2nds.

I would say I am one of the best fielders in the club and for this week the 2nd team wicketkeeper is away on holiday and the 1st team keeper is away later in the week (he is also the u17s keeper). I am keeping wicket for the 2nds and for the 17s in the semi-final of the cup and a league game.

I have kept before when we have been short but only for 20 overs, I am average ability somewhere inbetween a stopper and a competent keeper. We play 45 overs on a saturday and our 2nd team opening bowler nearly played county level he played in the Bradford league (same standard as Lancashire league) he is in his 40s now and still rapid.

So what I want to know is are there anything simple things that can have a huge impact on my keeping I tend to struggle moving my feet down legside and dealing with a late swinging ball.

Any tips.

Thanks Jonny.

 

[Neil Pickup]

It's hellish, isn't it? I've been keeping this year in the Cherwell League (Oxon, Beds, Bucks, Herts, Berks, Gloucs) and the biggest, hardest thing I've had to face, compared to the Devon League, is the kick-on in pace: from somewhere where standing back was the exception and 30 overs could be spent up at the stumps, to somewhere you're 10-12 yards back and still taking them chest high. Get your distance right: ask for suggestions from the bowler if you've not kept to them before - and don't come forward if the first two balls don't carry. The next will hit you inevitably hit you in the face/chest/shoulder.

It's hard, no two ways about it, and it makes you focus for every last ball. Late swing you need to do your utmost to stay low as long as you can and then move up with the ball, so you can follow the swing right into your gloves. Moving down the legside I have always found comparably simpler - but that is probably a goalkeeping crossover as I'm strong going to my left - move across quickly, with both feet - right/left, and you're then still well balanced to push off and dive should you need to.

Good luck - let us know how you get on.

 

[jonny1408]

Thanks for the advice, I'll post tomorrow or sunday how I get on. Weather permitting! (I mean weather permitting I play not weather permitting whether I post or not).

I think leg side will be my biggest problem as I do play in goal at football and to my left is my weaker side.

 

[jonny1408]

Bloody typical! the game was called off! It didn't rain all day as well!

Thanks for the help anyway Neil hopefully your advice will come in handy in the u17s games.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I personally had a full 45 overs with the gloves on: no byes (yay), one dropped catch (boo). Thick edged cut shot off a fairly wide ball, dived to it and got the fingers of my right glove on it... didn't stick.

 

[jonny1408]

Cool, diving catches are just about luck they either stick or they don't cos it's all reactions.

 

[Jakester1288]

But the harder you work the luckier you will get. Remember that.

 

[Neil Pickup]

But the harder you work the luckier you will get. Remember that.

I will think of that when I'm spending 70 hour weeks teaching, marking and writing reports next year. Catches are going to end up going down...

 

[jonny1408]

I played for the 17s in the semi-final.
We batted first and got 163-4 in 20 overs. I got a quickfire 40 off 18 balls.
Then my keeping was generally good, only 5 byes (4 of which were standing up a reasonably quick bowler and they went down legside) and I took a catch stood up to the stumps and got a run out.