Wicket Keeping

[Langeveldt]

Any advice? Having thrown myself into contention with the purchase of some pads and gloves I'd like to know what actually to do.. I'm naturally a good fielder and fairly agile.. I used to play in goal so imagine I've had a good start.. Now that my bowling is deteriorated to such a degree that I'm no longer willing to do it I'd like to keep wicket to say, club standard, Uni 3rd team, that kind of level in the future..

Any keepers here?

 

[jonny1408]

Neil Pickup is a keeper i think. I've done it a few times when the 1st choice has been away, similar situation to you, good fielder, play goalkeeper in football.

The main things are to move your feet, ignore the batsman, i wrote a thread about is about a motnh to two months ago similar situation when i was filling in, it was called URGENT! Wicketkeeping tips or something like that so if you have a look at that then people gave me some good tips on there.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Two techniques. There's the Australian way - which is to get to the outside of every ball and take it on the inside.

I.e. if you are keeping to a right handed batsman, and he lets it go outside off stump, you take the ball on your left side. This puts you in a position to take the outside edge if it comes.

The English way is more keeping your body in line with the ball, not moving as much and keeping a good "catching distance", i.e. take the ball as out in front of you as possible and come back with it.

Work out whether you'll move side to side by crossing your legs over or just shuffling.

When keeping up, just stay down as long as possible, and do as much preparation work at training practicing just watching the ball, no matter what the batsman is doing.

 

[James90]

Two techniques. There's the Australian way - which is to get to the outside of every ball and take it on the inside.

I.e. if you are keeping to a right handed batsman, and he lets it go outside off stump, you take the ball on your left side. This puts you in a position to take the outside edge if it comes.

That's what I always thought and it definitely helps if you're moving that way when an edge comes. However, I'm fairly certain the real reason you should be taking the ball on your inside hip is that you have more room to cushion the ball and end up taking the ball right past your body.

Keeping to the quicks is all about lateral footwork. To spinners you have to stay relatively stationary and just move your gloves up with the ball. You shouldn't be moving before the ball pitches unless it's very wide.