Fielding in slips

[jathu]

I normally field in slips during a match. The problem is I normally drop a catch which is edged towards me. What should I do to improve my fielding in slips?

[Atreyu]

If you have money, Buy a crazy cach thing. It rebounds the ball off the net




If not, just get someone to hit the ball to do from a few feet back

[NUFAN]

I hate fielding in the slips.

I tend to expect the batter to hit the ball out of the middle [much like I do ].

Much preferred cover or point.

Going back to slips, just watch the ball and expect each ball to go to you, also I think it's important to relax between deliveries.

Catching practice is easily the best thing to do to improve your slips fielding.

Get someone to throw the ball and have a batter guide shots to 3 or 4 people standing behind him.

[Simon]

unlike batting or bowling, catching in cricket is one thing you can becoming very good at from practicing. I generally think you need some sort of natural ability with batting or bowling but if you catch enough balls you will become good.

Basically at training just catch a lot of balls, really fielding in the slips isnt that much different from anywhere else imo, you just need to stay low, concentrate and be confident.

[vic_orthdox]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

If you have money, Buy a crazy cach thing. It rebounds the ball off the net




If not, just get someone to hit the ball to do from a few feet back

Not much use for slips fielding, in my opinion.

Really think that the best way to get used to how balls come towards you in the slips is to have someone throwing overarm from 10-15m away from the bat, and have someone guiding/nicking the ball into a slip cordon. Do as much of that as you possible can.

[Smudge]

Originally Posted by vic_orthdox

Not much use for slips fielding, in my opinion.

Really think that the best way to get used to how balls come towards you in the slips is to have someone throwing overarm from 10-15m away from the bat, and have someone guiding/nicking the ball into a slip cordon. Do as much of that as you possible can.

Yeah, a good game of cuts and pulls is better than the old semi-circle with one person hitting catches back and forth. In fact, I've never quite seen the point of the semi-circle, unless you're taking a catch thrown from the opposite side of the semi-circle.

It also depends on your reflexes (Ian Botham and Shane Warne, for example, could still have their hands on their knees when the ball was bowled) but for the common, garden-variety cricketer, make sure you're nice and low and have your hands at the ready. Also know what your keeper's capabilities are - we got caught out on Saturday, when I moved into slip for the latter part of the game. The keeper had gone wide for one earlier in the game so I went to a 1 1/2 slip position and he didn't go for the ensuing edge...

[vic_orthdox]

Originally Posted by Voltman

Yeah, a good game of cuts and pulls is better than the old semi-circle with one person hitting catches back and forth. In fact, I've never quite seen the point of the semi-circle, unless you're taking a catch thrown from the opposite side of the semi-circle.

It also depends on your reflexes (Ian Botham and Shane Warne, for example, could still have their hands on their knees when the ball was bowled) but for the common, garden-variety cricketer, make sure you're nice and low and have your hands at the ready. Also know what your keeper's capabilities are - we got caught out on Saturday, when I moved into slip for the latter part of the game. The keeper had gone wide for one earlier in the game so I went to a 1 1/2 slip position and he didn't go for the ensuing edge...

If I see a coach implement the semi-circle for catches, it's curtains. Find it hard to take anything he says seriously.

[Uppercut]

Anyone used one of these?



Perfectly designed to defy all laws of nature by causing a gently-thrown ball to double in pace and fly directly towards the head of the nearest small child.

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, good for hands, but really find that they don't simulate slips catching nearly as well as from a bat.

Also, the "katchet" thingymabob is very popular at the moment, and very effective. Sort of like a smaller version of the slips cradle, the orange thingy. I think most people would have seen it by now.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by jathu

I normally field in slips during a match. The problem is I normally drop a catch which is edged towards me. What should I do to improve my fielding in slips?

Not all slips are the same.

At first slip it is possible to watch the ball. After that you need to watch the edge and ignore the ball until it is on its way to you.

If you are at 2nd slip - gully and you are watching the ball you will find it tough to catch.

[Easto241091]

Fielding in slips would have to be one of the hardest positions to field at. Fileding at slips requires you to be ontop of your catching technique. Its important to stay as low to the ground for as late as possible, just like a wicket keeper should. Watch the ball into the hands, keeping them soft and 'give' with the ball when it comes into the hands. That may sound easy but its alot harder in practice when the ball is flying at you at 130 clicks. You just have to keep practicing, working on your reflexes and the basic catching technique. Use the catching craddle if u have access to one or use someone throwing the ball at a bastmen dishing out edges.

Theres some articles on catching on this website http://www.testcricket.com.au/
Good Luck

[vic_orthdox]

Another thing to do is extend yourself in training. When doing the drill I described above, each time you take a catch, take a step forward, until you drop one. Then you head back to where you started.

[simmy]

Originally Posted by vic_orthdox

Not much use for slips fielding, in my opinion.

Really think that the best way to get used to how balls come towards you in the slips is to have someone throwing overarm from 10-15m away from the bat, and have someone guiding/nicking the ball into a slip cordon. Do as much of that as you possible can.

not true... if someone else can throw the ball at the net it is excellent practice.

[Burgey]

Slips are there so the oldest and slowest bloke in the team (ie, me) has a place to stand for a few hours every second Saturday.

[vic_orthdox]

Originally Posted by simmy

not true... if someone else can throw the ball at the net it is excellent practice.

Good reaction work. Not training the specific skill of slips catching.