Fielding practice.14

This match fielding practice can at times be most valuable combined with training batsman in good running between the wickets.

Above  all, the coach  must throughout the practice  encourage and commend:  of course  he must criticize when things  are  down  wrongly,  but when  a good  catch  is made, there  is a  fine  stop, or a  fast  and  accurate  return, let  him  make  everyone feel that he is almost as delighted as the fielder himself: indeed he ought to be.

Fielding practice.13

His sermon over, the coach will set to work as he might in a match, except that  he will sometimes deliberately give chances and often call for what would  be  unjustifiably short runs. He may sometimes actually run the short single himself, for this can increase the fun. A come two or come three as he pierces the field should produce a desperate chase in reply. The fielders will, of course, let fly whenever the call seems to offer a  chance  of a run out , and  for this  reason  it may be as well to have  a  second wicket keeper doing  duty at the  bowler’s  end  to  save the  latter’s  hands.

Fielding practice.12

Before he starts he will hammer home the following points

(a)    As the ball is bowled, all except the close fields should be just on the move towards the batsman with their weight balanced evenly and slightly forward. This movement will be accelerated to meet a slow moving ball, but checked if the ball is hit hard.

(b)   That  every  fielder, except first  slip and  leg slip, must be watching  the  bat and that  intelligent  vigilance will often  succeed  in anticipating the  line of a  stroke.

(c)    That they must stop early and watch the ball into the hands before looking up.

(d)   That where possible returns should be full pitch to the wicket keeper and to affect this, the aim should be a foot or so above the stumps.

(e)   That  every  throw - in –must  be  properly backed up, and that, if he is to  sight  the ball  properly  and  be  able  to  cover  a  reasonable  arc, the  backer-up must be at  least 10 yds away  from  the wicket.

(f)     That  in chasing  the ball, fielders must  run at absolutely top pace and  must  overtake  the ball before  they  stoop to pick it  up.

(g)    That in a  match  every  fielder must  keep an eye on both captain and bowler all the  time to catch  an unobtrusive signal  for an adjustment  in their  normal place. Once they  are clear  as to  exactly  where  their  captain  and  bowler want them to be they  must  stick  to  that  place  and not  wander  about.

(h)   That  it is  criminal  to make the bowler stoop: unless there  is a  chance  of a run- out, the ball  should  be returned to him, if necessary by a  relay system, a  gentle  catch at a comfortable  height.

Fielding practice.11

In a confined area excellent close catching practice can be given by the thrower standing behind two fielders facing a wall, and the latter having  to sight and catch a solid rubber or tennis ball as it rebounds. This is of high value in quickening the fielder’s reactions and can be made enjoyably competitive.

As soon as the coach is satisfied that his team has grasped the main principles of fielding technique, he will move on to the vital superstructure of “match practice”.

It will be carried  out in the  middle; the coach will bat himself and, with someone bowling “to order”, will play strokes, as he would in a  match, to a  team stationed in their normal places, though , unless he and  his bowler  are pretty  skilful, he may well dispense with slips and  fine leg.

Fielding practice.10

The best slip fielding practice is provided by one of the fielders in rotation throwing the ball fast from a range of from 8 to 10 yds, and full pitch so that the coach can slice it off the bat to slips and gully. This needs accurate throwing and considerable skill on the part of the coach, but it is far nearer the real thing than practice off the cradle and can stimulate the fielders into excitedenjoyment and competition.

Fielding practice.9

The slip fielders will practice at the slip cradle if there is one, and may have a light curtain stretched 3 ft above the middle of the cradle to make it more difficult. With beginners it is most economical and effective if the coach or one fielder in rotation stands near the cradle and throws all the catches. The new plastic “spring –board” also provides good practice.

Fielding practice.8

The close fields the short legs, silly- mid- ones, and silly-points must be given special practice; for them far the best plan is for the coach to get someone to bowl to him from 12 yds or so away and play the ball at them as he might in a match. Here, of course, there will be no calling of names; it will be catch- as –catch- can

Fielding practice.7

At the start each hit should be well within the compass of the fielders, but gradually their difficulty in pace, height or direction should be increased; e.g. low, fast catches, hit with cut will be sent to potential covers, extra-covers or third man, whilst, probably at the end  of each session, the deep fields will be catered for at range. This must be done both down and up  wind, even sometimes down sun, and  the importance  driven home of not  moving in to catches hit downwind until their flight has been fully judged. To practice quick sighting and judging of catches a coach may make his fielders stand with their backs to him and not look round until they hear the ball hit and their name called.

Fielding practice.6

In hitting each ball the coach should call out the name of the fielder for whom it is intended; failure to do so will often mean indecision, frustration or even collision.

Each ball, whether fielded or caught, should be returned, whenever possible, full pitch to the wicket keeper, and the coach should hammer in that this, the final act of fielding is just as vital as a stop or pick up.

Fielding practice.5

In the early practices of the season the coach should himself demonstrate the correct technique in catching and in both defensive and offensive fielding, emphasizing the essential points and giving the reasons for them. He will probably find it wise, especially in the earlier practices, to begin with defensive fielding, go on to offensive, and en td by catching; by keeping these phases distinct, he will find that he can better emphasize the technique for each. 

Fielding practice.4

    

For a “full dress” fielding practice, six to eight boys are the ideal number, but of course, through it are uneconomic in time, a coach can deal with twice that number. They should be disposed in a half circle with their backs to any sun there is and the best available stretch of turf in front of them.

A stump and a wicket keeper, properly padded and gloved, complete the picture.

Fielding practice.3

As an initial warming up exercise  he can divide his class into circles of  six with an eight to ten yard radius, and for a few minutes make them  throw quick under hands catches to each other, whilst he walks  round himself looking for such faults as unnecessary head movement, bad balance, and wrong positioning of the hands. Then he will get down to business.

Mid on

Fifty years ago mid on was the place to which the weakest fielder in a team was generally assigned. Today  in first class cricket, with so  much  emphasis  on the leg  stump  in attack  and  the  development  of one  side play, it is one  of the most  important.

Most of what has been written about mid off is equally true of mid on. His position too, both in depth and in angle to the batsman, will very within wide limits, especially in relation to the nature of the bowler’s attack and the placing of a forward square leg; indeed none of the regular places is more elastic than mid on. With the stock bowler attacking the off  stump on a fast wicket, he may be about  level with  the bowler’s wicket and  some four yards to the right of it: conversely, with an off spinner bowling  round the wicket and really  turning the ball, mid one’s normal position may  be more or less convered by  the combination of a forward square leg  and the  bowler, and  he may  find  himself 15 yds deeper and either almost behind the bowler or much wider in what is normally now known as “mid wicket”. As with mid off he must always be prepared to save the bowler’s hands by getting up to the wicket to take fast returns.

For him, as for mid off, good hands, quickness of starting and a fast return are essential.

He should cultivate a fast under hand “flip” aimed at the bowler’s wicket: particularly if he is standing deep, this may often provide a  better  chance of a run out  than a throw at the striker’s  wicket.

T20 world cup fixtures of 2012 in sri lanka

Latest t20 World Cup Headlines

Pietersen left out England's t20 World Cup squad

Yuvraj named in India t20 World Cup squad‎

James Pattinson left out of Aussie t20 squad

Pakistan finalises squad for t20 World Cup

West Indies will be favourites claims Watson

Badree hoping to stake t20 World Cup claim

Zimbabwe and Bangladesh show gap is closing

Yuvraj eyeing t20 World Cup comeback

Vettori comes out of retirement for t20 World Cup

Pakistan and Australia planning 5 game series

India favorites to recapture t20 World Cup title