Haynes Cricket Manual: The Official Guide to Playing the Game 0857334840, 9781844256952

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FLAT AND OTHER CATCHES

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GROUND FIELDING

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THROWING

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Yorkshire’s Anthony

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he fielding team in a standard game of cricket consists of 11 players. This is made up of a bowler, a wicketkeeper and nine fielders. The fielders are strategically placed by the captain, usually in consultation with other key players, to meet the objectives of the fielding team. These objectives are two-fold: to bow! out the batting team by taking all ten wickets, and to concede as few runs as possible in the process. Fielding has become significantly more important since the advent of limited-overs cricket. Prior to this, it was often seen as a poor relation to batting and bowling. Catching was always seen as being fairly

important due to its direct relevance to wicket-taking, but little emphasis was placed on the standard of ground fielding and throwing. The increased need to save runs in limited-overs matches, however, has

revolutionised attitudes to fielding. As a result, fielding techniques have improved significantly in the past few decades and the level of improvement continues to accelerate. Developing fielding skills is now seen as a

vital part of any player’s training regime, with as much practice time dedicated to it as to batting or bowling. Fielding has become such an integral part of the modern game that it is often used as a yardstick for performance. If a team has a pack mentality, is energetic in the field and is executing the basic skills well, then it sends a message that the team is on form, together, and well-drilled. It is also the one discipline in the game where players are asked to do hard work largely unnoticed. It is a gauge of players’ willingness to put their bodies on the line and make anonymous sacrifices in the name of the team. How well they do this says a great deal about how together and committed a team really is. Even the notion that this sacrifice goes ‘largely unnoticed’ is now changing, with coaches starting to place objective measures on fielding skills in both training and match situations. This makes a fielder’s contribution more measurable and will almost certainly lead to players in the future being judged by some sort of fielding ‘average’. Despite the increase in attention being paid to

INTRODUCTION

TO FIELDING

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fielding by players and coaches alike, the basic principles remain the same. The job of the nine fielders and the wicketkeeper is to support the bowler, helo take wickets, and minimise the number of runs scored. Fielders can do this in several ways:

i By catching the ball off the bat to dismiss the batter. | By stopping the ball to reduce the number of runs scored. | By throwing the ball at the stumps, or to the wicketkeeper or bowler, to either prevent a run‘or effect a run-out. This simplifies the essential functions of a fielder into three simple tasks — catch, stop and throw. The following section will address and put into context the different techniques that fielders use to accomplish these tasks successfully. Itis also important to consider the physical and

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mental qualities that the best fielders possess. This will help to raise awareness of these desired qualities and can, through good training programmes, help players to acquire and develop these qualities. This in turn will help improve the performance of players on the field. The tactical placing of fielders by the captain and bowler is crucial if the fielding team is to win the battle between bat and ball. Bowlers will also tend to formulate individual tactical plans to dismiss each batter, so that a variety of tactical battles may be taking place at the same time. The effective placing of fielders combined with successful execution of technique is crucial to the success of any tactical plan. It is therefore important to understand the different fielding areas and positions and the specific tasks that are required for each position in any given situation. Fielders today also need to be multi-positional, as most will be asked to field in more than one type of position through the course of a match.

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1am o)are) Colele-lela-m care) uuiare, FW e- lale(=Mo)im=alel-lalem e)t-\V=1e-) Mmelt-(e|e-lser-w-lale, folge\iUilare smeze)gale)(=ipatcvalmealoMelsi-leqia(=)ale| hayam Batting — Techniques for all shots described’ in detail, plus decision-making, shot selection,

aUlalaliare Mmel-1auy(cr-1a mm al-mWi(e1.(-1em(ple meLeli(ellare| Tamla aliarets} Tol TTat: Mem stots) (etoe- level mUal-ig-miom ele)ii/| F Talo maY/ 0l=s-me) mr-\eit(e)hm) 0l-\e)] i(emialsjagU(eat(e) ace) F1| Yeelate d(e)atswe) moy-(ex-m ele) Ullaremir-tslemeci-r- 00 \Vilalep lace =)e)iamele) ale mQilareem arsie plus setting fields Fielding — Positions and roles explained,

plus the essential techniques (catching, felcelt late Mil=\rellale mmialconwilare) m-lale m= We(=1e-lI[21e section on wicketkeeping _Andy Tennant is Head of Performance with Cricket Scotland. He holds the highest cricket coaching qualification available, having passed the ECB Level IV Elite coaching programme

Packed with all the insight and expertise

with merit. Andy has played for and coached the Scottish

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Haynes Publishing Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7JJ, England Tel: 01963 442030 Fax: 01963 440001 Int. tel: +44 1963 442030 e Int. fax: +44 1963 440001 E-mail; [email protected] * Website: www.haynes.co.uk

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