Reading Cricket Cub

That catches win matches is a very old saying and this is very rightly said. Many times in a cricket match, the fielding level of teams is the determining factor in the outcome of a match. A team may have the best batting line up, have the world’s deadliest fast bowlers and spin bowlers, but if the fielding of the team is not up to the mark, winning can be an impossible task. The whole team could be playing well and a misfield from a fielder could suddenly demoralize the whole team. Cricket is a team game and every member of the team must give his best if the team wants to win a match.

Fielding in a cricket match is all about anticipation. Better the level of your anticipation is, better will be your resulting fielding effort. Remember a good fielder is one who is comfortable in fielding at any position, be it the boundary or the slip cordon. Cricket fielding tips are capable of giving you proper fielding guidance if you follow them seriously.

Fielding in the boundary can be very tricky if you do not have the right amount of concentration. The boundary is the nosiest area in a cricket field and any lapse can prove to be fatal to the team. If you are fielding in that position, never be distracted by the noise and bantering from the crowd. Cricket fielding tips suggest that your sole aim must be to follow the movement of the ball and anticipate in advance where the ball is likely to end up.

The golden rule of taking catches while fielding is not to celebrate too soon. Remember what happened to Herschelle Gibbs, when he started his celebrations a bit too early after taking the catch of Steve Waugh in a crucial world cup encounter. South Africa was knocked out from the tournament and Australia went on to win the trophy, all because of a missed catch. Remember to secure the ball in your hand for enough time before you start celebrating. Never get carried away when you have taken the catch, even if you have caught the world’s best batsman for a duck.

Following the cricket fielding tips are crucial while fielding at any position in the cricket field. While fielding at close in positions like slips, gully and short leg, make sure that your stance is proper. Keep a proper distance in between both your feet so that your body weight is divided evenly. Rest lightly on the balls of your feet so that you can easily maneuver yourself to the direction in which the ball is going past you. Remember, that catches should always be taken with soft hands. If you are a close in fielder, never neglect to wear protective gears like helmet and pad. Remember injuries sustained while fielding can turn to be life threatening for a player.

Always be alert while you are fielding, be it at any position. This is a golden cricket fielding tips, which will surely lead you to succeed in the cricket field. If you are fielding in the deep, take care to avoid the sun. Wear protective sunglasses to keep away the sun while you are running to take a catch. Remember the outcome of a match depends on the way you field for your team. Catches really do win matches.

If you are a cricketer and want to improve your bowling technique, especially with your pitching, then there are a few methods you can try.

The line is one important consideration as this dictates how much room the batsman has to play with. As a bowler, you should ideally focus on bowling towards the off stump and really concentrate on bowling in the ‘corridor of uncertainty’. This means that as long as you keep bowling in this region, you will always be putting pressure on the batsman to either play a shot or get caught, or if he misses then he will get bowled or caught behind. It is not easy to bowl a good line but this is something that can only developed with lots of practice.

The length at which you bowl is also very important. Ideally a ‘good length’ is a delivery one which does not allow the batsman enough time to hit the ball for a big shot. It should not be too close to the bat but not too far away either, this means that when the ball bounces it can either turn, or pitch in whichever direction it is required to.

As a bowler you can use the length to your advantage by bowling a various line of deliveries to confuse the batsman. You may want to start with a few short balls followed by a full length delivery and hopefully either get a leg before wicket or bowl him. This is another thing that requires a great deal of practice and can only be achieved once you have absolutely full control of the ball.

Remember, bowling isn’t just about speed. If you are a fast bowler then in order to achieve optimum speed, you need to perfect your line and length first. This can take several years before you can confidently bowl at a quick pace, start off slowly perfecting your run up and building up the power gradually. If you want to look at good line and length then your best bet is to look at Australian bowling legend Glen McGrath who has been one of the finest examples of line and length bowling. Furthermore, don’t forget to look at your run up and try to tweak this so you are confident of getting the right amount of pace and power in your follow through. Some of the world’s best bowlers do this by counting the number of strides so they don’t under or over stretch themselves.

Z Fazal