Taking catches

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Sean

Sean

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Taking catches

Hey guys.

I have trouble taking high catches. It always seems to just fly throw my hands.

I have them in the right way. Cupped in the right way. But they just always slip through.

I also nearly always drop quick, fast catches. I don't know whether it's if I'm scared of the ball or if I'm just a crap fielder. If you guys have pointers, I'd love some help.
 
Re: Taking catches

Firstly, the reason the ball pops through could be a mixture of you not backing yourself to take it, and your hand position is wrong. Firstly, always back yourself, always think you're going to take it, because, you are! Secondly, have your hands like a W, thumbs together making that W shape, the bring your little fingers together. It makes the best way to catch, as soon as you feel contact, close them, and then get mobbed by team mates and have stinging hands ;)
 
Re: Taking catches

I find if i start my hands where my eyes are in the cupped position then move my hands down to around my chest at the same rate the ball is falling helps cushion the ball and keeps the ball in your hands :). Its a effective technique to soften the blow of a ball hitting you.

As for quick ones its more about footmovement than your hands in my opinion, if you keep on your toes so you can move both ways easily you've almost won the battle already.
 
Re: Taking catches

Sean said:
Hey guys.

I have trouble taking high catches. It always seems to just fly throw my hands.

I have them in the right way. Cupped in the right way. But they just always slip through.

I also nearly always drop quick, fast catches. I don't know whether it's if I'm scared of the ball or if I'm just a crap fielder. If you guys have pointers, I'd love some help.
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Well, you are only young. With some good training you could train yourself to be better with them reflexes.

You might be scared of the hard new ball flying towards you at gully, normally it's just confidence. In training get someone to really smash them at you. It could get you familiar with them fast catches.

Or, the other option (and the much easier option) would be to become a boundary rider, and try your hand at fielding on the fence ;D You need a good arm though don't forget.
 
Re: Taking catches

Acrowaroz said:
I Always Wear A Wrist Band When Iam Fielding. It Reduces Hand Shock.
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No, no it doesnt at all.

I where a wrist band on my right, and one of those long sweatbands that you see the likes of Ian Bell and Shae Warne wear, but its a bit longer, goes up to my elbow and starts just where my gloves end.

So i know that they definately do not aid, or strengthen your wrist in catching, if you havent got strong wrists, and most lads have one stronger than the other ;) ;) Then a sweatband aint gunna help.

So please stop making rubbish up.
 
Re: Taking catches

Look at the ball, and get it close to your body, it'll go right in. But it's a lot easier if you keep it close to your chest.
 
Re: Taking catches

When you catch the ball dont stand completely still and motionless, make sure you bring your hands to your face/chest (whatever height you caught the ball at) and maybe bend a bit. No need for excellent posture when taking a catch ;)
 
Re: Taking catches

Sean - you don't want to worry about the high ones I reckon they're easy compared to playing at Mid wicket, cover, point and square leg. Strikes me that in those positions you have the balls come at you straight off the bat at ridiculous speeds and you're expected to catch the ball and from your own perspective it looks do-able. I've seen people go for it and just not get their hands there in time and get hit square in the chest at high speed - it looked nasty and check this out -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/6911553.stm

How often does this kind of thing happen I wonder?
 
Re: Taking catches

I can't say that I've seen anything worse than the odd broken finger from missed catches, thankfully.

Luckily, most people seem to get something on it, even if it's only a finger or palm to deflect it slightly.
 
Re: Taking catches

someblokecalleddave said:
Sean - you don't want to worry about the high ones I reckon they're easy compared to playing at Mid wicket, cover, point and square leg. Strikes me that in those positions you have the balls come at you straight off the bat at ridiculous speeds and you're expected to catch the ball and from your own perspective it looks do-able. I've seen people go for it and just not get their hands there in time and get hit square in the chest at high speed - it looked nasty and check this out -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/6911553.stm

How often does this kind of thing happen I wonder?
Click to expand...
It was a tragic news to read.I remember one of India's Ex player- Raman Lamba was playing a League match in Bangladesh and was fielding in the Forward Short Leg without wearing a Helmet.A sweep shot from the batsmen banged in his head and he died on the spot.So it can happen any place.
But generally fielding in the inner circle and had to be careful about the catches straight off the bat at a high pace.
 
Re: Taking catches

one way you can train to catch well is by using a tennis ball. it may seem easy but when they are hit hard they can take some catching. it teaches you to use soft hands
 
Re: Taking catches

i have found that if there is a noise when taking a catch it is either because you have stiff hands or your snatching at it..... relax and give a little slack when taking the catch "soft hands".....

i rekon the trick to taking high catches is not thinking about it..... everyone pulls of screamers in slips / silly mid.. because they didnt think about it.... im not the best at taking high catches coz i think about it 2 much.... so to battle this i leave my hands by my side (just not in the catching position) until the ball is well and truely on its way towards u....

hope this helps :)
 
Re: Taking catches

It's a difficult thing, catching, and to an extent, I think it's something you either have or haven't got. There are those of us that are lucky enough to have quick reactions and good hand-eye co-ordination, and there are those that aren't blessed with those particular skills.
That's not to say you can't ever improve at it though. One of the guys at my club can't catch for toffee, he's really hopeless, but every nets session he asks me to just throw a few balls at him and give him a few pointers, and the amount he's improved since the start of last season is phenomenal. In fact, he actually took a superb running sliding catch last season, which I think boosted his confidence no end, which in turn resulted in him taking more catches. On the flipside, I'm usually a very good catcher, and field as close in as I feel comfortable doing, depending on the batsman/bowler combination, but I dropped a sitter last season, followed by a couple of very difficult ones, and my confidence was shot - I was making mistakes left right and centre. So I think confidence has a large part to play in it as well.
 
Re: Taking catches

I agree with the confidence thing. Which can be a vicious circle - you drop one, lose confidence and drop another - which leads to less confidence etc. One thing that does help is if you use self-talk or to fool yourself into being confident when the ball is coming at you. This drowns out all the doubts that are running through your mind for just long enough to (hopefully) allow your body to take the catch without interference. Then this catch can start the positive-confidence-feedback and let you take a few more :)
 
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