Cricket Equipment � Training - How To Teach Good Fielding Practice

Do you have trouble motivating your cricket players to train at fielding drills? Here are some tips on making cricket training fun, even in the field.

Fielding drills should not be over-looked whilst training in cricket as they are extremely important in contributing toward your team's skill level. Unlike batting and bowling, fielding is rarely practiced and the main practice a player will receive is when they are actually out on the field in the middle of a match. That's why it's important to really focus when spending anytime training for fielding, and make sure that your players take the drills seriously and use their cricket equipment sensibly.

A good cricket training drill to practice when equipping players for high catches during ground fielding is described below:

Split your group of cricket players into two evenly numbered groups. Have your wicketkeeper approximately 40+ metres from the fielders. Working in pairs, the batsman will use his cricket equipment to hit a ball along the ground, varying the levels of power from soft to harder each time he hits. One of the fieldsmen calls for it if it's a catch, the other stays close in case he misjudges it. Whoever catches it passes the ball to the other fielder, who throws it to the wicketkeeper.

Backing each other up is important when you're ground fielding and it's important to convey this sentiment to your team during your training. As one person attacks the ball, the other person should be equipped to gather the ball and return it to the wicket keeper. Another person should then be nearby to back up the fielders in case there are any mistakes in this routine. The key is to always be alert and equipped to tackle any situation.

Slip catching

Slip catching requires very different skills to those listed above. The key towards training in slip catching is to practice bending your knees slightly when you catch and to remember that anticipation is the most important element to equip you for this type of cricket catch.

A fun training exercise to adopt is to stand at least 6-8 cricket players in a semi-circle, with a batsman in the middle. All the fieldsmen should prepare as if they were in the slips, ready to take a catch at random. There is a top and bottom in the semi-circle and if you drop a catch, you move to the bottom. If you misfield one, you drop a place down. The aim is to stay at the top for the longest time possible. The batsman should use their cricket equipment to increase the difficulty for the fieldsmen at the top.

The most important thing to convey to your players at cricket training is that anticipation is the key to the best fielding. You must play the game as if you expect every shot to come your way and be fully equipped for any situation. After all, a run-out or a catch could be the difference in winning or losing a cricket match.

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