| The wicket keeper is an essential and key part of | | | | your head still and eyes level during the delivery to |
| the cricket team. Every team needs a reliable wicket | | | | help you judge the pace and line. You should be |
| keeper. As well as taking catches, stumping the | | | | balanced and relaxed with your weight slightly |
| batsmen and taking run outs, the wicket keeper is | | | | forward on the balls of your feet. Be alert and ready |
| one of the team's most important players: motivating | | | | to react to the delivery. |
| and inspiring the bowlers and fielders to raise their | | | | Catching the ball |
| game and WIN. | | | | When you are catching the ball, aim to get your head |
| To be a wicket keeper you need fast reactions and | | | | eyes above the line of the ball and your body behind |
| precise judgement as you have very little time to | | | | the line of the ball. As the ball rises from the pitch, |
| react to such things as fast deliveries especially if | | | | rise from the crouching position with the ball, so you |
| there are changes and deviations in the balls line due | | | | mirror the height of the ball. Watch the ball into your |
| to variations in swing, movement off the pitch and | | | | hands and catch it with your fingers pointing |
| edges. | | | | downwards. You'll need to cushion the impact of the |
| You need to be alert and have high levels of | | | | ball hitting your gloves when catching by ‘giving' |
| concentration. Like a top batsmen you want to be | | | | with your hands. If the ball continues to rise as it |
| able to ‘switch on and off' your concentration | | | | reaches you, step with your outside foot backwards |
| between deliveries and overs to avoid getting | | | | and across, rotating your body outwards, taking the |
| mentally tired, as it's impossible to fully concentrate | | | | ball on one side of the body. To catch a ball delivered |
| non-stop for hours at a time. High levels of fitness | | | | on the off side or leg side, move your feet and body |
| and flexibility are also very important for a wicket | | | | across immediately to get your head back into line |
| keeper as it can be very tiring because you are | | | | with the delivery. (Move the outside foot first and |
| effectively doing hundreds of squats and diving | | | | follow with the inside.) Rise with the ball as discussed |
| around the field. So stay fit, warm up and down and | | | | above and ‘give' with hands to reduce the |
| stretch thoroughly to remain in peak condition and | | | | impact. |
| avoid injury. | | | | If you are standing back which you should be to |
| Equipment for wicket keeping | | | | medium and fast bowlers take your stance as |
| -Wicket keeping gloves (and inner gloves), | | | | discussed above, however stand in a position so that |
| -Box, | | | | the ball is taken once it begins to drop. |
| -Wicket keeping pads, | | | | Sometimes you may have to dive to take wide |
| -Helmet. | | | | deliveries or thick edges, always try to take the ball |
| Basic technique: Wicket keeping stance | | | | in two hands if possible, roll after the dive if you can |
| You can stand up to spin bowlers and slower paced | | | | to reduce the impact of landing and changes of |
| bowlers. The wicket keepers stance is quite straight | | | | injury. |
| forward, you need to stand about one step behind | | | | Stumping |
| the stumps, making sure no part of your body or | | | | You can attemp a stumping if the batsman is out of |
| equipment is in front of the line of the stumps. | | | | the crease after you have caught the delivery. Once |
| Crouch down with your left foot (reverse for left | | | | you've taken the ball move your body weight |
| hand batsmen) inline with middle stump, therefore on | | | | towards stumps and move hands fast to break the |
| you are crouched a little on off side. Try to keep | | | | wickets. |