Wicket Keeping Success Tips

The wicketkeeper is an essential part of the cricket team. Every team needs a reliable wicketkeeper. As well as taking catches, stumping the batters and taking run-outs, the wicketkeeper is one of the team's most important players: motivating and inspiring the bowlers and fielders to raise their game and WIN.

To be a wicketkeeper, you need fast reactions and precise judgment. You have very little time to react to such things as fast deliveries, especially if there are changes and deviations in the ball line due to variations in swing, movement off the pitch, and edges.

It would help if you were alert and had high levels of concentration. Like a top batsman, you want to be able to switch on and off your attention between deliveries and overs to avoid getting mentally tired, as it's impossible to concentrate non-stop for hours at a time. High levels of fitness and flexibility are also significant for a wicketkeeper. It can be very tiring because you effectively do hundreds of squats and dive around the field. So stay fit, warm up and down, and stretch thoroughly to remain in peak condition and avoid injury.

Equipment for wicket keeping

-Wicket-keeping gloves (and inner gloves),
-Box,
-Wicket keeping pads,
-Helmet.

Basic technique: Wicket-keeping stance

You can stand up to spin bowlers and slower-paced bowlers. The wicket-keeper's stance is relatively straightforward; you must stand about one step behind the stumps, ensuring no part of your body or equipment is in front of the line of the stumps.

Crouch down with your left foot (reverse for left-hand batters) in line with the middle stump; therefore, you are crouched slightly offside. Try to keep your head still and eyes level during the delivery to help you judge the pace and line. It would help if you were balanced and relaxed, with your weight slightly forward on the balls of your feet. Be alert and ready to react to the delivery.

Catching the ball

When you are catching the ball, aim to get your head/eyes above the line of the ball and your body behind the line of the ball. As the ball rises from the pitch, rise from the crouching position with the ball so you mirror the height of the ball. Watch the ball and catch it with your fingers pointing downwards. You’ll need to cushion the impact of the ball hitting your gloves when catching by giving with your hands. If the ball continues to rise as it reaches you, step with your outside foot backward and across, rotating your body outwards, taking the ball on one side of the body. To catch a ball delivered on the off or leg side, move your feet and body across immediately to get your head back in line with the delivery. (Move the outside foot first and follow with the inside.) Rise with the ball as discussed above and give with hands to reduce the impact.

If you are standing back, which you should be to medium and fast bowlers, take your stance as discussed above; however, stand in a position so that the ball is handled once it begins to drop.

Sometimes you may have to dive to take wide deliveries or thick edges; always take the ball in two hands if possible and roll after the dive, if you can, to reduce the impact of landing and changes of injury.

Stumping

You can attempt a stumping if the batsman is out of the crease after you have caught the delivery. Once you've taken the ball, move your body weight towards stumps and move your hands fast to break the wickets.