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Batting is
not just hitting the ball hard. Batting is an art which requires
tremendous amount of Concentration, patience and last but not the least the
hand -eye coordination. For you to be a good batsman, you should learn
how to grip the bat effectively. Your hands should be together in the middle
of the handle so that you can use the bat freely. Place the V (the
webbing between the thumb and the index fingers) of your left hand (right,
if you are a left handed batsman) on the outer edge of the bat and slide the
hand up to near the top of the handle.
Place the V (with the thumb well stretched out) of your right hand on the
splice connecting the handle to the bat and pull your hand up close to your
left hand on the handle.
By doing this you will get the most
comfortable grip. The back of your left hand should be facing mid-off and extra
cover (ref. section on field placing for details). You should practice to hold
your left hand firmly. This will help you to have control every time you play a
straight bat stroke. To be a successful batsman, confidence is the key.
This confidence will come to you if you do things the right way. g And it will
become a habit for you. And to achieve this you should pay careful attention to
the basics of the game.
Bowling is as thrilling and enjoyable
as batting. Beating a batsman gives you as much joy as hitting a boundary. If
you have the determination, concentration and if you practice with a will too
can become a successful bowler. The basis of a good bowling action is:
holding the ball not very hard nor very loose, running as straight as possible
to the stumps, keeping the runup as economical as possible, and
fluently following through.
The secret of good bowling is accuracy in line and length. You can develop this through practice and hard work.
To field a ball and to catch it are
the most natural human activities. To throw it is as natural too. The whole
sphere of fielding activity is most enjoyable. A team's efficiency is often
reflected in its fielding. All eleven can contribute directly on the field, a
catch well taken, a stinging shot stopped on the square and a run out effected
with a fine throw can well turn a match around. The fundamentals of fielding are
include 1. keeping your eyes on the ball at all times – whether you are fielding
a ball on the ground or you are catching it, moving swiftly behind the line of
the ball and as far as possible towards it even as it is coming to you, and
making sure that your body gets in behind the line of the ball as second line of
defense to your hands. When you take a catch, keep the ball for a few
seconds to show that you are in control. Don't throw it prematurely in the air
to celebrate the catch, You might spoil the act by losing your grip on the ball.
The stance is important for close-in
fielders. The body should be balanced and ready to take off in any direction.
Stay down until the ball has been well sighted and you are moving to take the
catch. Keep your head still and watch the ball or, when at first slip or when
'keeping, watch the outer edge of the bat. Above all, fielding is fun.
The wicket-keeper is one of the key
members of the team. A good keeper can inspire confidence in his team,
particularly in the bowlers. The wicket-keeper needs more mental stamina than
even the fastest of bowlers.
Equipment: The wicket-keeping pads should be light and short. Flexibility
is everything. Gloves are extremely important. The face of the gloves
should be in good condition and must not be allowed to become too smooth.
Wornout gloves should never be used because this may hurt the finger. Inner
gloves of soft leather provide extra support.
The weight of the body should be
evenly balanced on the heels. The feet should be apart, at an approximate
distance of a foot and a half from each other. Crouching should be
comfortable with the head down and the whole stance relaxed. The fingers
should be pointing downwards or upwards in collecting high balls or, sometimes,
even sideways but they should never point at the ball. Concentration
should be total on every ball bowled because each one is a potential wicket
taker.
A good wicket-keeper should be fully aware of his position in relation to the
stumps. He should watch the ball and not what the batsman is doing. Never grab
the ball. Let your hands give with the ball. The hands must give a few inches so
that the ball has less chance of leaping out of the gloves. Rise along with the
ball, not too early.
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