Master Class - The Steveo Guide
to Wicket Keeping (part 1 - yeah right)
Question- Steveo - are you going to
include in your 'Steve o guide to playing cricket' the
most effective technique of catching the ball when keeping
wicket?
My dear Chap, there will be a whole section dedicated
to receiving the ball from any and all angles. A very
small chapter will relate to an area not much required
by Wicket keepers of our ilk -
receiving the ball from the fielder at waist height
whilst standing at the stumps. This is such a rare accordance
as to not merit much space. I will, of course, concentrate
on the 'splitter' aka the mid wicket throw-in (wherein
the wicky must stand exactly between both sets of stumps
in order to have any chance of intercepting the incoming
ball), the dirt ball (wherein wicky gets out small shovel
to extract ball buried just in front of his feet), the
bazooka (wherein Wicky is the target for a missile attack
from very close quarters resulting -if lucky- in ball
passing through several fielders and going for four...
if unlucky, ball strikes wicky who subsequently goes
for four) and the step ladder (wherein.. etc).
Special
mention will be made regarding jumping-up behind the
stumps to receive the ball flying over the batsman's
head having not troubled the ground at any point in
its journey from the bowlers hand (permission to land
Wing Commander) -very popular this season. Equal measure
may be made of the 'which strip are we bowling on Doctor?'
for the terminally uncertain.
I am considering further notes on 'making sure the sun
is behind you when scaring the sh*t out of the Wicky'
and of course a guide to Knees , toes, Ankles, Finger
tips and other impediments to a balls progress as used
when hands are otherwise engaged ... further research
will be conducted shortly i fear. |