A Complete Guide To Cricket Fielding Drills You Need To Know!

The fielding drills are the best methods to improve your ball-handling skills in cricket. Especially, a perfect set-up fielding position becomes essential to outwit the strategies of the opposition.

Starting from the fixed positions of a wicketkeeper to the adaptable fielders strategically placed, each position holds its unique importance. Combining these fielding drills into practice sessions yields the best results.

In this guide, you will explore different types of cricket fielding drills that are crucial in all aspects such as stopping, throwing, and catching techniques.

Stopping Fielding Drills in Cricket

The stopping drills in cricket enhance your ability to stop the ball travelling along the ground efficiently which involves these main concepts in fielding:

1. Boundary stopping: You need to practice diving and running to stop the ball on the boundary and save four runs.
2. Extended Barriers: The coach passes the ball towards the fielder to immediately run and stop within the extended barriers and return the ball to the wicketkeeper accurately.
3. Attackers vs Defenders: The attackers are the batters who aim to smash the ball towards the boundary ropes, and it is the responsibility of the fielders to play a defender’s role by moving sideways or backways.
4. Pick Up, Back Up and Return: Fielders on the left side pick up and return the ball to the backup fielder before reaching the other end. A front fielder can come from either left or right.
5. Circle Drill: Typically the drill works with 5–6 trainers and the fielders should run on a circular track with the coach at the centre. The coach might call any player to catch the ball and aim the stumps. The opposite fielder stops the ball if it misses hitting the stumps and returns to the coach.

Catching Fielding Drills in Cricket

These are the three main types of catching techniques you should prioritize in your fielding drills sessions such as:

1. Dose Catches:

The dose catches include slips, silly, and gully points in cricket. In other terms, these are the short-distance catches which require in-depth concentration for fielders, faster reflexes, incredible agility and flexibility to move around in all directions instantly.

But, you need to require a competitor or use a ball feeder machine to practice such catches. Additionally, you can include variations with different types of balls bowled from varying distances at an increasing speed which can improve your decision-making skills due to a fast-paced fielding practice.

2. High Catches:

The high catches at the boundary can prove to be the turning point of the game. Mainly, you need to carefully observe the ball to have a stable grip while catching and holding onto it. Also, you need to move around quickly to pick up the impossible catches.

3. Low Catches:

The lower catches are extremely challenging for the fielder to grab the ball before it bounces on the ground. You need to be quick with your reflexes and focus on diving practices.

4. Running Catches:

Even though a batter ensures to strike the ball in the possible directions, a fielder should have top-notch fielding skills to receive either the forward running catch or backward running catch. The technique is simple as you need to maintain the focus on the ball. Most importantly, you need to simultaneously watch the ball and control your running speed to execute the actions of stretching, diving or jumping at the perfect moment. But, you could only grab the ball through frequent and rigorous practice. 

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Throwing Fielding Drills in Cricket

These are the five main types of throwing drills you need to incorporate into your fielding drills

1. Corner Ball Drill:

The stumps are placed at the four corners in a square-shaped at the middle of the field. You need to stand near the stumps, and after you receive the sound of the “go” command, you need to run towards the first ball, grab it and aim the stumps accurately. Furthermore, you should run back to the stumps and run towards the second ball. The process should be repeated with all 4 balls and practice with for 3 sets.

2. Ladder Catch and Throw Drill:

An agility ladder or mini obstacle blocks like cones can be used to catch the ball from one end, aim to hit the stumps at the end and return to the initial position after throwing the ball. This technique helps your running techniques and speed without striking the obstacles. You need to repeat the ladder catch and throw drill for at least 5 times and perform 3 sets per day.

3. Chase and Throw Drill:

A minimum of 3–4 balls are placed at different distances from the stumps to improve your chasing abilities towards the ball and sharpen your throwing skills. After receiving the command from your trainer, you need to run towards the stumps, pick up the ball and pass it to the wicketkeeper or aim at the stumps.

You can add variations by using a bowling machine so that the ball comes out and moves in various directions.

4. Underarm Throw Drill:

The underarm throw will be helpful when you are standing near the stumps and makes it easier to hit them. One player rolls the ball towards their teammate to roll it on the floor with the underarm throw. It would be possible if two players were positioned at opposite ends about 20 metres apart.

5. Overarm Throw Drill:

You can execute the overarm throw perfectly by improving your throwing power and accuracy. During the practice sessions, players stand in a scattered position on the field. The coach might randomly call a fielder’s name to whom the first player must pass the ball. As a result, the first fielder runs to catch the ball and turns back to throw the ball towards the second fielder.

Based on the second fielder’s standing position on the field, the first fielder alters the power and throwing speed. It helps the second player to collect the ball easily.