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[Cin88]

When it comes to fielding I take the view that you're either going to stop the ball or not, so I don't see the point in wasting an hour that I could spend working on batting or bowling, i'm not the only one in the club that shares that opinion either. Plus I get plenty of practice during games anyway. Given that we're prone to terrible batting collapses, i'd sooner focus on sorting that problem out, especially given that it's our biggest cause of losses in the second team.

[edge]

When it comes to fielding I take the view that you're either going to stop the ball or not, so I don't see the point in wasting an hour that I could spend working on batting or bowling, i'm not the only one in the club that shares that opinion either. Plus I get plenty of practice during games anyway. Given that we're prone to terrible batting collapses, i'd sooner focus on sorting that problem out, especially given that it's our biggest cause of losses in the second team.

If I said 'when it comes to batting I take the view that you're either going to hit the ball or not, so I don't see the point wasting time practising it' then you'd probably (quite rightly) tell me I was an idiot. Same as if I said I would only practice bowling in games. Stop the ball or not, catch the ball or drop it. If you stop everything, catch everything and throw everything accurately, you won't lose many cricket games. Not exciting, but a team of demon fielders makes a huge difference. Easy to forget cricket's a team sport for some people it seems.

On a serious note, in the summer you were posting every other week about how you weren't getting picked. Maybe this has a lot to do with it! Nothing irritates a team more than someone who can't be bothered with fielding - I've said to captains before I'd rather play with 10 than have someone who's a waste of space in the field, and on the other hand every club I've played at has seen players get chances in the first team mainly based on them being a gun fielder.

[Woodyspin]

Id have to disagree with you @cin88, fielding is not just stopping the ball or not. If you improve the time time between gathering the ball (either in the right or wrong hand) and throwing the ball the split seconds can cause alot of hesitation in a batsman decision. One example i can give is a friend of mine picked up in covers in his left hand turned and threw with his right at the non strikers end 3 times last year for a run out by a yard last season. 3 run outs which definitely helped us win the game!

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[TangoWhiskey]

Id have to disagree with you @Cin88, fielding is not just stopping the ball or not. If you improve the time time between gathering the ball (either in the right or wrong hand) and throwing the ball the split seconds can cause alot of hesitation in a batsman decision. One example i can give is a friend of mine picked up in covers in his left hand turned and threw with his right at the non strikers end 3 times last year for a run out by a yard last season. 3 run outs which definitely helped us win the game!

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...but you either hit the stumps or you don't, no point in really practicing is there as practice doesn't really make you any better. You do my fielding drills for me so I can go practice my batting so it doesn't get better.

[Neon Cricket]

When it comes to fielding I take the view that you're either going to stop the ball or not, so I don't see the point in wasting an hour that I could spend working on batting or bowling, i'm not the only one in the club that shares that opinion either. Plus I get plenty of practice during games anyway. Given that we're prone to terrible batting collapses, i'd sooner focus on sorting that problem out, especially given that it's our biggest cause of losses in the second team.

Your team sounds like a dream to play against, nothing better for a batsman than playing against a terrible fielding side!

A good fielding side makes a huge difference, its puts pressure on the opposing batsman which naturally leads to mistakes/wickets

[HallamKeeper]

You'll love my team. Refuse to practice fielding in anyway then after each game we lose (usually from at least 6 or 7 dropped catches) they moan about the mistakes. As a keeper I get balls thrown into me occasionally but they are usually a few yards in front of me or way over my head. They don't understand that if they throw a ball into me by the stumps each ball they will get better for when the run out comes.

Personally I think fielding practice is very enjoyable.

[RF]

I wish my team had enough interest to have a Net Structure but the reality is that there aren't enough players that turn up on a regular basis to have one.  I've resorted to sorting my own practice out With a net buddy from another team.  I've found it has been really good for me as you get a different perspective on Your batting and he's a lot better than me so I can learn a lot from him.

RE Fielding
To me it's a really important aspect of the game, it makes a massive difference if you take all of your catches on a Saturday rather than having to create 15 / 16 chances as you're dropping dollys.  Most of us play Limited overs cricket and if you can save 20 / 30 runs an innings it can definitley be the difference between winning and losing. 
Good / bad fielding is contagious, if someone takes a great Catch or pulls off a good stop I find that the other feilders tend to up their game as well.

[edynamo]

Interesting debate this one and for me there isn't a one size fits all approach that truly works. At my club we have a number of approaches - at the top end of the sides nets are quite structured, focusing on processes initially and then more scenarios as we move through the winter phase with bowling machines playing a part but not too heavily as for me they don't help judge length, read the wrist etc. We also do lots of work with sidearms except muffins who sill does throwdowns!  Other sides though just have an organised net, if they're looking to work at something the captains / peers will try to help. Sometimes I might wrongly judge these as poor nets - but they are fun and the lads keep coming back! For the vast majority there's no financial incentive to practice so I think it's vital practice is fun - and if that involves some slogging so be it - I'd rather have folks slogging in a net enjoying it than being subjected to regimented training and being lost to the game!

We all have different motives, some to be the best they can be, some to win cups, some to escape the mrs and kids in a Saturday, some to have a laugh with mates. For me cricket is a broad church and we should embrace and cater for all, whether that's in how we train / practice or the format of the matches that people can opt to play in

Oh and as an aside with our best kids and our top two sides we do practice range hitting outside and a couple of sessions of slap and tickle inside - we practice how to dominate the first ten and we practice how to dominate the last ten!

[HallamKeeper]

I think a bit of imagination to make them fun and constructive is needed. I only have a problem with someone who won't practice and then moans that catches go down or mis-fields cost runs and so on.