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[Spanky]

Has anyone made the transition from a fielder to keeping wicket?

Have fancied wicket keeping for ages but feels like that there is no chance to due to the club already having a number of wicket keepers.

Did anyone else have trouble getting a chance to keep wicket?

Usually when we are short a wicket keeper I put myself forward to keep but get told I'm needed for my fielding.

[Red Ink Cricket]

I started off opening the bowling and being one of the better fielders in my team. i now keep wicket full time. probably helped we didnt have a decent keeper at the time but a good fielder can make a good keeper. aslong as you can catch thats a good start, the rest will come with practice. im still not a great keeper but do a decent job. put some practice in if you can and keep offering your services.

[Spanky]

Guess a lot of it has to do with getting a lucky break to keep and show ability. Have no issue practicing as fielding practice I enjoy.

[Simmy]

i cant help ive been a wicket keeper since i was 9 i think...

when i was 14-15 i used to have to field for the 1st 11 as they had a keeper,

i kept my 1st game when they thought i was ready and the other lad never kept again (he was in his late 40's tho)

i think it takes a certain person to be a keeper,

if you are  good fielder with a good eye should be fine!

when i dont play ryan keeps and he is a very very good keeper even tho he never really does it!

[Spanky]

Currently specialise at fielding gully or point.

Understand its going to be completely different to fielding there as the number of takes you have in an innings will be new to my hands.

So kit wise is more expensive regarding gloves better? Obviously with bats this isn't always the case.

[SOULMAN1012]

Like Simmy i have been a keeper since i was a colt. There are a few things IMO to being a decent keeper. You have to have soft hands when taking the ball. I also think you have to have a decent amount of confidence to stand up when required and i also believe the keeper has to be able to chat all through the game, supporting your team mates and have the confidence to tell captain or bowler what ou are seeing and anything you think may help you get the wicket you need.

Like others have said if you have good hand eye co-ordination you can work at all the other bits and pieces. 

[Dan W]

Like Simmy i have been a keeper since i was a colt. There are a few things IMO to being a decent keeper. You have to have soft hands when taking the ball. I also think you have to have a decent amount of confidence to stand up when required and i also believe the keeper has to be able to chat all through the game, supporting your team mates and have the confidence to tell captain or bowler what ou are seeing and anything you think may help you get the wicket you need.

Like others have said if you have good hand eye co-ordination you can work at all the other bits and pieces. 

^This. Tbh I think anyone can "stop the byes and catch nicks off the quicks", and to that extent if you were a 'star' fielder I'd be wary of losing you to a role that anyone could do to a similar standard.

When you see good 'keepers -  and I mean hands moving quicker than your eyes - you can appreciate they had thousands upon thousands of hours of practice and experience, that would be very hard to replicate.

There's also the tertiary role of the Keeper - your the teams fielding quarterback and cheerleader, so it's not for the quiet ones!

[SOULMAN1012]

I will have to say i disagree that ''Anybody can stop byes and take nicks of the quicks'' keepers make it look easy but that is not always the case espically when a lot of wickets have different bounce and carry etc. To say anybody can just put on a pair of gloves and stop byes, inside edges, nicks etc i think takes away from the skill involved in being a wicket keeper regardless of what level you play.

[Simmy]

Like Simmy i have been a keeper since i was a colt. There are a few things IMO to being a decent keeper. You have to have soft hands when taking the ball. I also think you have to have a decent amount of confidence to stand up when required and i also believe the keeper has to be able to chat all through the game, supporting your team mates and have the confidence to tell captain or bowler what ou are seeing and anything you think may help you get the wicket you need.

Like others have said if you have good hand eye co-ordination you can work at all the other bits and pieces.

totally agree mate

[SOULMAN1012]

us keepers need to stick together. It can be a lonely place behind those stumps 

[cricketbadger]

I used to be an awesome fielder in my old clubs 1's, but they had a good keeper so i used to bowl first change
Until he left mid season one year and i got the chance, always did it in the juniors. havent looked back since, do miss fielding at times though
I wouldnt bother if I was you, too many injuries, and extra gear to tempt you and spend more money aha

[Simmy]

touch wood! ive had no injuries as of yet! no broken fingers or loosing teeth etc! thats what ur hands our for

[SOULMAN1012]

lucly you Simmy i have broken my right index finger 3 times keeping last time was to our off soin bowler, no idea how 

[pacman75cricket]

Took over the gloves half way through last year as no-one to do it. done & ok job standing back, but getting used to standing up i'm 37 so never too late.

[cricketbadger]

standing up to the quicks is awesome, always good for a few bruises aswell