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[DaanalSeed]

To me (a very part time keeper), If you are getting the gloves onto the ball, but still dropping it then it sounds that you are snatching at the ball, ie, going to grab at the ball when its on it's way to you. This is what I do some of the time.

I'm a firm believer in that you are born a keeper, be it football (soccer to you lot  ) or cricket.
 Is keeping new to you? How long have you been doing it for

I only took up keeping 3 years ago, when I figured out that I can't field. I'll definitely start asking to train with the 1/2s (seniors train on different days, and I don't think that my parents would be supportive of me going to cricket more than 4 days a week. I'm studying for a scholarship to a new school)

Anyway, I'm definitely going to try these drills, they seem really helpful!

Maybe I could work on my bowling? I'm a good leg spinner when I'm on form (took 7-37 in a friendly once), but when I'm not on form (which is 80% of the time), I go for 14 an over. If you check the stats of the second Lyndale game, you'll see that I bowled when I wasn't on form in the second innings.

[charlie15]

How old are you mate, and what level/age group are you playing at?

[DaanalSeed]

I'm 14, and I play Under 15s. I'm the sort of guy who will make the final 20-odd for a rep squad, but miss the cut for the final 13.

[ammo]

You shouldn't be playing for thirds in club then and you need to be more focussed and tough on yourself if you want to make it, e.g. when you siad you should of made 30 insead of 9 you also said you got dropped 7 times in that innings the only way you will improve is taking a pessimistic perspective on your stats and a optimistic perspective on your training

[DaanalSeed]

Woops, I think you took me the wrong way. By 'rep', I mean something like the RM Hatch comp, where basically my club asks anyone who's game to rock up to Hatch training, and from there, the cream of the crop are selected, and then my club cherry picks the best under 15s from surrounding clubs, and then that group of 30 is whittled down to 20, which is then whittled down to 13. I'd get to the final 20.


Also, what do you mean pessimistic perspective on my stats?

[charlie15]

I'm 14, and I play Under 15s. I'm the sort of guy who will make the final 20-odd for a rep squad, but miss the cut for the final 13.

Ok what I'd suggest to you then is that you seem to be concentrating on being a WK, Bowler and a Batsman.  If i were in your situation I'd pick one aspect of your game that you really want to focus on say 75% of the time.  The other bits will come as time goes on, as you say earlier in your thread your working towards a scholarship as well and it seems to me that you're putting to much pressure on yourself all round.

Bear in mind if you decide to bat and bowl you can always field at slip were your keeping experience will be handy.

[DaanalSeed]

It's gotta involve my batting, that's the strong point of my game. So, it's between wicketkeeping and bowling.

Keeping is great fun because I'm always in the game. When I wasn't the keeper, I was playing Div 1 (Under 13s though), and one game, the coach (not my current coach) made me field at deep really fine leg for 45 overs straight. That's no fun.

Bowling is great fun because when I'm on form, I can bowl batsmen round their legs. Once, I bowled a doosra that was going down leg, and the batsman didn't pick it, so he left it, assuming a wide. Then it ripped back in and knocked off his leg bail! He actually went down to the ump and asked why I was celebrating, before turning around and seeing the stumps.

If I give up keeping, it's $160 down the plug hole.

But my mates reckon I can make rep level based off my batting  and bowling.

[tim2000s]

You've finally said what i had been hoping to hear. You're not very good at keeping. You'd already said you aren't good in the field, so taking on keeping will be harder as you'll need better reactions and prediction.

Focus on your batting as others have said, if that's what you are best at, but I'd still ask if that is accurate. To be able to rip the ball good and proper as a spinner is a talent. You are 14. The accuracy required to be a top spinner comes with practise. I'd suggest that as you will have plenty of nets at your age, you have plenty of opportunity to work on your batting and bowling. Time and repetition will improve your bowling, and you can practise this with a couple of balls and a set of stumps in front of a wall, concentrating on line and length.

Ultimately it's up to you what you choose, but if you balance up your ability and the opportunity that your ability provides, you should be able to evaluate which will take you furthest. I suspect that there is more opportunity for a good spin bowler than a batsman, and if you are not a lot better at batting than bowling, it may be worth making that your primary skill while continuing to practise your batting for a bowling all rounder spot.

[DaanalSeed]

You've finally said what i had been hoping to hear. You're not very good at keeping. You'd already said you aren't good in the field, so taking on keeping will be harder as you'll need better reactions and prediction.

Focus on your batting as others have said, if that's what you are best at, but I'd still ask if that is accurate. To be able to rip the ball good and proper as a spinner is a talent. You are 14. The accuracy required to be a top spinner comes with practise. I'd suggest that as you will have plenty of nets at your age, you have plenty of opportunity to work on your batting and bowling. Time and repetition will improve your bowling, and you can practise this with a couple of balls and a set of stumps in front of a wall, concentrating on line and length.

Ultimately it's up to you what you choose, but if you balance up your ability and the opportunity that your ability provides, you should be able to evaluate which will take you furthest. I suspect that there is more opportunity for a good spin bowler than a batsman, and if you are not a lot better at batting than bowling, it may be worth making that your primary skill while continuing to practise your batting for a bowling all rounder spot.

Nah, I'm definitely mainly a batsman. But I can bowl too, so I guess that makes me an all rounder. 

[ManHOOS]

For bating Owais Shah is your man and wicketkeeping try to follow Kamran Akmal

On a serious note i am a part time keeper who is accidently thrown into this role by my skipper  But i accepted the challenge. Watch these 6 videos by B Wolmer, it helped me really great coz before that i was a mediocore in the field and now my teammates reckon me super swift in the field lol 

I hope it helps you.

1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQsP23keJGA

2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK3X7NTdgQ

3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwq42KyxLQc

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz79qScx1zc (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XczbV2oj5Y8 (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5hQwS1bfX0 (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

Cheers

[Simmy]

if your only 14 now is the time to work on ur game the most! if you want to be a batter bat bat bat bat bat bat get proper coaching, if you want to be a bowler bowl bowl bowl!

practice makes perfect.

everybody said i was amazing at 13-15 used to get 50 in most games.. then as i got older i didnt seem to get any better and now im not as good as i could of been!

so make sure u do things now before its to late it later life

[charlie15]

if your only 14 now is the time to work on ur game the most! if you want to be a batter bat bat bat bat bat bat get proper coaching, if you want to be a bowler bowl bowl bowl!

practice makes perfect.

everybody said i was amazing at 13-15 used to get 50 in most games.. then as i got older i didnt seem to get any better and now im not as good as i could of been!

so make sure u do things now before its to late it later life

There's you answer, keep up your batting and practise your bowling, if what you say is right you've obviously got talent.  Don't worry if you go for a few most bowlers do!

I wouldn't worry about your keeping and I'm sure someone will buy your keeping kit off of you.  At the same time make sure you do some fielding drills as no matter who you are you'll generally spend more time fielding than batting/bowling.

[ammo]

Yeah i think the all rounder approach sound good, looks like you good good variation with your bowling

[DaanalSeed]

Thanks guys, this forum has been so helpful. I'm going to go with the all rounder approach, because I've thought about it, and if I'm just a batsman, there's 5 spots in the team. If I'm a keeper, there's one spot. If I'm just a bowler, than there's 5 spots. If I'm an all rounder, there's 10 spots in the team.

I'll video myself over the weekend, and post up a video by Monday.

[ammo]

don't complely forget about keeping never know when you might just need to do it (if the other keeper gets injured etc)