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[Blank Bats]

This is aimed at those who have a high percentage success rate in the slips.

Care to share some tips/advice.

[Buzz]

practice a lot.

get used to staying down low and hardest of all watch the ball all the way into your hands.

[toenails97]

Kind of like keeping, so I'd say don't grab at the ball, let it come to you. Also stay low and give the ball a little give and be on your toes incase you need to pull out a dive

[potzy248]

Switch off between balls and then when the ball is being bowled expect that the ball will be edged and it will be coming to you. I do this every ball. I always expect the ball, every time the ball is bowled. Then switch off and have a yarn to the guy next to me.
But yeah, Stay low, good base of support, watch the ball etc.
Good luck.

[Jogetnz]

All good advice, staying down, hands off your knees and plenty of practice at 1st 2nd 3rd, they are all a little different, I tended to focus more on the batsman and the bat the wider I went.

[Bulldog Cricket]

Depends which slip you are fielding at. If at first slip watch the ball from the bowler. If at second onwards watch the batsmans edge.

[potzy248]

Depends which slip you are fielding at. If at first slip watch the ball from the bowler. If at second onwards watch the batsmans edge.

Yip, Agree with this.

[Spanky]

Only on the odd occasion do I field at slip but am always gully.

Have to completely agree that you should expect the ball to come to you every ball and maybe even want the ball to come to you.

Often missed opportunities are from being switched off and not alert.

However practicing catching is vitally important as it build confidence and ensures your technique and reactions become honed.

[ACM0608]

Lots of practice is my view but also give yourself a chance. The number of slips I see standing to far away is the most common reason I see for so many catches dropped. I always go a little closer if anything. I would rather a catch come to me chest height than down at my ankles or not even carry.

[Leddster138]

Understand that the bowl can't come quicker to you than the bowler is bowling! (unless you are trying to catch a cut at gully). I think people have more time than they realise in the slips. The majority of drops I see are due to people panicking and snatching at the ball when if there was no batsmen there and a bowler just bowling to them, they could take the ball comfortably. It's the "surprise" which leads to the drops and that in down to concentration.

[Coach]

Stay very still, would you shake a camera when trying to take a photograph? Your eyes are tying to get the best image of the ball, keep them still.

Im going against the traditional here but you don't want soft hands, soft hands are weak and will most likely the ball will burst through at pace. If you watch and talk to the best slip catchers as I've been lucky enough to have had the chance too (Im talking Kallis, Waugh, Collingwood, Smith) they have strong hands and wrists with relaxed arms to absorb the impact. 

With regards to feet position the knees are the most important part of the lower body, many of you will have seen the slip catches NZ dropped in the recent series. Mostly because their knees restricted the movement of the arms and upper body. Its different to keeping wicket, you get very little time to pick up the line of the ball before an edge, stand and react is the name of the game. Knees in or knees out, the choice is yours but make sure you can move your arms freely and rotate your hips to access the low catches outside your body width.

Long post I know, but if anyone has any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them

[RossViper]

Standard advice so far. Fair enough.  But, I think really it depend whats not going well for you - or where you want to get better. if your getting to the ball and dropping, then concentration and hands will be important, but if your not getting to enough balls, then "seeing", mobility and strenght/enurance will be important.

Whats your particular issue? Or just after general tips, if so all the advice above is good - except the bit about being on your toes, you really should never be on your TOES - you need to be on the balls of the feet - some say with the knees slightly turned in... which maybe more style than substance...


I posted the above before i read what "Coach" said, which was/is sound advice. esp. the bit about hands, hands and wrists firm, soft, giving elbows - having massive buckets helps too!!!