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[Cumbrian Pete]

For the first time in my cricketing life I decided to have a go at keeping without pads over the weekend.  I've been using Newbery Tour pads (under the trousers) for a couple of years and find them so much less restrictive than wearing conventional pads...so I thought I would go with no pads...and it was excellent!  My footwork was sharper, I watched the ball for longer and my catching area stayed nice and big as I was focusing purely on taking the ball cleanly in my gloves.  Ok, you may get a few blows on the shins to balls that stay low, but it does focus your mind and give you freedom of movement.  Has anyone else tried it?

[Twelfth Man]

Brave! Our keeper would get into er, a 'little' trouble if he kept without pads! To be fair to the bloke it is his first year properly having a go full time for us and has done pretty well. Did you stand up to anybody?

[benny231]

I did it a few times last year during the 50 over and T20 comp in the latter overs. I only did it on 'tru' pitches with good carry though. In my opinon, the added freedom of not wearing pads doesn't really outweigh the risk of letting through byes standing up, or not standing up at the end of an innings due to not having pads.
Would never try it in the longer forms of the game.

[The Palmist]

It is the dodgy returns from fielders all over the place which causes more risk than the bowlers in my opinions.

[Cumbrian Pete]

Brave! Our keeper would get into er, a 'little' trouble if he kept without pads! To be fair to the bloke it is his first year properly having a go full time for us and has done pretty well. Did you stand up to anybody?

Thanks!  I stood up to 4 out our 5 bowlers, only standing back to our one genuine quick.  I only conceded two byes, took a catch standing up and a stumping...so it went pretty well.  I'll continue the experiment this weekend, weather permitting.

[Cumbrian Pete]

I did it a few times last year during the 50 over and T20 comp in the latter overs. I only did it on 'tru' pitches with good carry though. In my opinon, the added freedom of not wearing pads doesn't really outweigh the risk of letting through byes standing up, or not standing up at the end of an innings due to not having pads.
Would never try it in the longer forms of the game.

I respect your opinion, but I don't think there's any increased risk of byes through not wearing pads standing up.  A relaxed stance and big catching area will keep the need to use your legs to a minimum and even if a ball died on you and went under your gloves, your legs would still be in the same position with or without pads.  I also stood up to three seamers at the end of the innings and didn't think not to do so because of the absence of pads; I base that decision on the way the batsman is playing and whether we need to take wickets or conserve runs.

We play 45 overs and I probably stood up for 30 of those overs.  I would never not wear a helmet standing up though!

[Manormanic]

kept in shin pads once.  Not that I'll ever keep again now but even then I said "never again"!

[mini998]

I wouldn't do it,  even the best international wicket keepers in the world doesn't do it ,if it is this obvious then they would be the ones to do this kind of thing regularly.

You can say in league cricket we don't get that many good bowlers but end of the day everything is relative, we are not good as them keepers either so that's why we play in league cricket.
There was a guy in our team used to go to bat without box to bat saying we don't face good bowlers in these leagues only to get hit in the jewells and he started wearing one after that.

I wouldn't do it , but it's your choice.

 

[benny231]

I respect your opinion, but I don't think there's any increased risk of byes through not wearing pads standing up.  A relaxed stance and big catching area will keep the need to use your legs to a minimum and even if a ball died on you and went under your gloves, your legs would still be in the same position with or without pads.  I also stood up to three seamers at the end of the innings and didn't think not to do so because of the absence of pads; I base that decision on the way the batsman is playing and whether we need to take wickets or conserve runs.

We play 45 overs and I probably stood up for 30 of those overs.  I would never not wear a helmet standing up though!

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. It all depends on how confident you are. For example, some guys are more worried about getting hit when keeping without pads that their glovework suffers.
Personally, I only keep up to our quicks who I know can put the ball on a spot consistently. If a batsman is using his feet a lot then I might come up for him.

[Cumbrian Pete]

I wouldn't do it,  even the best international wicket keepers in the world doesn't do it ,if it is this obvious then they would be the ones to do this kind of thing regularly.

You can say in league cricket we don't get that many good bowlers but end of the day everything is relative, we are not good as them keepers either so that's why we play in league cricket.
There was a guy in our team used to go to bat without box to bat saying we don't face good bowlers in these leagues only to get hit in the jewells and he started wearing one after that.

I wouldn't do it , but it's your choice.

It's true that international keepers dont (although I think the England women's team keeper may be an exception) and I certainly don't think my keeping is anything more than good club standard, but at the pace of bowling I'm facing in league cricket I feel comfortable that it's not affecting my usual technique in a negative way.  I'm certainly going to continuing the experiment for at least another week as it's helping me focus on having a large catching area and quick feet.

[Cumbrian Pete]

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. It all depends on how confident you are. For example, some guys are more worried about getting hit when keeping without pads that their glovework suffers.
Personally, I only keep up to our quicks who I know can put the ball on a spot consistently. If a batsman is using his feet a lot then I might come up for him.

I agree.  At the moment, my keeping is going well (thanks in part to coaching from Matt at the Cricket Asylum in Hebden Bridge) and I'm taking the ball with confidence.  I'm focusing purely on watching the ball and staying relaxed and my footwork is better too.  I guess a few whacks on the shins from invariable bounce might make me revert back to pads.  I also agree that standing up to inconsistent seamers is a lottery at times, with or without pads but, as you do, I'll stand up to bring a batsman back into his crease or to make him a bit more inhibited in his stroke play.  As an opening bat, I know that I bat with more freedom against seamers when the keeper is standing back.  Thanks for the feedback, it's always good to chat with fellow keepers, I've been doing it for over 20 years but every season I learn something new about the art of keeping. 

[mdg20]

  I would never not wear a helmet standing up though!

its silly because i dont get why not wearing pads would be an advantage and is gogin to protect your legs form the occassional blow yet i never wear a lid standing up unless the pitch is shocking or im up for one of the real quicks (which is unlikely). The head far more important than your shins yet ill protect one but not the other.

[MD2812]

I've never done it, don't want to worry about my legs.



Think this was in Sri Lanka where it was well over 30 degrees

[mp07]

We do this all the time during our practice sessions, so far so good...

[Cumbrian Pete]

its silly because i dont get why not wearing pads would be an advantage and is gogin to protect your legs form the occassional blow yet i never wear a lid standing up unless the pitch is shocking or im up for one of the real quicks (which is unlikely). The head far more important than your shins yet ill protect one but not the other.

It is pretty silly and shows that everyone has a different take on what they feel comfortable doing when keeping.  It is definitely each to their own.  Wearing a lid helps me focus on watching the ball hard and the same principle is currently applying to my experiment without pads.  The difference in speed of movement last week was marked but the main advantage was how well I took the ball as I was watching it all the way into the gloves and not getting lazy.