Catching Edges and Deflections

In this lesson you will learn why catching edges is such an important skill. A large share of dismissals in cricket come from catches behind the wicket, either by the keeper or the slips. When a bowler beats the middle of the bat, the ball often flies off the edge at a different angle and speed from the one you expected. A keeper who holds these chances turns good bowling into wickets, while a keeper who drops them gives the batter a second life that may cost dozens of runs. In a short T20 match, a single dropped catch can swing the game. The skills in this module are about reaction, patience and soft hands rather than strength.

• Many dismissals are catches behind the wicket
• Edges change angle and speed late
• Held chances turn good bowling into wickets
• Reaction, patience and soft hands matter most

In this lesson you will learn how different edges behave. A thin edge only slightly alters the path of the ball, so it usually carries to you on a line close to the one you were already following. The challenge is that it may move a few centimetres at the last moment, so your hands must stay soft and adaptable. A thick edge changes direction much more sharply and often travels wider, towards first slip or beyond, and may lose pace. These require quicker movement or a dive. Because thin edges come straight at the keeper, being in line with the ball and watching it right to the bat gives you the best chance. Trust your preparation and let the ball come to you.

• Thin edges stay close to the original line
• Thick edges change direction sharply and travel wider
• Stay in line and watch the ball to the bat
• Let the ball come to you

In this lesson you will focus on positioning for edges. If you are in line with the ball before it reaches the bat, a thin edge will often come straight into your gloves with only a small adjustment needed. Watch the ball from the bowler's hand, off the pitch, past the bat and into the gloves. Many keepers lose concentration once the batter plays a shot, and they snatch or move their head as the edge arrives. Keep your head still and your eyes on the ball until it is safely in your gloves. Do not anticipate the edge and move too early. Your preparation should be the same for every delivery, so that the edge is simply one more ball you take cleanly.

• Be in line before the ball reaches the bat
• Watch the ball past the bat and into the gloves
• Keep the head still after the shot
• Same preparation for every ball

In this lesson you will learn why soft hands are even more important for edges. Because an edge can arrive at an unexpected angle and with extra spin on the ball, rigid hands make it more likely to bounce out. Keep your fingers relaxed, your gloves forming a deep pocket, and let your hands give with the ball. For late deflections, you may only have time to move your hands rather than your feet, so practise quick, small adjustments with your gloves. A tennis ball or soft ball thrown at a deflection board, a set of stumps, or a crumpled towel produces unpredictable bounces that train these reactions. Short sessions of sharp, focused repetitions work best for building reaction speed.

• Relaxed fingers and a deep pocket
• Let the hands give with the ball
• Practise small, quick glove adjustments
• Use deflection boards and soft balls

In this lesson you will look at deflections that come off the batter's pads, thigh pad, body or gloves. These are particularly hard to read because they can slow down, change direction and drop sharply. A ball that touches the batter's glove while it is holding the bat is treated as touching the bat, so a catch from it can be out. Balls off the pad alone cannot produce a caught dismissal, but they may lead to leg byes or run-outs, so collect them cleanly anyway. Stay low, keep your hands ready, and treat every deflection as a possible chance. If you are unsure what the ball touched, appeal and let the umpire decide. Never claim a catch you know was not fair.

• Deflections can slow, turn and drop sharply
• Glove holding the bat counts as the bat
• Off the pad alone cannot be caught out
• Appeal if unsure and let the umpire decide

In this lesson you will learn the key points of Law 33, which covers catches. A fair catch requires the ball to be held by a fielder before it touches the ground, with the fielder in control of both the ball and their own movement. The catch is complete when the fielder has full control. A catch is still fair if the ball is hugged to the body or lodges in the keeper's pads or gloves, and if it rebounds off a helmet being worn by a fielder before being caught. If your glove is on the ground under the ball, the catch can still be fair as long as the ball itself has not touched the ground. Honesty matters. If you know you did not catch it cleanly, say so straight away.

• Ball held before it touches the ground
• Fielder in control of ball and movement
• Lodging in pads or gloves can be fair
• Be honest if the catch was not clean

In this lesson you will learn how to share the catching zone with first slip and how to practise. Agree with your slip who goes for the ball in the gap. Many pairs use the rule that the keeper goes for anything within a comfortable reach and slip takes the wider edges, but the most important thing is to call early and loudly. Never let a catch fall between two fielders who are both waiting. For practice, use slip-catching cradles, a coach edging balls with a bat from a short distance, and deflection drills with stumps or towels. Mix in balls that are not edged so that you practise patience as well as reaction. Count catches held and aim to improve each session.

• Agree responsibility for the gap
• Call early and loudly
• Use cradles, bat feeds and deflection drills
• Count catches and track progress