Taking the Ball Standing Up

In this lesson you will learn why keepers stand up. Standing up to spin and slower medium pace keeps the batter in their crease, because any step out of the ground risks being stumped. It also allows you to take edges that would otherwise fall short, and it supports the bowler by putting the batter under constant pressure. In T20 cricket, a keeper standing up to medium pace can stop batters from walking down the pitch to hit across the line. The decision should be agreed with the bowler and captain. Standing up is a high-skill, high-reward position, so it is important to build up your confidence in training before trying it in a match.

• Keeps the batter in their crease
• Creates stumping chances
• Takes edges that would fall short
• Agree the decision with bowler and captain

In this lesson you will learn the safety precautions for standing up. Because the ball can deflect off the bat, the pad or the stumps at very short range, you must wear a helmet with a faceguard. ECB guidance makes this compulsory for junior keepers, and the WFA strongly recommends it for everyone. Always wear an abdominal guard, and make sure your gloves and inners give good protection to your fingers. Start practising standing up to gentle feeds and slow bowling before progressing to quicker pace. If you ever feel unsafe or cannot see the ball properly, tell the captain and stand back. A painful blow can knock your confidence for a long time, so building gradually is the best way to become a confident keeper.

• Always wear a helmet with faceguard
• Abdominal guard and protective inners
• Progress from slow feeds to quicker pace
• Stand back if you feel unsafe

In this lesson you will learn where to set up when standing up. Most keepers squat with their front foot roughly level with or just behind the stumps, and slightly outside off stump, so that they can see past the batter's body. You should be close enough to reach the stumps easily with your gloves without having to step forward, but not so close that you risk touching the wicket or getting in front of it. Remember that under the Laws you must stay wholly behind the wicket until the ball has passed the stumps or touched the bat or batter. Taking the ball in front of the stumps is a no ball, and any stumping made from it will not count.

• Front foot roughly level with the stumps
• Slightly outside off stump to see past the batter
• Close enough to reach the stumps easily
• Stay wholly behind the wicket

In this lesson you will learn to stay low and still when standing up. Because the ball arrives quickly and the batter often blocks your view, the most important skill is patience. Stay in your squat for as long as you can, keep your head still, and let the ball come to you. If you rise early, you will be caught high and the ball may go under your gloves for byes. Many keepers use a small hip lift as the bowler reaches the crease, a slight raise that keeps them ready without losing their low position. Rise only with the bounce of the ball. Practise with a partner bowling gently while a teammate holds a bat, so that you learn to pick the ball up late.

• Patience is the key skill
• Stay down and let the ball come to you
• A small hip lift keeps you ready
• Rise only with the bounce

In this lesson you will learn how to follow the line of the ball. Once the ball pitches, move your hands and, where needed, your feet so that your gloves stay in line with it. On the off side, a short side step with the outside foot keeps your body behind the ball. Keep your head over the line, and watch the ball all the way past the bat. When the ball beats the bat, your gloves should already be in its path, not chasing after it. Following the line means you are well placed whether the ball turns, bounces, or takes an edge. Leg-side takes, which are harder because the batter blocks your view, are covered in detail in WFA607.

• Move hands and feet to stay in line
• Short side step for off-side balls
• Keep the head over the line
• Gloves in the ball's path, not chasing it

In this lesson you will learn to take the ball in a position that makes stumpings possible. The aim is to collect the ball close to the stumps, with your hands moving smoothly from the take towards the bails in one short movement. If you take the ball too far back or away from the stumps, a stumping chance will be lost because you need too long to reach the wicket. Soft hands are still essential, but the give should be short and directed towards the stumps rather than back towards your body. Practise taking balls and then lightly touching the bails, staying in control. Only break the wicket when you have the ball securely in your gloves.

• Collect the ball close to the stumps
• Short give directed towards the bails
• Take and stump in one smooth movement
• Only break the wicket with the ball secure

In this lesson you will learn how standing up builds pressure and how to practise effectively. A keeper who stands up confidently, takes the ball cleanly and communicates with the bowler makes batters wary of leaving their crease. That pressure leads to rash shots and wickets. To build your skill, use drills such as taking balls from a partner throwing from a few metres away, rebound drills off a net or Crazy Catch, and gentle bowling in the nets while a teammate bats. Track how many clean takes you make out of ten. Your next steps in the pathway are WFA607 Leg-Side Takes and Stumping and WFA610 Wicketkeeping Against Spin.

• Confident takes make batters wary
• Use partner, rebound and net drills
• Track clean takes out of ten
• Next: WFA607 and WFA610