Cricket Coaching Fielding Tips / How can I dive and field like the great players?

by Richard Pybus
(Question from Syed, India)

Faf Du Plessis: Top 5 Worlds Best Fielders

Hi Coach, I am afraid to dive and slide when fielding.Can you help ?

Hi Syed, learning to dive and slide is about two different aspects of performance, firstly you need good technique to ensure high skill levels and secondly, you need the confidence to go with it, to fully commit to the ball.

The confidence comes from being able to do it well and not the other way around.

So firstly you need to set specific goals of what you want to work on.

First things first, you need to get comfortable diving and sliding. You need to find an area with sand or a soft landing area where you can practice diving for catches.

Or, perhaps a school or club has some landing mats that you can use.

When learning to dive, begin by going down on one knee to start so you are lower to the ground, if diving to the right, go down onto the right knee so the left leg can drive you toward the ball.

Always lead with the head so that you are driving the eyes toward the ball, where the head goes the body follows. The eyes get into a good position and give the brain and the hands the right information to make the catch.

When you are comfortable with this and diving to both sides, then progress to diving from a standing position. Crouch down in the soccer goal keeper position, so that you are diving toward the ball horizontally, not from a vertical position.

Get your coach or a friend to throw the ball just outside your reach so you have to dive to get to it.

Practice low catches, waist height and shoulder height …. work with two hands and progress to one hand. Always aim to catch with two hands, it gets the body into better positions.

For sliding, you need a pair of tracksuit bottoms and full sleeve shirt so you don’t get grass burns, training shoes so your spikes don’t get stuck in the grass as you learn to slide.

To begin, put a ball down and lie on your left side next to it if you are right handed thrower, right side if you are a left hand thrower. Support yourself with your non throwing hand, pick up the ball and push yourself up into a throwing position on your knees.

Now repeat this and get up into a standing position as if you are going to throw at a the stumps.

Now get a coach or partner to roll the ball 5-10 metres in front of you, run after it, crouch down and slide down into the same position you simulated on the ground. Either pick the ball up or flick it back.

If you know how to play soccer this slide is the same as a slide tackle, you slide down onto your backside and thigh and use the non throwing arm to balance yourself so you can step up into a throwing position.

When the ball is rolling away from you and is on your left, you slide down onto your left thigh now, the same applies to when it is on your right, down onto your right thigh.

If you don’t know how to play soccer, I suggest you look on youtube for examples of fielders like Faf du Plessis so you can copy their technique.
To describe it doesn’t work, you need to see it to copy it.

I would suggest though that you practice on a wet outfield so that it is easy to slide to begin with. Ask the groundsman to wet an area for you to practice in.

Be careful with this, don’t slide spikes first all they’ll catch in the ground and you’ll hurt yourself, throw your legs in front of you from a crouched position, so you slide onto your thigh and backside first.

This will take some practice, be patient, over time you’ll become good at it. I taught the Pakistani players like this in 1999 and they became very competent sliding and retrieving.

Confidence comes from setting small goals and achieving them, the more confidence the greater belief you will have in your ability.

Your mindset is you WANT THE BALL, EVERY BALL. Positive intent is essential!

Best Wishes Coach

About Richard Pybus

I'm Richard Pybus, I've coached Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middlesex, Titans and the Cape Cobras in South Africa and the goal of this site is to help you to play winning cricket.