Rounders: Stop the ball - Cover Fielding

Long barrier Team A must roll the ball past team B to score a point (goal) and vice versa.

Batter 2 calls YES hit or run,  then starts to run on the call. Fielder 1 feeds from an angle, fielder 2 runs in and flicks at player 1 moving to the post. Player 1 touches the post with the ball. The batter is either in or out. When 3 lives are used up the team is out, then batters change with fielders.

Players work in groups of 5, in a grid with 5 cones set up in a zig-zag formation, roughly 7 metres apart. Each player stands on a cone. All players, except for those queueing behind the first cone require balls. On the coach's call player 1, on the first cone, aims to get to collect the ball that has been dropped from shoulder height by the player on the cone in front of them, before the ball bounces twice. This is one pick-up. Player 1 then gives the ball back to the player on the cone, and sets themself before the coach gives the next call. Again the working player aims to get to the next ball before second bounce. This process is repeated until all players have performed 4 pick-ups.

1 player hits 4 balls anywhere into the field. Once the batter has hit all the balls they run around all 4 posts as many times as possible, before the fielders get all the balls back into the square.

Players work in groups of four. With one feeder and one fielder stood on a post, with another two players backing up behind the post player, in a triangle formation. The fielder throws the ball to the post players for them to catch. Every time the ball is thrown the backing up players should get behind the post player, ready to stop the ball in case the player misses the catch. After 10 throws each players rotate in a clockwise direction.

When the ball is hit into the right field between the 1st post and the back line. it is important that fielder 4 tries to gather the ball and player 5 covers this fielder in case player 4 misses it. At player 1  runs to 2nd post and player 2 runs to 4th post. covered by player 8 and 9 respectively. This will give the fielder gathering the ball the option of throwing to 1st post if ball was hit short to 2nd post if ball was hit long and to 4th post if the ball was missed and picked up by covering fielder or miss throw to 2nd post.

The batter is out if the fielder touches the post immediately ahead with the ball or the hand holding the ball while the batter is running to the post and before the batter has touched the post, except first post in case of a no-ball.

For this practice you need 8 players per group. Set out 4 cone in a square about 5 metres apart. Set out 2 flags a further 5 - 10 metres away from the square . and finally a finishing post. The race is for the runner to beat the ball being thrown via every gold player to the finishing post.

This is to improve players medium to long range throwing and catching. Rules are that the players making a mistake get the a letter from the word OUT. 3 mistakes means that the player is out.

In 4s 1 worker 2 balls. Worker (13)  receives and releases a ball to feeder who doesn’t have a ball CP step into pass, keep eye on the ball. Feeders give the ball as soon as the worker has released it.

Post person calls a number or colour cone, worker runs around that cone, feeder passes the ball in and passes it to the post player CP eye on the ball, set yourself before you catch and then release with body weight moving towards the target. Development – add a runner who can put pressure on the post player.

Players stand in a circle with 1 or 2 balls (there are 2 in the video). They have to throw the ball to each other and every time one of them makes a mistake they have to drop down on one knee. On the second mistake they have to drop down onto both knees and with the third mistake they are out. Who will be the last player standing/ kneeling?

Set up: Place 4 cones on the outside of your playing area and two poles in the middle. In front of the feeder have two players on each cone/pole. Behind the feeder is a runner. The Drill: To start the drill the feeder rolls the ball out As soon as the ball is thrown the runner starts running between the two cones - trying to score as many runs as possible before the stump they are running to is stumped. The nearest fielder runs out to collect the ball. The player behind them backs up The ball is then thrown the post which the runner is running towards to try and get them out. Another fielder is backing up the post

If the ball is going diagonally it must be thrown underarm. If the ball is being thrown along one of the edges it must be rolled (flat or bobble feed). Players can choose where they throw the ball - they can either roll it square along the floor or they can throw the ball diagonally in the air.

In 3s or 4s one closer player puts a name on the ball and the other fielder backs up behind. Player who made the call decides either long barrier or short pick up to get the ball in quickly

Divide the main group into smaller groups of 4 and set up as shown. The ball is thrown to the fielders (person in the middle) right or left for them to dive onto the mats. The two players behind the mats are back-up fielders.

This practice is to help the backstop and fielder at 1st post to improve the speed of delivery in trying to get the batter out. 3 players with the ball 1 bowler 1 backstop 1 1st post fielder The rest of the players line up to to one at the time step into the batting square to dummy hit the ball and try to to beat the ball from the backstop to the 1st post by running as fast as possible to touch 1st post

Set up: Players work in group of 6 or 8 (there are 5 players in the video but this drill works better when in groups of 6 or 8). The drill: One player feeds whilst the other players run towards the feeder. The first player in line runs out and ducks underneath the ball. The next player then runs out and catches the ball. After ducking or catching players should continue to run towards the feeder and then to the back of the line (the player who makes the catch should throw the ball back to the feeder).

Two lines of players facing each other. Player 1 rolls the ball along the ground for player 2 to run and do an underarm flick back to player 1 who catches the ball and puts it down. Player 2 to join the back of the line. Player 3 repeats the drill. Swap roles after 10 successful flick and catches, if the ball gets dropped start counting back at 0. Roles swap on achieving 10.

Aim - to encourage lateral movement Work in threes. Start with a ball on every cone. The worker starts at the bucket (middle) and works laterally to each cone to retrieve the ball and bring it back to the middle. see how many retrieved in 30 seconds. once all the balls are in the middle the next worker can try to take each ball back from the middle and place it by the cones.