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fielding or catching a ball

do i have to keep my hands soft while i catch a ball

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ANSWERS

Neville YoungCoach, Australia

Yes and lots and lots of practice. You should practice fielding and particularly catching more than your batting and bowling because you will spend far more time in the field than doing anything else and it helps to be really, really good at it. If you are, you will enjoy the game much more and you will have the respect of your team mates.

Soft hands mean you wait for the ball and cushion its arrival in your hands by giving with the ball. Failing to cushion the ball or snatching at it will cause popouts and dropped catches.

Obviously reflex catches don`t allow any waiting time and you will often snatch at the ball in a last minute attempt to get to the ball. This is a skill you can also practice at training.

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