Fielding is the key, says Mehidy
||CF Correspondent||
Bangladesh national cricket team looks determined to improve their overall fielding performance as it has made them pay on many occasions.
Fielding had always been an issue when it comes to the Tigers' performance as a unit is concerned. While some of the Test playing nations have improved their fielding to a vast degree, the sub continental side is lagging behind in this regard.
In modern day cricket that is largely dominated by the limited-overs format, espeially T20s in particular, the importance of fielding has gone up quite a bit.
The training module, which is designed for the Tigers ahead of the Asia Cup, suggests that one area new head coach Steve Rhodes wants to emphasize is the overall fielding of the national cricketers, and as a result, there is fielding practice on every single day along with the fitness program before the skill training session starts.
Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan said that they are aware that they need to place great emphasis on their fielding, as improvement in this area can be added as a big supplement for them in turning their fortune in the middle.
“In cricket batting and bowling is important but the most important thing is fielding because if we can save 20 to 30 runs that can be instrumental in changing the fortune of the game,” Mehidy told reporters at Dhaka on Wednesday.
“At the end of the day those runs can turn decisive because result can be determined by those runs and we are well aware that we need to lay our emphasis on this area,” he added.
The change of drill session in the fielding practice can be considered more need-based than anything else as Rhodes was seen giving different kind of fielding drills for different players.
Some were seen taking long catches in the deep while others where grabbing short catches but what remained more interesting is that it was not the same for everyone.
The one-handed catching was another drill that got the attention and Mehidy added these were part of the new training module.
“If you work hard in practice then the job becomes easier during the match. If I can catch easily using just one hand, then it becomes easier to catch using both hands.
“We were practicing that [taking one-handed catches]. Catching after hard cave practice becomes easier,” said Mehidy.
“These practices are very important for match-situations. Keeping the balance and taking a catch while standing lose to the boundary line – such exercises help a lot. [I] hope this practice will help us improve. We're all practicing very seriously. Our players are taking catches better,” he concluded.
