Cricket · Throwing · Ground fielding

Crow hop and flat throws to the keeper

Attack a rolled ball, pick it up cleanly, crow hop to gain momentum and throw flat and hard into the keeper's gloves over the stumps.

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Start / 5
Time
15 min
Players
4–8
Age
U11+
Area
40 x 30 m grass
Equipment
6 incrediballs or cricket balls1 stumps1 keeping gloves2 cones

Setup

  1. One set of stumps with a keeper in gloves standing just behind them. Nobody else stands behind the keeper in the line of the throw.
  2. Fielders queue at a cone about 25 to 30 m from the stumps (closer for smaller players); the coach stands to one side with the balls.
  3. Warm the throwing arm up first with short, easy throws.
  4. Use incrediballs until throws are accurate. With a hard ball, the keeper must be in gloves and should wear a helmet if standing up close to the stumps.

How it runs

  1. The coach rolls a ball out in front of the first fielder, who runs in to attack it.
  2. The fielder picks the ball up beside the back foot, crow hops towards the target and throws flat to the keeper over the bails.
  3. The keeper takes the ball above the stumps and rolls it back to the coach. The fielder jogs to the back of the queue.
  4. Score 2 for a throw that reaches the keeper on the full at bail height, 1 for one that arrives on a single bounce.
  5. About eight throws each per set, with rest between sets.

Coaching points

  • Attack the ball: move in quickly, then slow down and get low just before the pick-up.
  • Pick up beside the throwing-side foot with eyes on the ball until it is in the hand.
  • Crow hop: a short skip that brings the back foot behind the front, turning the body side-on to the target.
  • Front shoulder and front arm point at the keeper; throw with a high elbow and follow through towards the target.
  • Aim for a flat line, not a loop. One bounce in front of the keeper is better than a throw over their head.
  • Keepers: get to the stumps quickly and take the ball in front of the bails, gloves together.

Common mistakes

  • Throwing off the wrong foot with no step, losing power and accuracy.
  • Looping the ball high to reach the keeper, which gives batters time to make their ground.
  • Standing up too early and fumbling the pick-up.
  • Throwing at full effort cold, or too many times in a row; build up the number and the distance.

Say it: “Attack, pick up, hop, throw flat.”

Make it harder

  • Roll the ball wider so the fielder has to run across before picking up.
  • Put a batter running between the cones to race the throw.
  • Increase the distance and add a time target from pick-up to keeper's gloves.

Make it easier

  • Roll the ball straight to the fielder and remove the run-in.
  • Shorten the distance to 15 m and throw to a partner's chest instead of the keeper.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.