Yates wants to keep County catching crown

Rob Yates surpassed 5,000 runs for the Bears in all formats last summer – but he also enjoyed another standout season in the slips and topped the County Championship catching charts for a second successive year.

Warwickshire’s opener took 28 catches last term – adding to his 26 the previous campaign – to again be the leading catcher (excluding keepers) in Division One.

The 25-year-old said it’s a skill he dedicates plenty of hours to during training and in pre-match drills to improve reaction times and hone muscle memory.

And he said concentration levels need to always be at their peak as he never knows when a chance will come his way.

“You can go 95 overs in a day not having a sniff,” said Yates, “and then suddenly last ball of the day you get an edge, a half chance, but you have to be ready and as focused as ball one.

“It happened at Surrey last year, probably my best catch of the season, one-handed down low to my left. They’d brought in a nightwatchman, there were only a few balls left in the day and Milo, who’d been bowling great, got another nick.

“The day before a match we’ll have dedicated catching drills, so a fair bit of volume, and on match day morning we’ll do the same. Twice a week in the winter we’ll do slip catching drills; it’s an important part of the schedule.

“The more you do, the bigger library you build-up of reactions and muscle memory, so I try to do as much as I can and keep it varied so you’re on your toes.”

An instinctive understanding of co-catchers in the slip cordon is essential – and Yates knows he’ll be alongside fresh faces behind the stumps this season following the departure of Michael Burgess and Will Rhodes.

“Whoever it is, that’s where the practice volume comes in,” said Yates, who now has 5,260 Warwickshire runs in all formats, “to get the understanding and get used to how each other reacts.

“Understanding your spacing, and there’s a responsibility on each man in there to go for everything they feel they should. It’s criminal if one goes through and is at the 3^rd man boundary for four and no-one has gone for it.

“Communication is key, building an understanding, and if there are some crossovers that’s fine, better that someone is going for it.

“I have my own routine before each delivery. Deep breath, stand as naturally as possible – I get some stick from mates who say I’m not standing the prettiest – and be as relaxed as you can, defending your four corners.

“You also have to be clear on what the pitch is doing. If it’s a quick bouncy pitch, coming through at chest height, you might get one above your shoulder. Or are you more likely to get one that holds up and comes to you down low? You need a good understanding of the game and conditions.

“Advice I’d give to any youngsters would be ‘expect every ball to come to you’. Practice as much as you can, the more volume the better you’ll get.”