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Not really. I used to talk to George Dawkes, the wicketkeeper at Derbyshire when I started. And I used to learn by talking to other wicketkeepers. If we played Northants, I'd talk to Keith Andrew, whom I idolised; if we played Somerset, I'd talk to Harold Stephenson, and just try and learn by talking to them.Harold told me: "When you're standing up, try and stand as close as you can, because the closer you are, the less deviation off the bat when the batsman nicks it, the more chance of it hitting your palm rather than the outside of your thumb." Obviously, it still takes a lot of skill. You've got to get your hands outside the line of the ball. But pieces of advice like that - I thought it was wonderful, and it made sense.Not really, no. In my day, Notts had Basher Hassan and Derek Randall, both of whom, when they picked their bat up, had it right across your line of vision, which, as you say, makes life very difficult. Depending on the height of the bat, you can either look over the top of it or underneath it. I felt that when you look over the top it makes you come up too quick, which can be fatal, so I always used to try to get below the bat, so it kept me down. The main things are staying down, anticipation, and above all, concentration. I've read lots and lots of articles and books about wicketkeeping coaching, and not one has mentioned the most important part: concentration. Any successful person, whatever walk of life, the name of the game is consistency: being able to do it day in and day out. They are successful because they are focused, and they concentrate on what they are doing. I'm not blowing my own trumpet here, but nobody but me mentions concentration. That's the hardest part of wicketkeeping. Because when you're playing on the subcontinent - in India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka - on those pitches, when you've got a good batsman in front of you, the wicketkeeper becomes almost redundant. You can be keeping for five hours and 55 minutes and not see the ball, then in the last over of the day a world-class batsman - a Sunil Gavaskar or Javed Miandad, say - gives you a chance that, if you don't take it, you can guarantee that the following day they're going to get a hundred in their conditions. That's what wicketkeeping's all about. You've got to try and concentrate until the last ball of the last over has been bowled. The only practical way I know of getting the wicketkeeper to concentrate is, every time the batsman plays the ball - and, as I say, on a good wicket, a good batsman will play the ball more often than not - you should, in that split-second when a batsman plays it, imagine the ball comes through to you and actually go through the motions of taking it. Every time. It stands to reason that if you've got into those habits, when the batsman goes out of his crease and misses the ball, you're halfway there. Your hands will be in the right place and you're watching the ball all the time. When wicketkeepers miss stumpings, the two mistakes they make are they get up too soon, so their arms and hands come above their waist, and they anticipate that the batsman is going to hit the ball, and are looking to where they think he's going to hit it. The only way I know to correct that is, when you come up from the crouch position and straighten your knees, keep your hands below your knees so if the ball keeps low you can take it, and if it bounces you can come up in the air with it. Standing up to the wicket is what keeping is all about. At first-class level, any competent catcher - a decent slip fielder - can put the gloves on, like Marcus Trescothick, or Graeme Fowler and Graham Gooch when I was playing. They can all keep wicket to a degree. But up to the stumps sorts the men out from the boys. That's where you can see a true wicketkeeper. It's a difficult one. It's about the movement, which you want because it actually helps you concentrate. I said to Ian Healy, who was a terrific keeper, that keeping wicket to Shane Warne must have been a fabulous experience and I'd have loved to have done it. I said to him that it takes ability to keep to someone like Shane Warne, someone who's turning the ball a lot, because you're expecting it to come to you all the time. But to me that's easier than keeping on the subcontinent on flat wickets against top batsmen, when you're almost redundant.People often ask me that question. For me, it wasn't anybody in particular. It was when you were standing up to a right-arm over - someone who was normally an away-swing bowler to a right-hander - bowling to a left-handed batsman. It's more natural to go down the leg side to a right-hander, for the simple reason that there are more of them in any team. You get used to it. It becomes natural. So, even though a ball down the leg side to a left-hander means I'm going to my stronger hand, my writing hand, it's still more difficult, less natural. You don't do it as often. It's about your foot movement, not which is your strong hand. I saw Ian Healy stump Mark Butcher down the leg side off Shane Warne. They might have rehearsed it, I don't know, but it still takes some doing. The message I try to get over to boys is that at nets they should try to practise more against left-handers than right-handers, because that helps to build up confidence. And when you're at the top of your game, you enjoy that challenge. It's an opportunity for a stumping. And if you're predominantly right-handed, before the match starts, take ten catches into both hands, diving and what-have-you, then ten into your right hand, then 20 in your left. So that gives you confidence with your weak hand, to take that half-chance when it comes.I'd always got confidence in my ability; it's just that there was someone else who was better than me. His batting record speaks for itself. You have to be philosophical about things. We did do, and we have done subsequently. Not that we always agreed. I used to coach Jack Russell, Paul Nixon and people like this at Lilleshall, while Knotty coached Alec Stewart down at Lord's. Then Knotty became more full-time with England and I think that's when Jack started to get all his idiosyncrasies. Whether they were standing up or back, Jack and Alec were facing cover for a period, but at the last second they were turning to be square-on. I asked Jack, Alec, and eventually Knotty what the theory was behind this, and he said that, if you're standing up, particularly if the ball bounced, your hips were out of the way. I said to Knotty, "Well, if the ball bounces, it's an automatic reaction for your hips to turn, anyway. They've got to try and take the ball. I can see where you're coming from, but doesn't it make it harder for a normal wicketkeeper - not a Test wicketkeeper, who's got ability, or a county keeper even - to take the ball down the leg side?" He'd have to over-correct his position. There was no automatic explanation, so I thought it's just a theory that's being passed on. I said to Alec Stewart, "You stand open, but to take the ball you correct your position. Why do it in the first place?" He said: "Because Knotty told me.It's all well and good - I used to do that years ago - but you're very reliant on accurate throws from the outfield, otherwise you can lose where the stumps are. And why do wicketkeepers take the ball like a matador with his cape, taking their body away from the ball? It's all come from Australia. They take the ball away from the body. I've talked to Rod Marsh, I've talked to Ian Healy, I've talked to Adam Gilchrist, and I can't get a straightforward answer. I've spoken to Bruce French - who's teaching the theory as well - and he can't give me a proper answer, other than: "It inspires the rest of the fielders." I'm sorry, I don't understand. I coached Frenchy when he started at Nottingham. I said, "Bruce, we've always been taught - particularly standing back - that you get your body behind the line of the ball, so you've got a second line of defence. It encourages you to move your feet". Particularly in this country, where the ball will dip and swerve after it goes past the bat - that's all the more reason why you have to get your body behind the line of the ball. Outside of me and Knotty, Paul Downton, David Bairstow, Jack Richards and Roger Tolchard were all good keepers. I think Dhoni's been fantastic. He's a superstar in India, a multi-millionaire, but to captain, to keep wicket, and bat - it's phenomenal.I think the best English keepers over the last ten years have undoubtedly been James Foster and Chris Read. Duncan Fletcher did a lot of good for English cricket, I'm sure, but he had his favourites, and I think Geraint Jones was probably one of his favourites. The only thing I can think of [why Read didn't play more] is that he wasn't a good tourist. He was playing second fiddle to Alec Stewart, and I've had enough experience of that.You've got to be philosophical, and when you're playing against New South Wales or Queensland, you've got to try your best. If I played well then it would push Alan Knott, keep him on his toes, which is the objective of a reserve, and only benefits the team. You've got to do your best - both on and off the field. As 12th man, in a hot climate, you've got to make sure players who are flogging themselves in 90 degrees of heat and 80% humidity are looked after. I don't know, but perhaps Chris Read wasn't doing his duties properly and it upset Duncan Fletcher - I don't know. But he was never really given a chance. And the same with James Foster. And they are both, I think, the top wicketkeepers - and that's in front of Matt Prior, Steven Davies, Craig Keiswetter, whoever. I say to schoolboys: if you want to improve, forget about all this sledging. If you're concentrating on sledging the batsmen, then you're not concentrating on the job you're supposed to be doing. Next to the captain, the wicketkeeper is the second most important player on the field. You're the inspiration to the rest of the fielders. You have to be neat and tidy to set the tone. That's what a wicketkeeper should be concentrating on. That and concentration.That's one of the best interviews I've read here on CricInfo. Thanks Scott & Bob. There's so much info in here - Harold Stephenson's advice is a gem. Bob Taylor was twinkle toes, he really was a magnificent keeper.BTW, the accompanying photograph to the article is of great interest to me. I was at that Test, one of my earliest Test matches: xxxx, 1st Test between England and India @Edgbaston. The photo shows Sunny about to be run out in the 1st inns for 60-odd. The key player is not in the picture. Sunny tried to take a sharp single only to be sent back by his partner Vishy, not surprising as Derek Randall was prowling at square leg, he pounced on the ball and under armed it to Bob leaving him short by a long way. I remember Sunny was furious with himself and flung his bat. Scoreboard shows England made 633 in their dig. David Gower made a brilliant double ton, it was to be Chandra's last ever Test match. Great memories. Wonderful tips by Bob!! as far as Indian pitches are concerned, the coaching goes like"raise along with the ball" and in greener tracks, WK must look at the ball crossing the bat. The disadvantage of standing too close is that the leg side collection is totally becomes difficult. Duncan Fletcher did go into some detail in his book why he didn't really fancy Chris Read. Reasons I remember were that Read was reluctant to dive for wide chances, leaving it to the slips, and wasn't aggressive (i.e., noisy, perhaps abusive) enough behind the stumps.top drawer advice there! And i totally agree with the sledging part. Concentration is hampered when your mouth is constantly chirping. Plus the advice of standing closer makes perfect sense. I remember the theory of standing arms length away to be instilled in me. And I loved how he advises to practice keeping to left handers. Generally the right arm overs tend to slide down there and even it being on your stro ng hand, you are not used to the motion and you ten to just guess and grab. You are amazing Bob Taylor.Met Bob when I was a teenager at a function in 78-79 tour - a lovely guy. He was very appreciative of taking his chance as Alan Knott was playing World Series Cricket. I remember his 97 at Adelaide that series but had not realised till reading his profile now that he had "walked" on a fine touch down the leg side. My memories of him as a keeper were that he was indeed very good up at the stumps for spinners. i think that the 70s-80s was an era of excellent keepers in most Test Countries, also thinking of Kirmani, Wasim Bari and Jeff Dujon. I think Bob has hit the nail on the head. Indeed standing up to the stumps is the real test of a wicketkeeper and this is an area where MSD is streets ahead of others. Especially when it comes to stumpings. Plus the fact that he is the captain, and a key batsman makes it even more phenomenal. Probably India's greatest cricketer.It has been an emotional few days. Not only did we make a hugely disappointing start to the Ashes series but we saw our friend and team-mate Jonathan Trott forced home with a stress-related illness. I've known Trotty a long time. When we first met at Warwickshire more than a decade ago, we had our whole careers ahead of us. We were young, single and ambitious. Over the years, we've seen each other grow from single guys into married men with kids, we've seen each other develop from county players into England players, and we've won County Championships together, Lord's finals together and Ashes series together. We've enjoyed each other's successes and mourned each other's failures. We have, in many ways, grown up together. So to see him struggle has been hard. He has been a key part of this England team for a long time and he is a player we have relied upon to provide match-defining innings in tough situations again and again. He has, so often, been the man who has set up our totals and seen off the bowlers at their freshest and the ball at its hardest. Of course we will miss a player like that.But this isn't about cricket. There's much more to life than sport and all any of us hope for is to see Trotty back on the cricket pitch with a smile on his face again. It doesn't matter if it's for Warwickshire or England: all that matters is that he gets well and he rediscovers the joy of playing again. There's no time frame, no expectation and no pressure. He just needs to get away from it for a while and come back when he feels ready.They were a difficult couple of days for us in Brisbane. We let ourselves down as a batting unit, but I truly believe it has brought us closer as a group. We have had the opportunity to spend a few days in Alice Springs away from the glare of the media and we have talked through what happened and what we can learn from it. We have been made to feel incredibly welcome in Alice and several of the younger guys have enjoyed some good time in the middle. We have regrouped, refocused and we feel ready for Adelaide. We have come back from bad starts before and we know we can do it again. We didn't give our bowlers a chance in Brisbane. They performed so well on the first day, but such effort takes a lot out of you in this heat, and by failing in our first innings they were forced back into action too quickly. We asked too much of them.Trotty's return home has invited the question whether I ever thought about turning my back on cricket in bad times, even if just for the briefest moment. I can honestly say I haven't. I've wanted to be a cricketer since I was a boy and that hasn't changed. There are times it has been hard and there have been times I couldn't buy a run, but I have never wanted to stop. I suspect that everyone who has played cricket knows what it is like to go through a patch of bad form. It is part of the cycle of the game. I have, I think, toured for at least part of every winter since I was 16 years old and there are times when that is hard. But you work out ways to cope and these days we are well supported.We have no complaints about anything that has happened on the field. We expect the Ashes to be played hard and we knew the Australians would come at us with everything they had. Quite right, too. There has been nothing happening on the field this series that has not happened in previous series.Australia played well in Brisbane, but that was no surprise. There was no shortage of respect between the sides, and we have always known that Mitchell Johnson is a dangerous bowler. The pitch was quite quick, though not as quick as some have suggested, and we were not as calm as we should have been. We can do much better. I have made it known that I'm willing to bat at No. 3 if required, but in the end the decision is not up to me and I will be quite happy to stay at No. 5 and do the job I've been doing for the last few years, if the management think that is best. The last time I did bat at No. 3 regularly was in the xxxx series against India, when my last innings was 235. I'm certainly a far better player than I was at the start of my career when I first had a go there. Meanwhile, it was a nice confidence boost to be named in the shortlist of ten for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award. I don't think I have much chance of winning - Andy Murray is also on the list - but it is a reminder of the impact of success in an Ashes series. It continues to capture the imagination in a way that most series cannot. If ever we needed a reminder of how important our success is to people in England, we have had it. We will do our best not to let you down.Both Trott and Bell are the corner stones of this good English team. No 3 is such an important position in a strong batting order. Trott will be missed. I suspect Bell will stay at 5 and Root will be pushed to 3. There is nothing wrong with protecting your best batsmen (Pieterson & Bell) from the new ball. As an ozzi fan I hate seeing Clarke (our best batsmen) having to bat before over 15. Australia's extended period of domination was built on a strong top 3 (Langer, Hayden & Ponting). Having a brittle top 3 and not having a consistent spin bowler is probably one of the main reasons why oz have been ordinary of late. I hope our top 3 bats as a unit in Adelaide and Nathan Lyon continues to improve. Lyon doesn't need to be a world beater, he just needs to do a job. When was the last time South Africa had a great spin bowler? South Africa have proven that you can win consistently on any surface with a spinner who just does his job. I don't see how a team that hasn't changed much for the best part of 5 years can 'bond' together as a group. Well, isn't that the culture you have been building for all this time? I refuse to believe that the feeling amongst the group can get any better than it was before.England's saving grace at the moment is that they hanging onto the belief that they always start tours slowly and bounce back.Fair enough, but what happens if they get beaten in Adelaide? They'll be well and truly mentally beaten heading into Perth as their we've done it before belief will be shattered. This test match can offer massive psychological advantage to Australia if we can dominate. Trott's going away will leave a bigger gap than what most people imagine. Trott was very important in England's game plan. While Carberry may turn out to be better equipped than his predecessors, it still means that in most innings, Pieterson will be exposed much earlier to the new ball. Trott could blunt most attacks and even in ODIs (where he has an above 50 average)- his figures don't tell enough about his importance in the side. Without Trott, many players would have to change their roles- whether they can successfully do it- will determine success or failure in the remaining tests.Why do these guys have to publicly declare what/ho they're *feeling * collectively? Surely it's much better to just go out there and let your bat or ball (excuse any pun) do the talking. If nothing else, at least it doesn't put any sort of pressure on you to match your words with action.Genuine fast bowling can change a game or a series quicker than any other skill in cricket. However, I didn't envisage the enormous psychological swing that Mitchell Johnson's express deliveries wrought at the Gabba. England are in trouble in the Ashes series and their chances of retaining the urn will depend on their response to the threat in Adelaide. Australia are the more adaptable squad, while England tend towards being one-dimensional; Adelaide will provide more clues. England's first priority is to dent Johnson's sky-high confidence. If they allow him to continue in his rampant Brisbane form then the confrontation at the WACA in the third Test can only go one way - Australia's. Johnson is more accurate when he pitches short. Therefore England has to find a way to change his length. When he pitches full and tries to swing the ball, he often sprays his deliveries. That means someone in the England top order has to judiciously challenge his short-pitched deliveries. While the fall and departure of Jonathan Trott is sad to behold, it may have delivered England the ideal opportunity. Ian Bell is a born No. 3 and now is the time to promote him. He, along with the captain, Alastair Cook, is best equipped to tackle Johnson. Both handle the short-pitched delivery well and also hook and pull securely when the opportunity arises. This is the perfect combination to slow Johnson's progress, and the time is right in Adelaide, where the pitch is more placid than either the Gabba or the WACA.England's other priority concerns what to do with their attack. It was adequate at the Gabba without having the edge to it that Johnson provided Australia. The onslaught that was supposedly going to be visited on Michael Clarke to test his aptitude for the short-pitched delivery was more like an attack with a handbag than a hand grenade.Along with his audacious strokeplay, David Warner did his part in dampening English enthusiasm for intimidation by ferociously hooking the very first ball he received from Stuart Broad. England have to decide whether they maintain their policy of trying to make Australia's runs hard-earned or whether they want to make life uncomfortable for them. If they decide on the latter it'll require the promotion of a faster bowler and a drastic change in philosophy from the captain - a more aggressive pursuit of wickets.
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