Fielding in pairs.

Boundary riding.

Assisted catches.

These are common terms in the modern game. The best players playing with the best players in the IPL and the BBL have bought this to the forefront and we see some incredible fielding feats on club and school cricket grounds all across the world.

However, in the Regional T20 Semi Final of the National T20 Tournament the other day, I saw 2 separate collisions as two fielders both hurtled towards the ball with the same intention. To dive and stop the ball!

The commitment was huge and cannot be faulted. Yet, on another day we could have had a much worse outcome. One of the players cracked rib could have been a lot worse and the head injury could have been hideous.

So how can we help boundary riders to perform their skills and stay safe?

1. Delivery skills: Coaches have to be able to strike the ball from realistic distances with accuracy into a space between 2 boundary riders. If we take the distance out of the practice then the visual cues, the time taken for the ball to reach the boundary and the angles can be replicated in a functional and realistic fashion.

2. Imitate the shot type: Deliver with the shot type that is likely to hit the ball into that zone. If you are simulating Deep mid-off and Deep mid-on converging then hit the ball straight using a driving movement pattern that mimics what the player will see in the match. If you are practicing Deep Square leg and Cow Corner to a spinner then mimic a sweep or pull shot. The fielders can then pick up on the visual cues that are associated with that shot and react accordingly. Those visual cues may inform the fielders about their individual roles in the "pairs fielding".

3. Visual cues give us a head start: If the ball is airborne and needs to be taken to prevent a 6, then passed back into play to complete the dismissal, then the decision making regarding the roles will come largely from the visual cues. Without early visual cues the chances of both fielders choosing to take the same role in the fielding process increases. Thus increasing the chance of confusion, error and collision.

4. Use the facilities: Always use the existing boundary rope or line and hit from the middle of the ground out to the boundary. This is something that I picked up from Duncan Fletcher. It gets the fielders used to the angles that they will face on a match day and gets them used to the backdrop behind the strike. I grew up on a tree lined cricket ground and used to practice fielding at deep backward square on both sides of the ground to ensure that I could pick up the ball flight against the backdrop as optimally as possible. This aided my decision making and ultimately I took a catch or 60 in those positions without dropping one. Precise practice makes perfect performance.

5. Communication is both verbal and non-verbal: One coach from the other day said that the players should have called for the ball. That's one way of doing it, and a quick glance or arm movement as you are travelling towards the ball also helps. Eye contact when running between the wickets is essential; it works in a fielding context too. This is particularly prevalent on balls hit along the ground. Work on some simple signals to aid communication. A sweeping arm can indicate that you will dive for the ball and need the other fielder to hold off for the pop-up throw. It’s something that many sides are now practising and then taking into game time.

6. Partnerships: I can still tell you the boundary riding partnerships of the 2005 T20 winning Somerset team, and that's many years ago. Practice your partnerships; practice your communications and lines of running. Build the relationships and watch performance sky rocket.