Catching the High Ball: Technique for Skied Shots and Steepling Catches
The specific technique required for taking catches from high, skied shots — how to position under the ball, the two-handed catch technique vs the cup catch, how sun and wind affect high ball catching, common mistakes that lead to dropped high catches, and which positions on the field most frequently face high-ball catching opportunities.
What a 'Skier' Is
A skied shot (or 'skier') is a ball hit high in the air from a mis-hit — the batsman has not connected cleanly, hitting the ball in the air at an angle that sends it steeply upward rather than along the ground or in a low trajectory. Skiers are common when batsmen attempt to hit a short-pitched delivery over the infield and mis-hit it off the top edge, or when a full-pitched delivery causes an involuntary lofted shot. The resulting catch travels high (sometimes 20-30 metres into the air) and slowly, giving fielders time to position themselves under the ball but also giving the ball time to drift in any crosswind and giving the fielder time to think — which can be psychologically challenging. A high catch dropped after a prolonged tracking period is more embarrassing than a sharp reflex catch dropped instantly.
Technique for High Catches
The high ball catch requires: early tracking (identifying the ball's trajectory immediately off the bat, beginning to move to the predicted landing spot rather than waiting), arriving at the landing spot early (settling under the ball rather than running and catching simultaneously — movement while looking up at the ball is less stable than stationary catching), using the two-handed catch with eyes through the hands (watching the ball through the V-shape of the two index fingers and thumbs, fingers pointing upward), and catching the ball above eye level with slightly bent elbows to absorb pace. The cup catch (hands below the ball with fingers pointing up, like holding a cup) is sometimes preferred for balls directly above the head. The key mistake: looking away briefly during the catch approach, then trying to refocus — the distraction breaks the visual tracking and causes the ball to be misjudged.
Environmental Factors
Sun glare is the high catch's most dangerous environmental hazard. A ball hit into a low sun becomes invisible against the bright background, making tracking impossible or extremely difficult. Fielders at long-on and long-off — positioned directly in line with the bowler's trajectory, where a batsman hitting straight creates a sun-glare situation for the catching fielder — are most exposed. Techniques for sun-glare catching: using a fielding cap's peak to shade the eyes, turning slightly sideways to track the ball with the sun at an angle rather than directly behind it, or using a different tracking angle (sighting the ball from the side of the sun rather than directly under it). Wind also causes high balls to drift significantly — a crosswind of even 10 km/h can move a high ball 2-3 metres laterally from its initial trajectory, requiring late position adjustment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 'reverse cup' catch and when is it used?
The reverse cup catch is where the fielder catches with fingers pointing downward rather than upward — hands above the ball, fingers pointing toward the ground, catching the ball from above rather than scooping from below. This technique is preferred for balls that arrive steeply (nearly vertically) from very high trajectories, where the standard cup catch (fingers up) is mechanically awkward because the hands are positioned against the direction of the ball's fall. The reverse cup is also used in close-in catching positions (slip, gully) for sharp chances where the hands are above the ball's trajectory. The technique requires the hands to be very soft at contact — rigid hands on a steep reverse cup catch cause the ball to bounce out.
Why do experienced fielders call for high catches rather than running to them?
Calling for a high catch (shouting 'mine' or 'my catch') is essential when multiple fielders converge on a high ball from different directions — without calling, two fielders may collide (a serious injury risk) or both pull out of the catch to avoid collision (dropping it). At international level, calling is automatic: the fielder best positioned (typically the one who has established a stable position under the ball earliest) calls loudly to claim the catch. Other fielders who hear the call immediately back out and position themselves around the catcher as backups. The calling system is one of cricket's most important fielding communication protocols — a missed call in a high-pressure match leading to a collision between two fielders has caused multiple injuries and dropped catches at international level.
Which fielding positions take the most skied catches?
Long-on and long-off take the most skied catches in T20 cricket — batsmen targeting sixes over the bowler's end frequently hit the ball high and straight, and fielders at long-on and long-off are positioned in the primary landing zones. Mid-wicket and deep mid-wicket catch slog-sweep mis-hits that go high rather than along the ground. Third man and fine leg take high catches from mis-hit top edges off short deliveries — a batsman who attempts a hook shot and hits the top edge sends the ball steeply upward and backward toward fine leg or third man. The outfield positions (long-on, long-off, deep mid-wicket, third man, fine leg) collectively take the majority of high catches in limited-overs cricket, making the ability to take high balls a critical skill for boundary riders.