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neurologyYou need to know

• In rounders, the fingers-down catching technique is used when the ball is caught below shoulder height.
• In the fingers-down catch, the fingers are spread and the little fingers are close together to create a 'W' shape with a large catching surface.
• In the fingers-down catch, the hands should be central to the body, move towards the ball, then soften by withdrawing towards the hip after the catch.
• In rounders, the fingers-up catching technique is used when the ball is caught above shoulder height.
• In the fingers-up catch, the thumbs and index fingers create a 'window' in front of the face so the fielder can look through it at the ball.
• In the fingers-up catch, the hands move up towards the ball, the fingers close around it, and the hands soften by withdrawing towards the shoulder.
• A legal basic bowl in rounders is an underarm action with a smooth pendulum motion.
• For a basic bowl, the bowler should bend the knees and keep the shoulders and hips in line.
• For a bowl to be legal, the bowler’s feet must remain within the bowling square when the ball is released.
• A bowl that reaches the batter below knee height or above head height is a no ball.
• A spin bowl uses finger and thumb action at release to make the ball move sideways or change direction.
• To apply spin, the bowler can hold the ball with four fingers and use the thumb behind or inside the ball to flick and rotate the ball on release.
• A donkey drop is a high underarm bowl released so the ball drops into the batting box just below head height.
• A donkey drop can make the ball harder for the batter to strike cleanly and easier for fielders to catch.
• An effective batting stance has the feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, elbows bent, and the bat held in the dominant hand away from the body.
• The batter should strike one handed from the batting square, directing the ball into space and making an appropriate running decision after the bowl.
• The long barrier is the safest fielding technique for controlling a rounders ball travelling along the ground.
• In the long barrier, the fielder gets the whole body behind the ball so the body acts as a back-up if the hands miss it.
• A pick-up and throw is used to field a moving ground ball quickly and release it towards a target in one continuous action.
• An underarm throw is usually used over shorter distances and should travel flat at about chest height.
• An overarm throw is usually used to send the ball faster or further and should also aim to travel flat at about chest height.

• Catch a ball below shoulder height using the fingers-down technique by forming a ‘W’ with the little fingers, keeping hands central, closing the fingers around the ball, and softening the catch towards the hip.
• Catch a ball above shoulder height using the fingers-up technique by forming a ‘window’ with thumbs and index fingers, watching the ball through the hands, closing the fingers, and softening the catch towards the shoulder.
• Bowl a basic underarm ball with bent knees, aligned hips and shoulders, and a smooth pendulum arm action.
• Keep both feet within the bowling square when releasing the ball, ensuring that it reaches the batter between knee height and head height.
• Bowl a spin ball by gripping with four fingers and using the thumb and fingers to rotate the ball at release so it spins towards the batter.
• Bowl a donkey drop by swinging the bowling arm back, stepping in with the opposite foot, releasing around rib height, and following through so the ball drops just below head height in the batting box.
• Strike the ball one handed by starting in a ready position, watching the ball, transferring weight onto the front foot, and using a controlled swing to direct the ball into a chosen space.
• Field a ground ball using the long barrier by moving into line, placing the strong-side knee down against the other heel, spreading the hands low with little fingers together, and drawing the ball into the body.
• Perform a pick-up and throw by approaching in short strides, bending the knees, collecting the ball outside the throwing-side foot, swinging the throwing arm back, and releasing early towards the target.
• Throw underarm by collecting next to the throwing-side foot, stepping into the throw in one movement, and sending a flat ball towards the target at chest height.
• Throw overarm by collecting with bent knees, stepping through into the throw, swinging the throwing arm back, and releasing a flat throw towards the target at chest height.