The knack: How to keep wicket and win

It's about concentration, catching and making the batsmen feel alone, says Ian Healey

"Apparently we only have 45 minutes of pure concentration a day in our body, so you have to pace yourself over six hours. Once my feet are going properly and I'm catching the ball well, then the mind can concentrate on other things. A fielding side should make it as lonely as possible for any batsman - there are 11 of us and only two of them and if they are not communicating very well, they feel alone. A batsman should be made to feel like a gatecrasher at a party where everyone else is having fun. We don't talk to him directly, ignore him, get on with our own party so he knows if he wants to make runs he is going to have to spend most of the day doing it. I might say 'dig one in short' to the bowler within earshot of the batsman so he gets to thinking about that while the bowler knows he is planning something else.

"It's difficult to sound positive if your bowlers aren't bowling well, but every innings goes through stages. It starts as chirpy banter in the slip cordon and then, if the batsman starts to get on top, you have to make sure it is sensible so he can't just dismiss it. If they are right on top, it is time to take the mickey, even start mucking around, so we can all relax a little and at least enjoy it as we are going down. It is rare to disrupt a top player's concentration once they are set and going well. Steven Waugh is just impossible to get any sort of emotion out of when he is batting. It is up to teams to bowl as hard as possible and hope the batsman has an off-day. Everyone has one eventually".

In the first five tests of the 1997 Ashes series, Ian Healey took 24 English wickets. His career test record is 325. He is currently appearing in the final test at the Oval