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Aside from preventing balls from going behind the fielders (which would allow the batsmen to score runs) the wicket keeper is also expected to attempt to get the batsman out in various ways. The most common form of dismissal is for the keeper to catch a ball that has just skimmed off the batsman's bat - an edge. As with any other fielder he must catch it before it bounces. The 'wickie' can also stump the batsman by using the ball to remove the bails from the stumps if the batsman is out of his crease after a delivery.
When the ball has been hit into the outfield the keeper moves up to the stumps to catch the return from another fielder and if possible run-out a batsman.
The wicket-keeper is the only member of the fielding team that is allowed to use any piece of equipment to handle the ball, he typically has large webbed and padded gloves and leg pads for protection. Still this is not always adequate, the famous English wicket-keeper Allan Knott used to place steaks on the inside of his gloves for added cushioning.