“Mr Strong is the strongest person in the whole wide world.” - Roger Hargreaves

I’m not sure if children’s character Mr Strong ever played cricket, but if he did I’m betting he would be rather good at it.

Anyone who can throw a cannonball as far as you or I could throw a tennis ball has to be a useful bowler and fielder.

But despite the obvious limitation of being a made-up cartoon, Mr Strong actually knows a thing or two about cricket fitness and nutrition.

Let’s take a look at his story and find out those 3 things.

“The more eggs Mr Strong eats, the stronger he becomes.”

Eggs make you strong. Sometimes they get a bad rap with complaints of too much fat or cholesterol but every unhealthy egg claim I have ever heard has been nonsense.

Eggs make you strong because they fire protein straight into the muscles with the precision of Robin Hood (well, almost). And once the protein is in there it gets to work. It starts by repairing any damage that was caused while it was away then goes about making sure the muscle is stronger for next time.

And stronger means fewer injuries, faster bowling and more hitting power.

Of course you can get protein from all kinds of sources, but eggs are king.

Because 100% of the protein in a whole egg can be used by the body. Beef, chicken and fish clock on at about 80%, while beans and nuts are under 50%.

Plus eggs also contain the kick-butt B vitamins that assist in energy production. Increased stamina anyone? Yes please.

2. Good strength is functional strength

“Mr Strong emptied the upside down barn full of water over the flames.”

We have all seen bodybuilders with impressive bulk, but I doubt they would be able to play cricket well. That’s because cricket requires a combination of technical and physical skills.

In other words, power is nothing without function.

Mr Strong knew that because he was perfectly capable of using his strength to put out a fire.

Your function is to be a better player, so when you are training to get strong focus on how your strength will be used to make your training crossover to the pitch.

3. A cool head reaps rewards

“You shall have as many eggs as you can carry”

Mr Strong didn’t panic in the face of a blazing corn field. He trusted his strength, saved the day and was rewarded (with eggs of course).

And that’s exactly how you should approach your cricket.

Put the worries out of your mind and focus on doing what you do best. Psychologists call this the zone.

Mr Strong would probably call it a beautiful day.