Gary Palmer, the PitchVision Academy batting coach, talks about the coaching idea that batting is a sideways game. If you would like coaching from Gary, check out CCM Academy.

We have all heard the coaching mantra: Cricket is a sideways game.

Good bowlers get side on in their action. Batsmen stand sideways at the crease.

For twenty years Sachin has been the epitome of a winning cricketer. Out of the hundreds of games and dozens of tournaments the little master has played in, the 2003 World Cup was perhaps the closest he has got to winning a global event.

Spin bowlers need understanding captains to bring the best out of them. Too many spin bowlers are lost due to poor captaincy decisions. This is especially true at junior level cricket during a player's formative years.

In modern cricket, the emphasis is all about scoring runs and big hits. Just look at the massive following of the Twenty20 form of the game. To satisfy this insatiable thirst for runs all the pitches are prepared flat and the boundaries are brought in.

Think of a big jar. An ordinary jar that once might have contained pickles or jam. It's empty now.

Piled next to the jar is a collection of rocks. There's nothing special about them but there is just enough to fill up the jar, so you put them in. The jar is full.

Former England fast bowler has joined PitchVision Academy as a coach. To celebrate, we are giving away some free fast bowling advice from the experienced paceman.

There are three interviews on the show this week as we feature usual guests Gary Palmer on batting and Menno Gazendam on spin bowling. We get a detailed look at the forthcoming International Cricket Camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

We also get to hear about Kevin's lateste game. How did he fair with a strong batting line up this week?

This is a guest article by cricket analyst and author Shaymal Vallabhjee. Shayamal was the Indian analyst at the 2003 World Cup. You can read about his experiences in "Now or Never" an exclusive eBook available now in PitchVision Academy. Click here to download it now.

Why is Sachin is so consistent? Why does Harbhajan turn the ball the other way? Why can Agarkar reverse swing the ball?

This article is by PitchVision Academy Coach Menno Gazendam. To instantly get all Menno's advice in one place download the "Spin Bowling Tips" eBook today.

The number one rule in cricket spin bowling is "Always spin the ball as hard as possible".

Being a good player is a lot of hard work. Technical training takes enough time, but then there is the fitness training, not to mention the actual matches. What do you do when you don't have time to train?