Drills | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

Don't Forget the Tail-Enders at Cricket Nets

Coach Iain Brunnschweiler is standing up for the "lower order run getters" this week, with a brand new "off the shelf" coaching session that gives the tail priority while you have nets.

What gives?

As Mark Garaway often reminds us, everyone in the team bats, and everyone in the team is allowed to score runs, not just the batters. So why shouldn't everyone practice batting?

How Ian Bell Helped One Batsman to Become a Rock Star

You might be surprised to learn that I'm not a big reader of books. Yet, occasionally, I come across a book that flows when I read it and has big enough font that even a fool like myself can keep pace and not make too many mistakes when reading in my head.

Robin Sharma has a wonderful book called The Greatness Guide in which he scribes a series of 2 page lessons that he has learnt from his life in business and now in his highly successful personal development coaching business.

One of the books lessons is;

Turbo Boost Net Practice with Iain Brunnschweiler

If your nets have got a bit dull and lifeless, you need to fit a turbo boost, courtesy of England Performance Programme Coach, Iain Brunnschweiler.

Right now "Brunchy" is realising a 6 week series of coaching sessions that anyone can take to nets to make the sessions fun, exciting sessions that will lead to better cricket from you and your team.

The latest one is out today so click here to get this week's session instantly.

Kick Start Your New Year: 6 Week Cricket Coaching Session Plans and Drills from Iain Brunnschweiler

Are you a coach hunting for instant use "no fuss" cricket drills and practices for your team?

Iain Brunnschweiler, England Performance Programme Coach, has come to the rescue with a brand new 6 week series of session plans, including video demonstrations of drills. All you need to do is pick up the session plan and get to practice.

Click here to get week 1 drills now.

Each week, for the next 6 weeks, this series will bring you streaming video ideas to use for:

Fixing Fast Bowlers: Curing Excessive Side Bend

We now know that the most significant cause of spinal stress fractures in fast bowlers comes from excessive side bend, or "lateral flexion" in scientific speak. This is often caused as a result of the body compensating in the delivery stride for things that have not worked correctly further back.

This could be the angle of approach, the angle of bound or misaligned back foot contact.

However, we sometimes get a situation where all of the above are OK and the bowler is still displaying excessive side bend at point of release.

So what can we do about it?

Here is my solution:

How to Play Short Bowling

This is an article by Gary Palmer about the most effective and progressive way of coaching playing the short ball. For a complete video guide on the right trigger moves to play the short ball by Gary, click here.

You need to master the correct techniques of the back foot defence before you move on to playing the bouncer. For young cricketers especially, bouncer practice should be the latter sessions within a coaching program over a number of weeks.

Spin Bowling Balance and Alignment Drill

This drill comes to you from Harry Shapiro's Leg Spin Association. For your free trial membership, click here.

Elvis is a member of the leg spin association and he turned to Harry Shapiro, the coach, for assistance with his action. Harry spotted a problem and came up with a drill to help him become better balanced and aligned.

Here is what Harry said,

Batting Drill: The Wilson/Thompson 40 Run Consequence Net

I had an article ready to go for you this week, but last night we had an session with the 1st team squad here at Millfield School that I just had to tell you about.

Around 5pm, the coaching team grabbed a coffee in-between squad sessions.

I asked a simple question, "Could either of you two inspire me ahead of the last session of term please?" and my two brilliant assistants came up with a innovative session plan which led to a great session:

Bob Woolmer's "No Feet" Batting Drill

One of Bob Woolmer's batting drills was the one-legged drive which I featured right at the start of the Coaching to Win series.

This gem of a drill helps players who lead their forward movement to the ball with their heads. (Not your Pietersen, Amla or Gayle who lead with their feet but more like the Bell, Ponting and Strauss).

Bob would ask the batter to not move their feet, yet wait for the fuller ball to bounce and move their head towards the line of the ball.

What does this drill develop?

Sussex Sharks Batting Drill

During my ECB Level 3 batting modules, I always ask the fellow coaches to throw up any ideas or drills that they have to add value to the module.

Last week Sussex Sharks Cricketer, Chris Nash, demonstrated a great drill that was intended to challenge decision making. The drill achieved its aim and opened up other vital elements of batting.

The basic drill

Get a batter padded up and ready to receive a ball. As a coach you stand 7 metres away from the crease.

Armed with a ball, the coach walks in 2 paces before delivering a fast-paced underarm delivery into either: