This drill is part of the PitchVision Academy fielding drills series, for more in this series click here.

Purpose: To practice different throwing and backing up skills in a decision-making situation

This drill is part of the PitchVision Academy fielding drills series, for more in this series click here.

Purpose: To develop chase, pick up and throw skills in a realistic game situation where decision making is important. Also develops the batting skill of running between the wickets.

Every year for more than 20 seasons I have gone through the same ritual after Christmas with a variety of club cricket teams.

The kitbag is dragged from the shed, and I find myself in a dusty sports hall trying to reacquaint myself with the faces of my team-mates that I haven’t seen for months.

The bowler’s have a little stretch while the batsmen fight about who is going to go first (or second actually, because no one wants to go first).

This drill is part of the PitchVision Academy fielding drills series, for more in this series click here.

Purpose: To combine outfield pick up and throwing with realistic decision-making for fielding and running between the wickets for batters.

This drill is part of the PitchVision Academy fielding drills series, for more in this series click here.

Purpose: A drill that incorporates cricket skills into competitive speed training. It can also be used as a finisher to a pre-game warm up drill.

This drill is part of the PitchVision Academy fielding drills series, for more in this series click here.

Purpose: To practice slip catching concentration under a pressure situation. And to have a fun game.

Description: The coach hits the ball out randomly to players in the line for close catches. Any fielder who drops the catch moves to the bottom of the ‘ladder’ (as shown on the left), everyone else moves up a place.

Purpose: A drill that incorporates cricket skills into speed/endurance training. Can also be used as a pre-game warm up drill.

Description: Players get into equal team numbers. The first player in the queue at end A runs with the ball, places it down on the blue marker and runs to the back of end B.

Purpose: To develop better reactions and close catching technique. This is a simple but effective drill for any age or skill level to groove close catching skills.

Description: Fielders get into pairs facing the wall. The fielder furthest from the wall underarm throws the ball so it bounces off the wall for his or her partner to catch it.

As a coach, I’m always looking for ways to improve my methods. One of the best ways to do this is by sharing knowledge.

One of the great benefits of our current tour, “PitchVision Academy Live!” is that I get to share ideas with coaches I would otherwise be unlikely to meet.

Here are three of the ideas that we shared at the Birmingham event PitchVision Academy Live!

This is part of the specialist fielding series of articles, for the full list of fielding positions covered click here.